We’ve known Aprilia for its sportbikes, but the Italian motorcycle manufacturer under Piaggio & Co. SpA – you know, the maker of Vespa scooters – isn’t limited to just producing insanely fast machines. In fact, the Aprilia SR GT 200 scooter made its local debut last March, which expands the brand’s portfolio in the local motorcycle market.
And just this weekend, Aprilia, under the distributorship of Bikerbox, Inc., has previewed the Tuareg 600 adventure bike to the thousands of attendees of the 2022 Makina Moto Show. It’s the marque’s official entry into the tightly contested adventure bike segment in the country.
As its name implies, the Aprilia Tuareg 660 is powered by a 659cc liquid-cooled DOHC parallel-twin motor. It’s the same power plant being used by the RS660, detuned to 80hp and 70Nm. Torque is easily accessible at 2,000 rpm for a punchier bottom to mid-range, best for off-roading duties.
In terms of design, the Tuareg 660 veers off from the typical front-heavy design of adventure bikes you’ll see on the road. In photos and in the metal, it has an enduro bike-esque appeal, brought about by its frame and seat shape.
Also inherited from its enduro bike form is its tall 860mm seat height, But make no mistake about it – the Tuareg 660 is an adventure bike through and through, made for comfortable long rides even beyond the chartered roads.
Supporting that case is the motorcycle’s high ground clearance, wide and high handlebar, Kayaba long-travel (240mm) fully adjustable suspension, an adjustable 43mm inverted fork up front, and the set of 21-inch (front) and 18-inch (rear) spoke tires wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion Rally STRs. Braking is taken care of by Brembo, with twin 300mm discs up front and a single 260mm in the rear.
Size-wise, the Tuareg 660 slots into the middleweight ADV category, matching up against the BMW F 750 GS and Triumph Tiger 660. It may not look like it but the Aprilia’s adventure bike has a fuel tank that can hold up to 18 liters of fuel.
Switchable ABS is standard in the Tuareg 660, along with LED lighting elements, traction control, riding modes, adjustable engine braking, a fully-digital 5.5-inch full-color TFT instrument, and cruise control.
The Aprilia Tuareg 660 comes with a price tag of P898,000, a tad higher than the RS 660 sportbike.