Aprilia Tuono 457

The Aprilia Tuono 457 is one of the most powerful middleweight naked bikes in India. Built on the same platform as the RS 457, the Tuono is designed to be a more road-friendly, and practical version of its sportier sibling. It aims to combine performance with everyday riding comfort and accessibility for newer riders or enthusiasts looking for a versatile middleweight.

I had the chance to test the Tuono 457 in the city, highway and the racetrack as well, and here’s how it stacks up in the real world.

The Tuono does not replicate its larger siblings from the front like the RS457 replicates the RSV4. The headlight does look good in the flesh and grew on me as I spent time with the bike. The exposed chassis gives it a proper big-bike feel, but I feel like the indicators should have been incorporated into the DRLs. The bike looks compact yet muscular, and the exposed engine area and stubby tail section add to the streetfighter appeal. At the rear, it is sleek and neat-looking thanks to the sharp tail, swingarm and underbelly exhaust. The Special Edition adds a new smoked windscreen, which, although it looks good, is more of an aesthetic change rather than a practical one.

Aprilia Tuono 457: Colours

Aprilia offers the Tuono 457 Special Edition in two colour options with sporty graphics inspired by the 2006 Tuono 1000RR. They include Puma Grey and Black Mamba. The Grey colour scheme looks particularly striking and very Italian.

Aprilia Tuono 457: Build Quality

The build quality and fit and finish of the bike are actually quite decent. The switchgear is tactile, the panels are put together well, and the overall fit and finish is easily on par with bikes in its segment. Additionally, the paint finish looks nice, with neat detailing across the body panels and badging.

Aprilia Tuono 457: Convenience Features

The Tuono 457 comes with a crisp 5-inch TFT display that’s easy to read and offers navigation, ride modes, and essential data like gear position, fuel range, and trip meters.There are three ride modes: Eco, Rain, and Sport. These modes can be switched on the go and there’s also smartphone connectivity via Aprilia’s app, allowing call/SMS alerts and more. Additionally, the bike also gets an adjustable brake lever and backlit switchgear to add to the modern, premium feel.

Aprilia Tuono 457: Safety Features

In terms of safety, the bike gets dual-channel ABS and a traction control system. The ABS can be partially or fully disengaged, and the traction control can be toggled across different levels with an option to completely switch it off as well. While there’s no IMU-based cornering aids, the electronic assists are well-tuned for both beginners and experienced riders.

Aprilia Tuono 457: Rider Comfort

The biggest change from the RS 457 comes in the ergonomics department. The Tuono 457 has a flatter handlebar, which kept me upright. The Special Edition now gets new handlebar risers which increase the height of the handlebar by 10 mm, reducing the strain on your upper body by a considerable amount. That said, the footpegs are rear-set, which keeps a rider in a sporty riding triangle. The seat height is manageable at 800mm, and the padding is decent for rides of around 200km. Anyone above 5’8” will feel a bit cramped at the knees, but the upright bars will help reduce strain on the wrists.

Aprilia Tuono 457: Pillion Comfort

The rear seat is narrow and positioned higher up, which can be a challenge for pillion riders. While the grab rails are well placed, this isn’t the bike you’d want for touring with a pillion unless it is for occasional city rides.

The Tuono 457 makes use of a 457cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine that makes 47.6PS and 43.5 Nm of peak torque. This engine is mated to a six-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch. The engine is refined, responsive, and delivers a nice balance of punch and tractability. It revs cleanly, and the power delivery is linear with a satisfying mid-range pull. The exhaust note is also more addictive compared to many of its twin-cylinder rivals because of the 270-degree crank.

Aprilia Tuono 457: City Performance

In the city, the Tuono feels at home thanks to its  linear throttle response and light clutch action. With its light weight, it is easy to filter through traffic. The engine’s low-end torque makes riding in stop-go traffic relatively stress-free. It doesn’t feel jerky at low revs and pulls cleanly from as low as 2,500rpm in higher gears. I was able to do around 45kmph in sixth gear which shows the tractable nature of the motor. 

With the TC off, if you get a perfect launch, the bike greets you with a nice power wheelie as you slot it into second and rush away. No doubt, a fun, fun motorcycle and one you wont want to stop riding when you have open and twisty roads around.

Aprilia Tuono 457: Highway Performance

Open it up the throttle on the highway, and the Tuono 457 can cruise comfortably at 110kmph-120kmph with enough power in reserve for quick overtakes. The engine doesn’t feel stressed even at higher speeds. Even though it gets a small flyscreen, wind protection is minimal compared to the RS, but the vibrations are kept in check, even at higher revs, making it good for longer distances as well. Very few vibes are felt when the bike is almost at the redline but nothing that is too bothersome.

Aprilia Tuono 457: Mileage

In real-world riding conditions, the Tuono 457 returns around 25kmpl in city traffic and up to 30kmpl on the highway if ridden sensibly. With a 13-litre tank, riders can expect a range of roughly 370 km, which is decent for a middleweight twin.

Aprilia Tuono 457: Handling

This is where the Tuono 457 really shines. The light kerb weight, wide bars, and balanced chassis make it feel natural and confident in corners. It tips into corners eagerly and holds a line with composure. Whether it is tight bends or fast sweepers, the Tuono responds with precision and confidence. That said, due to the handlebar risers, you do get robbed of some front-end feel which the previous version had.

Aprilia Tuono 457: Brakes

The braking setup includes a 320mm front disc and a 220mm rear disc with dual-channel ABS. The brakes have decent bite and offer good performance in the city but in the twisties when you are riding faster, they tend to fade quickly. This was a problem on the RS457 as well when I first got to ride it on track. Aprilia says that there are double sintered pads available in the accessories which will improve brake feel during hard riding.

Aprilia Tuono 457: Tyres

The bike uses Eurogrip Protorq Xtreme tyres which provide really good levels of grip. There were many times I got carried away with the grip and was able to carry much faster speeds and lean angles through corners. For sure, these are the best tyres for spirited riding available on the market.

Aprilia Tuono 457: Ride Quality

With the Special Edition, Aprilia has retuned the suspension and has made it a bit softer. Although not as sophisticated as the KTM 390 Duke R, it is still way more manageable for our typical Indian roads. Sure, you will have to slow down over big bumps and potholes, but the smaller ones are now absorbed way better than before. This new retuned suspension strikes a great balance for both urban and weekend rides.

The Aprilia Tuono 457 stands out as a well-rounded, stylish, and capable street-naked motorcycle that blends Italian flair with real-world usability. It feels like a properly engineered big bike for those stepping into the middleweight segment. It delivers engaging performance, top-notch handling, and enough features to justify its premium. If you are looking for a bike that brings both character and capability without compromising everyday comfort, the Tuono 457 is hard to ignore. The Special Edition improves on this by adding updates such as a taller handlebar, revised suspension, and improved seat padding to make it more comfortable for everyday use as well as long-distance riding.

Aprilia Tuono 457: Variants

The Tuono 457 is available in a single variant, with different colour schemes being the only differentiators. The bike comes fully loaded with TFT display, ride modes, traction control, and dual-channel ABS as standard, making it a value for money proposition in its class.

The Tuono 457 competes with several middleweight naked motorcycles like the KTM 390 Duke R and the Kawasaki Ninja 500. Compared to the KTM, the Tuono offers more refined performance as it has a twin-cylinder engine, but the Duke is more value for money in terms of features. 

 Finally, the Ninja 500 is one of the best bikes in the segment, but priced much higher and technically a direct rival to the RS457. The Tuono 457 will soon get a direct rival in the 450cc streetfighter segment soon, as FB Mondial is planning on re-entering India with the Piega 452 streetfighter.