Aprilia Tuono 457 Takes A Retro Approach

Earlier this month at the India Bike Week festival, Aprilia launched their first made-in-India sub-500cc sports bike, the RS 457 at Rs 4.10 lakh ex-showroom (Delhi) Now, we have come across fresh images of its semi-naked counterpart, the Tuono 457 (it might be called something else given its roadster approach), being tested. Although information available to us about the bike is scarce, these images give us a pretty good impression of what the upcoming bike will offer. 

What’s the Deal?

As you can see from the images, unlike the Tuono 660, the Tuono 457 test mule sports a circular headlamp, with a flatter handlebar, and a single-piece seat. The footpegs are placed in a neutral position, and the test rider is seated pretty upright. Basically Aprilia has played it smart by going for a retro design that will appeal to a wider range of audience than a streetbike.The tank looks muscular, and underneath the tank, there’s a rather large detail of an air scoop, that might remind you of a certain Vulcan. 

Mechanical updates?

The main frame of the test mule is similar to the Aprilia s 457 but it looks like a tubular steel unit unlike the aluminium unit found on the sports bike. The rear section looks completely different. What’s surprising is the usage of a monoshock which isn’t centrally located and looks more like a one-half of a twin-shock absorber unit. The swingarm also looks more basic than the one on the RS 457. All the above changes lead us to believe that the Tuono 457 will be much more affordable than its sporty sibling. It could also be that Aprilia engineers are testing out various components as it looks like an early test mule and not very production ready. 

How Powerful?

Given that the Aprilia Tuono 457 will be based on the same platform that also underpins the RS 457. We can expect the naked middle-weight sports motorcycle to be powered by the same 457cc, parallel-twin engine that produces 47bhp and 43.5 Nm of torque. This mill is paired to a 6-speed gearbox, and just like the RS 457, expect a slipper-clutch and quickshifter to be available with the package as well. However, we expect the Italian engineers to play with the gear ratios to better suit the roadster dynamics of the upcoming motorcycle. 

India Launch?

The Tuono 457 test mule has just been spotted, so development is already in full swing. But given that a lot of components are still undergoing the experimental stage, it wouldn’t be launching anytime soon. A realistic target would be a global unveil at EICMA 2024 with the India launch likely in early 2025. It’s clear that the Aprilia Tuono 457 will undercut the RS 457 in pricing but how much is something we will have to wait and watch. The Tuono 457 will rival the likes of the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and the BSA Goldstar.

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