Burn the Hell's Highway

APRILIA TUONO V4 R 2011 HIGHLIGHTS

Bodystyle : Sports Naked Bike
Warranty : 24 months
Manufacturer Country : Italy
Model Year : 2011
Displacement (cc) : 999.6
Engine Type : V4, longitudinal 65° V-4 cylinder, four-stroke

VEHICLE REVIEW

2011 Aprilia Tuono V4 R

With its 65° V4 engine unashamedly flaunted and framed by the brushed aluminium elements of the twin spar frame, the Tuono V4 is a naked clad only with the bare minimum necessary to let you saddle up and teach it to respond to your will. Adding yet another touch of aggressiveness is the aerodynamic new top fairing tipped with two polyelliptical headlights and LED indicators at the sharp end, which gives the bike the unequivocally mean, daunting stare that you'd expect from a machine with an incredible 167.3 horsepower.
Tuono V4 R boasts more power than ever seen before in a naked, achieved by reconfiguring the V4 engine of the RSV4 to make it better suited to street use.The features inherited by the Tuono V4 R from the RSV4 include the new exhaust system with bypass valve, which is two kilos lighter than the system used on the RSV4 R, and latest generation Ride by Wire throttle control with three rider-selectable maps (Track, Sport and Road). The first three gear ratios are now shorter, while the maximum torque value of 111.5 Nm is on tap at 9,500 rpm: characteristics that make the Tuono V4 R a wild beast at low and mid engine speeds, with the ability to unleash a devastating hurricane of power at higher engine speeds. The Tuono V4 R maintains a clear parentage with the twice SBK world champion in the proportions of the tail fairing, saddle, tank and side panels, and is one of the best examples of Italian motorcycle design from the past decade for its perfect balance between formal beauty and function. The rider will be taming this beast from a riding position tailored to create a symbiotic relationship between the body and the bike, for unparalleled feedback through the three points of contact - the saddle, footpegs and handlebars. On the Tuono V4 R. however, the rider sits with less weight taken up by the arms, making the bike less strenuous to ride and extraordinarily nimble and controllable on the road. The original design of the saddle, which is generously sized and specifically shaped to comfortably accommodate a passenger, blends perfectly with the style of the side fairings and tail fairing.
From the vantage point of the saddle and with the broad tapered handlebars firmly in your grip, you immediately discover that the APRC (Aprilia Performance Ride Control) version features an immediately intuitive joystick for rapidly accessing and adjusting the functions of the second generation electronic dynamic control suite developed by Aprilia to let the rider explore the physical limits of riding.

New for 2011 Aprilia Tuono V4 R

The Tuono V4R is the only naked powered by a narrow V (65°) 4 cylinder engine with unique characteristics. Extremely compact, as slim as a twin-cylinder and installed in an ultra-compact chassis, the 65° V4 engine is the epitome of Italian engineering ingenuity. The Tuono gives away very little to its RSV4 sibling in terms of pure performance, but in exchange offers a greater fluidity that make it more enjoyable and rewarding to ride on the road and when carrying a passenger.
Power 167.3 hp at 11,500 rpm
Torque 111.5 Nm at 9,500 rpm
Rev limiter 12,300 rpm in all gears
To achieve these results, a number of different modifications were made to the Aprilia V4 engine:
• New valve timing diagram.
• Fixed intake ducts now 20 mm longer.
• Crankshaft flywheel with increased inertia for improved smoothness and overall balance.
• Shortened gear ratios for the first three gears.
• Engine speed at maximum power reduced to 11,500 rpm on the Tuono V4R

The narrow V architecture translates into an engine that is incredibly compact in length, offering advantages in terms of mass centralisation and making it possible to define a chassis architecture centre of gravity that is both very low and almost perfectly centralised in the engine and vehicle for neutral, intuitive behaviour and maximum responsiveness on the road.
The innovative valve timing system (with the chain camshaft driving only the intake camshaft, which in turn drives the exhaust camshaft via a single gear) has allowed the use of extremely compact heads (just 250 mm at the rear of the engine), especially in the area beneath the frame spars, which are thus much narrower than would otherwise be possible.
A countershaft dampens vibrations even more than in a 90° V engine.
The monobloc crankcase with integrated aluminium cylinder liners ensures maximum rigidity and consistent performance.
The electronic management system is another example of the 65° V4 engine's technological supremacy. Full Ride by Wire technology eliminates any direct connection between the throttle grip and the throttle valves, which are entirely controlled by a latest generation Marelli control unit that also controls the ignition and the 4 injectors
Each bank has a dedicated servo unit actuating its own two throttle bodies only. This means that the aperture of the throttle valves and, as a consequence, the quantity of fuel injected, can be controlled independently. A solution that opens up practically infinite possibilities for power delivery control and works hand in hand with the APRC system.
This technology, adapted appropriately for the prevalently road based usage of the Tuono V4, offers immediately tangible benefits to the rider, with triple mapping (adjusting power delivery and maximum power) selectable directly from the handlebar allowing the character of the bike to be modified to suit the rider's personal riding style or the track conditions at any time.
• T - TRACK: no compromise. All 167.3 hp of power available at the slightest twist of the throttle.
• S - SPORT: maximum fun on the open road. Smooth delivery, maximum power. Torque limited in all gears for fun yet less demanding riding.
• R - ROAD: usability in all conditions. Smooth delivery and power attenuated by 25% across the rev range. Greater usability in all conditions. Ideal for the city or wet road conditions.
The transmission has also been designed to the meet most advanced criteria to offer the maximum performance possible. To underscore the racing soul of the 65° V4 engine, it is mated to a cassette gearbox with a wet sump lubrication system (with oil in the crankcase). The wet clutch features a mechanical slipper system for optimised engine braking torque control and stability under hard braking. Unparalleled efficacy and riding pleasure.
This is the most complete version, equipped as standard with a steering damper and the APRC second generation vehicle dynamic control suite.
APRC is based on an automotive inertia sensor platform, with two gyrometers and two accelerometers allowing the engine ECU to determine the dynamic state of the motorcycle and control engine torque accordingly to help the rider exploit the full performance potential of the bike.
The APRC suite equipping the Tuono V4 R includes:

• ATC (Aprilia Traction Control) with eight different settings for controlling sliding when powering out of curves in relation to bank angle and throttle aperture. The system has been tweaked to make the more conservative settings even more suitable for road use, while leaving the racing spirit of the less restrictive levels intact;

• AWC (Aprilia Wheelie Control) which helps the rider maintain control in extreme wheelie conditions by gradually bringing the front wheel back to the ground, has been appropriately adapted for the different weight distribution of the Tuono V4;

• Simultaneously pressing both buttons on the joystick on the left hand handlebar arms the system, as confirmed by the specific message on the display. From this moment on, all 167,3 horsepower of the beast from Noale are ready to slingshot the Tuono V4 R like a missile as soon as the rider releases the clutch, unleashing the astonishing power onto the tarmac through every available square millimetre of the 190/55 rear tyre. And tyre size does not matter to APRC, as with its Calibrating function, it is the only system of its kind on the market capable of self-adapting to tyre size and drive ratio.

OVERVIEW SPECIFICATIONS