Bones
Your Humble Scribe
My buddy Bob tossed me the key to his Aprilia Tuono yesterday. (Nice guy, that Bob. ) It was just a few miles, but man-o-schewitz, what a ride it was. I rolled slowly past the police station and over the bridge, then opened it up knowing the road was smooth and gently winding until the town line a few miles up the road.
It doesn't much like to idle or even run below about 4,000 RPM but it's all carpe diem north of that. It revs like an inline four....zzzzing!...but pulls with V-twin torque. Acceleration is just this side of unbelievable. Good thing it power shifts so well because I was NOT taking my hands off the bars! I don't know how anyone with a bike like this stays in possession of a driver's license. Wow.
OK, Bones, town line upcoming, return to sub-felonious speed. The brakes feel strong enough to send you flying over the bars if you squeeze hard. I turn around and ride back at a "less-than-handcuffs" pace. Chassis is absolutely tight, the handling telegraphic. The riding position is bolt upright. You could ride this bike all day. The gear box was kind of notchy (smoother than a Beemer but not buttery like most Japanese bikes). There's something about the design flash and fit-and-finish of Italian bikes that's just so impressive. Not always my preference, but I admire it nonetheless. Silver and black body work over blue wheels was kind of odd, I must say. I'd have preferred silver, but why not red wheels (or even green) to bring out the Italian theme? I guess you only see the wheels when it's standing still, and that's not what this bike is for, no sir.
I returned Bob's bike to its rightful owner but kept the adrenaline rush a while longer. Aprilia Tunono: raw, brutal and obnoxious, in an elegant sort of way.
It doesn't much like to idle or even run below about 4,000 RPM but it's all carpe diem north of that. It revs like an inline four....zzzzing!...but pulls with V-twin torque. Acceleration is just this side of unbelievable. Good thing it power shifts so well because I was NOT taking my hands off the bars! I don't know how anyone with a bike like this stays in possession of a driver's license. Wow.
OK, Bones, town line upcoming, return to sub-felonious speed. The brakes feel strong enough to send you flying over the bars if you squeeze hard. I turn around and ride back at a "less-than-handcuffs" pace. Chassis is absolutely tight, the handling telegraphic. The riding position is bolt upright. You could ride this bike all day. The gear box was kind of notchy (smoother than a Beemer but not buttery like most Japanese bikes). There's something about the design flash and fit-and-finish of Italian bikes that's just so impressive. Not always my preference, but I admire it nonetheless. Silver and black body work over blue wheels was kind of odd, I must say. I'd have preferred silver, but why not red wheels (or even green) to bring out the Italian theme? I guess you only see the wheels when it's standing still, and that's not what this bike is for, no sir.
I returned Bob's bike to its rightful owner but kept the adrenaline rush a while longer. Aprilia Tunono: raw, brutal and obnoxious, in an elegant sort of way.
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