Aprilia Tuono 125 2020 — Specifications

Certain names resonate like a promise. Tuono is one of them. When Aprilia exhumed this name to apply it to a 125, skeptics sneered, two-stroke nostalgics grumbled, and young A1 license holders opened their eyes wide. It’s hard to blame them: the Aprilia Tuono 125 carries a heavy heritage, that of a roadster which, in its previous incarnation with a smoky engine, gave an entire generation of beginners a taste of speed.

The 2020 version clears the slate on two-stroke mechanics and its affordable curiosity status. Instead, Aprilia grafted a four-stroke, four-valve engine from the RS 125 onto this perimeter aluminum frame, namely 124 cc capable of delivering 15 horsepower at 10,500 rpm for a torque of 10.9 Nm at 8,250 rpm. This is within the regulatory limits of the A1 license, with a top speed announced at 120 km/h. Nothing startling on paper, but the Aprilia Tuono 125 2020 doesn’t play in the yard of the powerful, it plays in the yard of the seductive. And there, the game changes. Faced with a sensible and well-calibrated Yamaha MT-125, a compact and urban Kawasaki Z 125, or a KTM 125 Duke that bets everything on lightness and responsiveness, the Tuono assumes a premium positioning at €3,999. This is the highest price in the segment, and Aprilia makes no secret of it.

This price is partly explained by the quality of the technical equipment. The 40 mm hydraulic inverted fork, the mono-shock on an asymmetrical swingarm, the front brake with stainless steel disc and radial four-piston caliper with ABS, the rear brake with a single piston and ABS, the 100/80-17 tires at the front and 130/70-17 at the rear: the Aprilia Tuono 125 technical specifications reveal a machine better equipped than many of its direct competitors. The dashboard combines an analog dial and a digital window, with a built-in stopwatch and memory of twenty laps for those who want to play Sunday track racers. The quickshifter and smartphone connectivity remain optional, which tempers enthusiasm a little regarding the finish of the base price.

The other heavy argument is style. It’s hard to ignore this line which borrows its visual codes from the Tuono 1100 and the look of the RSV4, with an engine guard that swallows the exhaust pipe right up to the last centimeter. Nothing protrudes, nothing spoils the silhouette. On this point, the Aprilia Tuono 125 test consistently vindicates Aprilia: the motorcycle attracts the eye, it asserts its presence in a segment where many models struggle to distinguish themselves. The 810 mm seat suits an average build, the 14.5-liter tank offers comfortable autonomy for a 125. The high handlebars betray the double nature of the machine: sporty in spirit, reasonable in everyday use.

Who is this machine designed for? For the young driver who refuses to sacrifice the pleasure of the eyes to the pragmatism of a functional small displacement engine, and who has the budget to afford it. The Aprilia Tuono 125 opinion circulating in the second-hand forums also points to this balance between visual appeal and reassuring behavior: the engine is not de-restricted to seek sensations, one enjoys a well-born chassis that allows for a few fantasies without ever exceeding the capabilities of the rider. The Aprilia Tuono 125 price remains its main obstacle to democratization, but for those seeking the most elegant entry into the world of roadsters, it remains a serious reference in its category.