News of this middleweight adventure bike broke this week and it’s definitely got us excited and that’s not only because it’s reviving a few things we haven’t seen from the Italian firm since 1994.

The Tuareg 660 is set to shake up the market as we know it and is ready to challenge one bike in particular… (Yamaha Tenere 700, I’m looking at you)!

Keen to keep their cards close to their chest we don’t know much about Aprilia’s newest offering, but after a bit of research, these are the 7 things we do.

The first thing you need to know about the new Tuareg 660 is that it shares the same engine with its siblings, the naked Tuono 660 and the sporty RS660, so we already know how it will perform.

It’s set to deliver 80 hp and 70Nm of torque which is slightly higher than the Yamaha Tenere 700’s 72 bhp.

The aesthetics are chunky, the colourway bright and that face is all too familiar with Aprilia’s signature headlight arrangement.

You can’t deny how similar it looks to the Tenere 700. It seems the Italians really are attempting to take on the Japanese giants – forget the Olympics, this is a battle you won’t want to miss!

The Tuareg 660 has an accessible 860mm seat height, upright riding position, new tubular steel frame that’s coupled with aluminium brackets and a 1,500mm wheelbase.

With an overall 187kg dry weight, I mean it when I say this bike is light! Aprilia have explained how hard they’ve worked to ensure the Tuareg 660 isn’t packing any extra pounds whilst being careful not to lose any of its adventouring essentials, including that 18L fuel tank.

The number on the scales is a major factor for a bike in this category , after all, less weight = more fun! We’ll just have to keep a close eye on the Tuareg’s closest rival, the Yamaha Tenere 700, though as, at present, it weighs 7kg less.

It’s an adventure bike after all, so a 43mm fork and progressive linkage monoshock, both with long 240mm travel, have been included for greater travel and a better-quality ride.

The Tuareg 660 is a pure sports and off-road-focused bike and Aprilia have included a variety of technology to reflect this including APRC (Aprilia’s Performance Ride Control), four riding modes (two of which are customisable and one dedicated to off-road), ABS (that can be deactivated at both wheels), traction control, cruise control and engine mapping, all displayed on a 5” TFT screen.

We got our first look at this bike this week, so this is all we know so far. Aprilia are building a certain level of hype and excitement by keeping stum about a lot of the finer details including the price, release date and spec but stay tuned to BikeMatters because we’ll update you as soon as more information is released.

For now, you can sign up for updates through Aprilia’s website.

Overall, the Tuareg 660 looks to be an adventure bike that’s full of off-road ability, fist-pumping attitude, and sporting spirit! Though details are sparse, this is a bike we’re all pumped for, and its release can’t come soon enough!  

If you are tempted by the Aprilia Tuareg and are thinking about purchasing one (or perhaps you already have one) - make sure to get a motorcycle insurance quote direct with Lexham!