EICMA 2024: 2025 Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally Arrives With Some Hardcore Enhancements

Aprilia set a new precedent when it won the 2024 Africa Eco Race earlier this year in the hands of specialist Jacopo Cerutti with a race-spec Aprilia Tuareg 660. Building on this success, Aprilia unveiled the 2025 Tuareg 660 Rally, a road-legal version of the race bike tailored specifically for hardcore off-roading. So, while Aprilia retains the same 659 cc parallel-twin engine as the standard Tuareg 660, a couple of upgrades have helped enhance its performance and capability. 

For starters, a new ECU paired with larger 52 mm throttle bodies (replacing the previous 48 mm units) leads to efficient fuel burning, ensuring the bike meets the latest Euro 5+ emission standards. However, the previous power output of 80 bhp at 9,250 rpm has remained the same. A specialised engine map also gives the Rally version a more aggressive throttle response. Lastly, the exhaust system has been upgraded, and a complete titanium SC-Project unit has been fitted as standard.

Enhancing the bike's chassis was one of the key focuses of Aprilia to make the Tuareg 660 Rally a proper hardcore bike. So, the suspension has been significantly reworked, with a 43 mm Kayaba fork offering 240 mm of wheel travel and single-rate springs for a firmer, more consistent ride compared to the standard Tuareg's progressive-rate setup. The seat height has also been increased by 20 mm to 880 mm, giving the rider a high riding position. The handlebar is also taller and fitted with reinforced hand guards for improved protection.

Drawing on the lessons learned from the Africa Eco Race, the Tuareg 660 Rally further benefits from a more robust chain guide. A heavy-duty, narrow Ergal spoked wheelshod with tube-type knobby tyres was another crucial addition, along with that Aprilia is also offering TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitor Sensor) as an optional extra.

Lastly, the Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally also has a similar kerb weight as the competition bike. It is 5 kg lighter than the standard Tuareg and at 199 kg (with fuel) it is the closest a production bike can get to a true competition machine while retaining an elegant and attractive appearance. On the other hand, the standard Tuareg 660 has gained the same bigger 52 mm throttle body, but apart from that, the standard bike continues as it is. The feature list of both bikes has remained the same.

The launch of the new Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally does set another new standard for Noale’s off-roading ventures. It’s exciting, looks rugged, and packs in quite the set of premium components as well. But will it launch in India? We don’t think so. While Aprilia did launch the Tuareg 660 in India earlier this year at ₹18.85 lakh (ex-showroom), which is already quite an expensive proposition for a 660 cc ADV. Launching the new Rally bike would attract a more premium, making it quite an extravagant proposition.