One of the best streetfighters that money can buy is set to get even better for next year, as the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory is tipped to get semi-active suspension from Öhlins for 2019.
The announcement is expected to occur at the INTERMOT show next week in Germany, according to the sleuths at GPone.
If true, the move is a strong update from Aprilia, as it helps the Italian brand keep the Tuono V4 1100 at the pointy end of the spectrum, especially from its closest competitor, the KTM 1290 Super Duke R.
It is good to see that Aprilia continues to invest in the Tuono platform, though one has to wonder how much longer the bike’s current platform will continue. The Aprilia Tuono V4 series is headed into its eighth year of production, and while it holds its own against the current crop of streetfighter-class motorcycles, we know that the space is constantly evolving.
The semi-active suspension also helps differentiate the Factory model from the RR model, which have always been too close in spec and function from each other to justify the sizable price difference between the two.
From our experience, the Sachs suspension on the RR was just as good as the Öhlins on the street and track, making the different suspension choice mostly one of bragging rights a bike nights.
But now with the Factory bike having semi-active Öhlins pieces, and the RR keeping its tradition Sachs suspension, the stratification between the two bikes on features is more inline with the price difference Aprilia is asking for them. It would be nice if Aprilia offered forged wheels on the Factory model as well, but one step at a time, apparently.
We would expect to see the Aprilia Tuono V4 finally get retired for the 2021 model year, because of the Euro5 homologation requirements, which means we still have a couple more years of the old girl’s gift of dank whoolies.
With INTERMOT only a few days away, be sure to keep checking Asphalt & Rubber for the latest news and leaks coming from the German trade show.
Source: GPone
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