2022 Aprilia RS 660 Limited Edition & Tuono 660 Factory Bring the Racetrack to the Road
You don’t need an expensive bike to have a fun track day experience. And if you want a motorcycle that can help you hone your skills and make commuting enjoyable, you don’t and shouldn’t get a high-horsepower superbike. Middleweights like the Aprilia RS 660, though, fulfill all these criteria. Hence why they’re a popular segment these days. And now, Aprilia is giving the RS 660 and its naked-bike sibling, the Tuono 660, some extra track-work preparation right from the factory.
The 2022 Aprilia RS 660 Limited Edition celebrates MotoAmerica racing success
| 2022 Aprilia RS 660 Limited Edition | |
| Engine | 659cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin |
| Horsepower | 100 hp |
| Torque | 49 lb-ft |
| Transmission | Six-speed manual with slipper clutch |
| Front suspension and travel | 41mm preload- and rebound-adjustable Kayaba inverted fork; 4.7” |
| Rear suspension and travel | Preload- and rebound-adjustable KYB mono-shock; 5.1” |
| Seat height | 32.3″ |
| Curb weight | 404 lbs |
Although the Aprilia RS 660 is a fairly-new bike, it’s already made a splash on American racetracks. With factory rider Kaleb De Kyrel on the hot seat, the RS 660 won 10 of the 13 races in the 2021 MotoAmerica Twins Cup series. So, in honor of De Kyrel’s wins, Aprilia is releasing a stars-and-stripes-themed RS 660 Limited Edition.
Mechanically, the Special Edition is identical to the standard bike. But it’s packing more than just its star-spangled livery and numbered tank badge, Cycle World notes. It has a larger windscreen and fairing for improved aerodynamics as well as a racing cowl over the seat’s passenger section. However, while Aprilia offers these accessories on the regular RS 660, the Limited Edition gets a unique electronic upgrade.
The standard 2021 Aprilia RS 660 comes with a host of performance-related electronics, including cornering ABS, traction control, engine braking control, and multiple riding modes and engine maps. Also, cruise control and an electronic quickshifter. The Limited Edition’s quickshifter, though, is adjustable: in addition to the ‘regular’ mode, it also offers an ‘inverted’ one. In other words, instead of pulling up to upshift and pushing down to downshift, it’s the opposite.
While that might seem backward to regular street riders—me included—it’s the preferred setup for serious racers, RideApart says. And to be fair, it’s in line with this limited-edition bike’s origin.
Sharper, lighter, but still relaxed, the 2022 Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory Edition upgrades the naked bike for track duty
| 2022 Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory Edition | |
| Engine | 659cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin |
| Horsepower | 100 hp |
| Torque | 49 lb-ft |
| Transmission | Six-speed manual with slipper clutch |
| Front suspension and travel | 41mm fully-adjustable Kayaba inverted fork; 4.7” |
| Rear suspension and travel | Fully-adjustable Sachs mono-shock with piggyback reservoir; 5.1” |
| Seat height | 32.2″ |
| Curb weight | 399 lbs |
For those who want sportbike performance in a more commuter-friendly package, Aprilia released the Tuono 660 naked bike earlier this year. Now, though, Aprilia is pulling a Triumph and offering a more hardcore variant. And playing the role of the Speed Triple to the Tuono’s Street Triple is the 2022 Factory Edition.
Somewhat confusingly, Aprilia says that the 2022 Tuono 660 Factory Edition makes five more horsepower than the standard model. However, the bike’s US specs say that it already makes 100 hp. The discrepancy might stem from European models’ different exhaust setups sapping some power for emissions reasons. Regardless, the Factory Edition is just as powerful as the RS 660.
But more power isn’t what Aprilia focused on with the 2022 Tuono 660 Factory Edition. Instead, the Italian company wanted to sharpen its naked bike’s reflexes. So, it upgraded the stock bike’s fork for more adjustability and replaced the rear mono-shock with a Sachs unit. The Factory Edition also has a lighter lithium-ion battery, which accounts for the four-pound weight savings. In addition, its new rear sprocket lowers the final drive ratio for better acceleration.
Plus, while a quickshifter and cornering ABS are optional on the standard Aprilia Tuono 660, they’re standard on the Factory Edition. And while the standard Tuono has LED headlights, the Factory Edition gets adaptive cornering ones.
How much will Aprilia’s new track twin trims cost in the US?
As of this writing, Aprilia hasn’t released availability details for the 2022 RS 660 Limited Edition or Tuono 660 Factory Edition. But once it does, potential Limited Edition buyers will have to act fast, because Aprilia is only making 1500 examples.
We also don’t know right now how much these new trims will cost. It’s safe to say that they’ll be at least slightly more expensive, though. For comparison, the 2021 RS 660 starts at $11,499, and the Tuono 660 at $10,499.
Follow more updates from MotorBiscuit on our Facebook page.
