Aprilia has introduced a Special Edition for the Tuono 457 in India. The new motorcycle, which costs ₹2,000 extra, has addressed several major discomfort issues in the current motorcycle. The Aprilia Tuono 457 Special Edition is priced at ₹3.99 lakh, ex-showroom.
From a distance, there is no major difference between the regular Tuono 457 and the new Special Edition. However, several tweaks have been added to the Special Edition and are expected to make riding a bit more comfortable, especially when covering longer distances.
Mamba Black Colour and Re-designed Graphics
There are two major aesthetic changes in the Tuono 457 Special Edition. The first is the addition of Mamba Black colour option. The Mamba Black version of the motorcycle features blacked out chassis and swingarm.
The old colour option, which is Puma Grey, continues to be available. However, Aprilia has updated the graphics for the India-specific motorcycle. The motorcycle will have a distinct look when compared with the international version of the Tuono 457.
The graphics are re-designed and are more subtle when compared with those of the regular model. The motorcycle also gets a black chassis and swingarm that give the motorcycle a sportier and more premium look. However, all other design elements remain the same. These include headlight, compact tail section and exposed mechanics.
The Special Edition is provided with a standard flyscreen, which is placed above the headlight. While it is primarily a cosmetic change, it improves the aesthetics of the motorcycle and can give a little wind resistance at high speeds.
More Comfortable Seat
One of the major upgrades on the Special Edition of Tuono 457 is the seat. It is re-designed to offer additional comfort during longer rides. As it is well known, the regular Tuono 457 was derived from the RS 457 and the riding position of the former model was similar to the latter. Therefore, it was quite unsuitable for longer trips.
In the Special Edition, there is a modified seat with additional cushioning. The seat height is raised by 10mm to 810mm. However, it will be comfortable enough for most riders.
A taller seat can provide a better knee angle for taller riders. However, it is important for shorter riders to think about that because the taller seat can make it difficult to place both feet flat on the ground.
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Taller Handlebar Riser
The Italian manufacturer has upgraded the handlebars of the bike. The handlebar itself hasn’t changed anything, but the riser became 10mm taller.
The modification will elevate the position of the rider’s hands and provide more comfortable seating for the upper body. It might be less stressful for the wrist joint and shoulder muscles during extended riding or passing through busy traffic.
The Aprilia Tuono 457 is a naked bike with the base of the RS 457 model. Despite its comfortable upright seating position, the previous design could still be quite sporty for long riding time.
The combination of new riser and the revised seat will make the bike more suitable for touring without changing its compact and street-friendly nature.
Suspension Retuned for Indian Roads
The most significant differences between the current and past versions are found inside. The Aprilia has retuned the suspension to provide a softer setup of the vehicle than the predecessor.
When the Tuono 457 was first launched, it seemed to have the almost identical suspension setting as its brother RS 457. Although it provided excellent handling, the hard setting could feel uncomfortable on uneven and damaged roads.
In the Special Edition, the front suspension gets softer damping and reduced spring preload. As for the rear, the Aprilia has softened the compression damping and spring preload, while keeping the rebound damping setting unchanged.
The retuned setup will allow the motorcycle to better absorb the holes in the road, expansion joints and rough parts of the asphalt. It might also be more comfortable to ride through the city and on highways because of the softer setup.
But it will also result in increased suspension movement in corners. The overall effect depends on the rider’s weight, road surface and riding style. It seems that Aprilia chose the comfortability and everyday usability over the extremely hard track-oriented setting.
Adjustable Brake Lever Added
Another useful modification of the Special Edition is the introduction of the adjustable brake lever. Now the rider can set the lever’s location according to his hand size and style of riding.
This element will allow improving the control over the bike and make the riding more comfortable for the rider with small hands or special preference of the lever reach. But the clutch lever remains non-adjustable.
Though it might appear like a small thing, having the adjustable controls makes it more natural to ride the bike and easy to use. This way, the owners have some options in choosing how to setup the riding position without having to buy any additional parts.
Engine and Chassis Remain Unchanged
The Aprilia Tuono 457 Special Edition retains its 457cc, liquid cooled parallel twin engine. The engine generates 47.6hp and 43.5Nm of torque; there are no changes made to the performance of the engine.
The engine has come to be known as one of the most praised components of the Tuono 457 as it provides great performance while still being manageable by almost all people.
The chassis, the braking system and other electronics have remained the same; it appears that the company decided to focus on improving only those areas that have direct effect on comfort and usability of the bike.
Price and Availability
Aprilia Tuono 457 Special Edition costs ₹3.99 lakh, which is the ex-showroom price. Only 2,000 are added to the cost compared to the previous version, thus making this update very valuable.
What is more important, the Special Edition is currently the only Tuono 457 version available for the purchase in India. If someone had been happy with the previous bike, then he or she would have to get this one now.
With the more comfortable seat, the taller handlebar riser, the softer suspension, the adjustable brake lever, the new color and the updated graphics, the Special Edition solves quite a few problems without making radical changes to the motorcycle.
The engine also remained the same, but this is unlikely to disappoint anyone as the current engine is a powerful 457cc motor.
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