The Aprilia Tuono 457 is a naked version of the sporty RS 457 we’ve reviewed in the past. It’s a bike we liked, and the key differences here are the lack of a fairing, the adoption of higher and flatter handlebars, leading to a more upright riding position, and a different fuel tank. At £6175, it also represents a £600 saving over the RS.
I remember being rather taken by the RS after riding it in freezing conditions last year, so when the opportunity came up to ride its naked sibling in warmer conditions recently, I was keen to reacquaint myself with what is probably the best performing bike you can ride on an A2 licence.
The Tuono operates in a very tight marketplace where it’s hard to find a point of separation between the various models on sale. It’s been built to meet A2 licence regulations, which limit these bikes to a maximum of 35kw (around 47bhp) and a power-to-weight limit not exceeding 0.2kW/kg. Aprilia’s fully embraced these rules with the 457s, and the Tuono has been built to come in bang on these limits. It delivers performance as high as is possible within the rules.
As you’d expect from an A2 bike, the Tuono 457 is hugely accessible. The 800mm seat height and 175kg wet weight are novice friendly, as is the powertrain. The parallel-twin engine is as easy going as you like at low revs, but give it some stick and it has more than enough real world performance.
Our test was conducted at a demo day laid on by Piaggio, Aprilia’s parent company, and although ‘my’ 457 was the smallest and least powerful bike in the group, it had no problems keeping up with its bigger and more expensive stablemates on the road. It’s so easy and unintimidating to ride, and its only when accelerating out of slow corners that I really noticed my relative lack of horsepower.
It’s not the most charismatic motor, but then few A2 offerings are, and it gets a bit buzzy when you get close to the 9,400rpm red line, but its quick enough and the chassis proved composed down some pretty rough B roads.
As well as the A2 licence restrictions, Euro5+ laws dictates a whole host of other things, including noise and exhaust emissions, which rob the Aprilia of some character, and then there’s price. These are entry level bikes which need to be keenly priced to have any chance of selling in big numbers.
There’s not usually too much fancy hardware on these lightweight nakeds, although the smallest Tuono is pretty well endowed by class standards. The aluminium beam chassis is an upgrade over the more basic steel frames you’d expect to find on this category of bike, and although the suspension’s hardly at the cutting edge of technology (and a bit on the stiff side in my opinion) it’s got preload adjustability at the front and rear.
The Tuono 457 undercuts the best selling Honda Hornet 500 on price and it’s clear there are signs of cost cutting on the spec sheet. Tyres are Aprilia branded Eurogrips, which are made in India – as is the bike itself. There’s also a single disc front brake set-up (the Hornet has dual discs) but, to be honest, neither the brakes nor tyres were found wanting in our time with the bike.
The touch points that matter all feel premium enough, or at least what you’d expect in the midrange. The TFT dashboard is easy to read and you get three riding modes, which adjust the levels of traction control and ABS intervention. It feels a little OTT, if you ask me, but it’s another bit of spec to help the Aprilia stand out.
And that’s important because, for all the reasons we’ve already mentioned, it doesn’t feel like there’s a massive point of differentiation between the Tuono and its rivals, which include the Kawasaki Z500, Honda Hornet 500 and KTM Duke 390, but when things are this tight small things matter and image is important.
And when it comes to image, no-one can challenge Aprilia’s credibility. You want racing heritage? This is a company that’s won over 50 motorcycling world championships since the 1980s, and which is riding high at the pinnacle of today’s sport. At the time of writing, Aprilia is dominating the 2026 MotoGP world championship – and although the 457 is a far cry from a 300bhp MotoGP machine, Aprilia’s DNA still runs through it like a stick of rock. This bike doesn’t deliver exactly the maximum allowed power and power-to-weight ratios by accident, and it’s clear that Aprilia is doing all it can to make the RS and Tuono among the most sporting bikes in the category.
I like the cut of the Tuono’s gib and can really see the appeal. As a real world bike, I prefer the more upright Tuono to the RS, but it’s very much a case of ‘you pay your money, you take your choice’. It certainly isn’t perfect. I think the suspension’s a bit on the firm side and the turning circle could be tighter, while I think taller riders might struggle to get on with it, but it says a lot when these are the worst things you can throw at what is essentially a £6k commuter bike.
The A2 sector is really hot these days and this competition is breeding better and better bikes, whose appeal extends beyond simply new riders. The Aprilia is one of the best and deserves to be a more common sight on British roads than it currently is. If you’re in the market, and want something with a sporty edge, you certainly won’t go far wrong with the Tuono 457.
Aprilia Tuono 457 specification
Price: £6,175
Engine: 457cc parallel-twin, four valves per cylinder, liquid cooled
Power: 47bhp (35kW) @ 9,400rpm
Torque: 43.5Nm @ 6,700rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual, chain drive
Frame: Dual beam aluminium frame
Suspension: (F) 41mm USD forks with preload adjustment (R) Preload adjustable rear shock absorber.
Wheels: Cast aluminium, (F) 17” x 3”/ (R) 17” x 4.5”
Tyres: (F) 110/70 x 17, (R) 150/60 x 17
Brakes: (F) 320mm disc, ByBre four-piston radial caliper, (R) 220mm disc, ByBre single-piston caliper. Two-channel ABS
Weight: 175kg (wet, 90% fuel)
Wheelbase: 1,350mm
Seat height: 800mm
Fuel tank: 12.7 litres
Fuel consumption: 68.9mpg (claimed)
Warranty: 24 months unlimited mileage
Contact: www.aprilia.com
