The everyday corner carver

Aprilia has launched the naked version of the RS 457. So is this a bike which can be ridden everyday and on a cross country excursion? What about performance? We find out

- Rahul Ghosh

Aprilia is synonymous with sporty and fun-to-ride two-wheelers, especially motorcycles. Their range is more or less divided into three forms which include the Touareg, which is the adventure tourer, the RS, which is the fully faired sports bike and then there is the Tuono which is the street naked. Aprilia launched the RS 457 last year and now close on the heels is the Tuono 457. So is this the street naked which is a worthy challenger to the throne dominated by the KTM Duke 390? Let's find out.

The Touno 457 being a street naked does away with the fairing seen on the RS. The front end is dominated by the Triple Full-LED headlight which comes complete with LED DRLs. Right below sits a small spoiler which not only adds to the look but also works as an aero aid. Overall, there is a very 'insecty' look to the bike and we love it.

The fat forks house a small front mud-guard which leaves the well-designed alloy wheel exposed. In profile, one can see the large tank shrouds which add muscle to the design. The tank has been redesigned as compared to the RS and has lost out just a couple of hundred millilitres in capacity which now stands at 12.7 litres. The exposed aluminium frame in between not only adds to the looks but also is extremely lightweight and helps cap the overall weight of the motorcycle to just 175kg wet. The tail section is rather compact with the LED tail light taking centre stage. Overall, the Tuono 457 sure looks rather inviting and at the same time, quality is top-notch.