Gday everyone, just letting you know I've added in time stamps to help you out, you can click on them in the description and scroll through them in the vid. Thanks for watching and if you haven't, subscribe!
Much better than the Yam T7? Right, that's it I'm buying one!! Cheers for such a fantastic review, very detailed, really enjoyed your attention to detail, thank you :D
I have one here in Texas and it's a VERY good motorcycle. Throw on some Motoz Tractionators and a Garmin Zumo XT and off you go! And you are so correct about the factory crash bars. They are SUPER stout. I've tested them 🙂
Best review of the Tuareg on RUclips, couldn't stress more how i appreciate your insight and thoughts on the bike. Im really considering buying one hopefully this spring but im torn between this and triumph 900RP since i plan on doing around 80-20 on-off (light gravel etc)long tours with a pillion(maybe 2 per year max), but also want it for every day bike. Thanks again , cant wait for your new adventures and your real word reviews!
Cheers mate. From what you are describing, the Tiger could be the better bet. Personally I preferred the Tuareg, but the t900 is really nice and good on the open road. Have a ride of both and see what you think!
Thank you for informative and very throughout review! You Aussies really have the best motorcycle yt content. What I would liked even more, would be talking and commenting when riding and this shit happens. :) Also seeing you change suspension and all those nitpicks when you noticed it (like that awful center-stand, handguard-accident etc.). To me, those are the bits, which really differentiate your reviews from others and are really interesting to see. I Don't mind for longer videos at all! Btw. Say your brother a big thanks for finding and helping you out of that mud pit. My bro would have never come to help me, possible answer would have been something like: hah, I will tell mom in the morning if she asks... I have a strong hunch, some crocodiles have eaten him already. Greetings from Finland!
Wow you are an awesome rider, man I want that skill. I subscribed because of all the great things you said about my new bike, 86 miles, lol. You are very knowledgeable as well and not boring. If you ever get to the US I’d love to tag along on an adventure ride. Cheers from Florida.
Great wrap up Curtis.👍 It’s amazing how well the bike held up with the crashes and getting stuck in the mud. That should sell hundreds or thousands of these bikes in itself. I love the blue & white color, I’m just personally tired of black… I own far too many black vehicles and bikes. lol I’m not a fan of the multi-color sides in the front. Aprilia needs to put their Giant A or the Lion Head there in blue with a white or blue high fender and it would be awesome… I think. I’m still debating whether to put the high fender on my 890 S or not, with all the road miles I ride. I put rear pannier racks on my ADV bikes whether I run hard panniers or not. It’s protection and great places to grab the bike to lift or to strap gear like you mentioned. Wonderful bike and great demonstrations of the 660’s capabilities Curtis. 🙏
That's a good reason to get them for sure. I like the fluro and red used on the black versions, but totally get being sick of black. On the high fender, I'd leave it unless you are really bored 🤣
@@onthebackwheel I’m gonna run the stick fender through the Giant Loop ride in Oregon the first weekend of June. If it handles those rides then I’ll probably leave it.
Great review brother I tested this bike but only on road it's handled so well I couldn't believe as I have rode alot of different bikes up and down my favourite pass near Wollongong and I've never been up it quicker no doubt it would have it's short coming on long byways but could be over come,only thing is ,will the engine have a good longtivity as Aprillias are quite highly strung.
Always the question with Italian bikes. It isn't as highly strung as the rs660 though and that's the same motor. I've always had good luck with Aprilias but I can see your apprehension
Great series on the Aprilia Curtis, you gave it a good flogging 😂. I wonder if there are spare parts available to get the “demo” bike back to original condition
Great review, comprehensive and entertaining,I'd love to see you review ducati desert x to compare the two. Also how does it compare to the KTM suspension wise?
I'd love to ride it, just need to get my hands on one somehow. It's definitely as good as the 890 suspension. Better? Would have to ride one again or back to back
The Tenere 700 must be far more available in Australia than in the states because the Aprillia is selling for cheaper here than you can find a T7. But, I would rather have the Aprillia anyway so win, win. ✌️
Great series on the Tuareg Curtis, certainly put the bike through its paces and provided some excellent feedback for potential purchasers, I’m a little bias mind, I took delivery of the yellow/black (which I prefer over blue obviously..) in November and enjoying owning the bike a lot cheers buddy, keep up the great content 👍🤜
I agree with the other comments - you did a great job. I have a question though: over the various vids it seemed like the Tuareg would stall whenever you came to a quick stop. Is this how it was? is this something it does a lot?
Love the bike & I intend to get one but I think the headlights are hideous. So much that I would look into seeing how hard it would be to remove them and fit a couple round ones.
Yes mate, my mistake for not putting that in. I ride a lot at night as I do shift work. It's very good, a crisp white. Not amazing, but does a job for sure
Very good review. I'm a new rider and have just bought one. However, apologies in advance if the answer to my question is obvious. If you don't advise getting a centre stand, how do you fix a puncture out on the road without being able to elevate the wheel or clean the chain without being able to spin the back wheel?
All good mate. I personally use motorcycle paddock stands at home. On the trail I use a stick or you can use a dedicated prop stand. People commonly use a cut down crutch and prop it with that. Have a look at my flat tyre vid and my bike recovery one to get an idea. Enjoy the bike mate, fantastic machine!
I haven't ridden a modern one (it's going to happen soon), but a very different bike. Love that twin cylinder sound and overall power, the Husqy has that single cylinder grunt that is a lot of fun. Suspension...pretty similar? Will let you know when I ride the new Husqy 701
0:42 hi Curtis just keen on your opinion lm currently riding for the last l.5years triump 900 rally pro lve owned quite a few bikes etc Ktm / Bmw / xtz 1200 tenere and so on all being around 1200 cc but now love the lighter tiger but really considering a lot lighter bike as a few old bike injury’s 😂 not that lm going let that stop me from living I’d really like your opion as lm considering Husky 701 or Touareg 660 l commute every day to work rain and shine it’s only about 7 minute ride unfortunately and week ends like to get out anywhere 200-400 klm loop on black top mainly back roads and as much gravel roads or tracks l come across can’t help myself 😉 I think lm still in late 20s not gonna change that Sorry for wofflin on l love the tiger but think going lighter would be lot beneficial old discs bulges will thank me when picking up bike and lm mostly on my own out and around Gippsland really appreciate your feed back Kind Regards Andrew Paul 👍
Gday mate. Two great options there. The Tuareg is definitely lighter, but may not be as big a change as you're looking for. The 701 will be a lot lighter, just be wary that it is going to be nowhere near as good on the road. She's definitely suited to mostly dirt riding and shorter black top stints. Try a Tuareg first though, it's 20+kg lighter than the 900 so it might be alright
@@onthebackwheel thanks for getting back to me so quick really appreciate your insight l reckon your wright on what you said about the 701 l was real keen on that or 690 l guess l keep thinking back being on past dirt bike/ enduro bikes really miss those days but l guess trying to be practical my misses drives the car and l ride everyday keeping cost down 1 less rego+ insurance 😁not really a compromise just a win for me so l know deep down something more road compliant makes sense but would just want the lightest capable off road still and not loose to much power they way you described the Touareg seemed to be a good fit was considering t7 but hearing they feel bit top heavy and 790/890 katos getting bit rich and there heavier than the Touareg sorry lm talking again to much l very much appreciate your advice/ help PS l really enjoy your U Tube channel you do a great job👌
@@andrewpaul5186 thanks mate. I REALLY liked the Tuareg. It would be my choice ATM for exactly what you are describing. Another option could be the AJP PR7, bit left field but you never know
Maybe I got a bad one, but the one I rode had some of the worst brakes I've used. They stopped the bike well, but everything else about them sucked massively.
@@onthebackwheel Nah, I think that is the only demo in Auckland, so not much chance of another test. In regards to the brakes, you could be right, although there was plenty of pressure and no sponginess once they started to actuate... There was Lots of lever travel though (about an inch or so at the end of the lever) before anything happened, tons of pulsing through the lever with any hard braking. They worked good in gravel in the off-road mode. The dealer took it around the block and couldn't get the ABS to kick in... so!!?? At the end of the day, I think the Tuareg isn't for me. I like the riding experience you get being connected to the chassis, brakes and engine - For me there was zero connection to the engine or back wheel, and no braking feel, so I think it is out. Maybe when I'm 60+ and need the extra help, although a CRF300 Rally might be a better bet by then. Cheers for your thoughts and the great work on your channel. Hoping to test the Ducati Desert X and or Norden 901 in the next few weeks :)
@@onthebackwheel You were right. There was something wrong with the brakes on the Tuareg I rode. I rode another one and the ABS issue was not present. It still had over an inch of lever play though and the transition from light to hard braking was a bit abrupt, but they were noticeably better than the first one I rode.
I guess I don't understand your reasoning here. Were you not able to get the 800 for a demo and had to purchase it to do an honest review? I like the 800 and it looks awesome, but you had such high praise of the 660 I wonder why you would spend hard earned $ on a bike you "Might" enjoy? To be perfectly honest I probably would've went for the 800 too had it come with CC. The weight was a concern for me but that engine off-sets the weight penalty IMO. Anyway good luck with the Suzuki. Also your videos are a pleasure to watch. Very entertaining! Cheers! @@onthebackwheel
@@duanekinney1942 yep I couldn't get anything from Suzuki, happens when you are a smaller channel. They've been happy to share some of my content though 😂. I was also in a situation where I needed a bike because my KLR was written off, the extra 4 grand on the Tuareg was out of reach, especially since I was buying it for the channel. No regrets though, really enjoying the 800de.
Personally I think it's an ugly bike and ots an aprillia..not known for reliability and no dealer network..many dealerships here in the US have dropped the aprillia line due to too many problems
The front part is ugly, the rest is quite ok-ish, but overall I would expect much more from Aprilia when it comes to the design. Specs are not everything, I think the Tenere is better package for many people. Its very simple, proven and reliable bike with charisma.
This one it seems reliable. It's been designed by one of the best off-roaders in Italy. Also, since Aprilia has been bough by Piaggio, the reliability is way better.
Gday everyone, just letting you know I've added in time stamps to help you out, you can click on them in the description and scroll through them in the vid. Thanks for watching and if you haven't, subscribe!
Did they slap you with a bill at the end of your test ride for damages? 😁
@@TwoWheelerSparky they were there when I got it 😜🤣
Such a good review from a bloke who puts them through their paces!!
Thanks mate
It’s nice to see a review from a fellow rider that knows how to handle a bike 👏🏻
Cheers mate
Much better than the Yam T7? Right, that's it I'm buying one!! Cheers for such a fantastic review, very detailed, really enjoyed your attention to detail, thank you :D
No worries, glad I could help
I have one here in Texas and it's a VERY good motorcycle. Throw on some Motoz Tractionators and a Garmin Zumo XT and off you go! And you are so correct about the factory crash bars. They are SUPER stout. I've tested them 🙂
Did you actually buy it ? Do you like it ?
@@thierryfaquet7405he bought one but gave it away after short time, reason unknown...
Dude!! Love these reviews! I am getting one of these!
Thanks mate. Loved this bike, was hard to give back
Me too!!
Fantastic review mate. Agree with a lot of what you said. The use of the word 'Fun' was bang on. The same word came to my lips.
Best review of the Tuareg on RUclips, couldn't stress more how i appreciate your insight and thoughts on the bike. Im really considering buying one hopefully this spring but im torn between this and triumph 900RP since i plan on doing around 80-20 on-off (light gravel etc)long tours with a pillion(maybe 2 per year max), but also want it for every day bike.
Thanks again , cant wait for your new adventures and your real word reviews!
Cheers mate. From what you are describing, the Tiger could be the better bet. Personally I preferred the Tuareg, but the t900 is really nice and good on the open road. Have a ride of both and see what you think!
Thank you for informative and very throughout review! You Aussies really have the best motorcycle yt content. What I would liked even more, would be talking and commenting when riding and this shit happens. :) Also seeing you change suspension and all those nitpicks when you noticed it (like that awful center-stand, handguard-accident etc.). To me, those are the bits, which really differentiate your reviews from others and are really interesting to see. I Don't mind for longer videos at all!
Btw. Say your brother a big thanks for finding and helping you out of that mud pit. My bro would have never come to help me, possible answer would have been something like: hah, I will tell mom in the morning if she asks... I have a strong hunch, some crocodiles have eaten him already.
Greetings from Finland!
Hehe will do. In my first ride on it I tweaked the suspension and other stuff. Was a good time
Wow you are an awesome rider, man I want that skill. I subscribed because of all the great things you said about my new bike, 86 miles, lol. You are very knowledgeable as well and not boring. If you ever get to the US I’d love to tag along on an adventure ride.
Cheers from Florida.
Thanks mate, appreciate it. Will hit you up if I'm in Florida!
I agree Curtis, I saw the black with yellow trim version ,and it looked great. This might be the best ,and most thorough bike test ever.
Thanks Bill and yes, really like the yellow version
Great wrap up Curtis.👍
It’s amazing how well the bike held up with the crashes and getting stuck in the mud. That should sell hundreds or thousands of these bikes in itself.
I love the blue & white color, I’m just personally tired of black… I own far too many black vehicles and bikes. lol
I’m not a fan of the multi-color sides in the front. Aprilia needs to put their Giant A or the Lion Head there in blue with a white or blue high fender and it would be awesome… I think.
I’m still debating whether to put the high fender on my 890 S or not, with all the road miles I ride.
I put rear pannier racks on my ADV bikes whether I run hard panniers or not. It’s protection and great places to grab the bike to lift or to strap gear like you mentioned.
Wonderful bike and great demonstrations of the 660’s capabilities Curtis. 🙏
That's a good reason to get them for sure. I like the fluro and red used on the black versions, but totally get being sick of black. On the high fender, I'd leave it unless you are really bored 🤣
@@onthebackwheel I’m gonna run the stick fender through the Giant Loop ride in Oregon the first weekend of June.
If it handles those rides then I’ll probably leave it.
Awesome riding and awesome review. Ride on brother...
Thanks mate
Great review brother I tested this bike but only on road it's handled so well I couldn't believe as I have rode alot of different bikes up and down my favourite pass near Wollongong and I've never been up it quicker no doubt it would have it's short coming on long byways but could be over come,only thing is ,will the engine have a good longtivity as Aprillias are quite highly strung.
Always the question with Italian bikes. It isn't as highly strung as the rs660 though and that's the same motor. I've always had good luck with Aprilias but I can see your apprehension
great review man! I really enjoyed listening to you, hearing your opinion and watching you ride. Thumbs up!
Thanks mate!
Great series on the Aprilia Curtis, you gave it a good flogging 😂. I wonder if there are spare parts available to get the “demo” bike back to original condition
😂
😂🤣🙌
Very nice review, thank you so much for your opinions on this very nice bike. Thanks.
No worries, thanks for watching
Thanks mate, great wrap up of the Aprilia
Cheers mate, glad you liked it
Great review, comprehensive and entertaining,I'd love to see you review ducati desert x to compare the two.
Also how does it compare to the KTM suspension wise?
I'd love to ride it, just need to get my hands on one somehow. It's definitely as good as the 890 suspension. Better? Would have to ride one again or back to back
The Tenere 700 must be far more available in Australia than in the states because the Aprillia is selling for cheaper here than you can find a T7. But, I would rather have the Aprillia anyway so win, win. ✌️
It's a no brainer if it's cheaper!
Great riding, great review - thanks.
Thanks mate
Great series on the Tuareg Curtis, certainly put the bike through its paces and provided some excellent feedback for potential purchasers, I’m a little bias mind, I took delivery of the yellow/black (which I prefer over blue obviously..) in November and enjoying owning the bike a lot cheers buddy, keep up the great content 👍🤜
Thanks mate, appreciated. How many ks are you up to now?
That was such a great honest review has me interested
Thanks mate
Great review, well presented and if I had the cash would go out and buy one. "Aprilia Something to Aspire to" 🖖
You are the best real world bike reviewer in this space! Is it possible for you to put a Norden 901 through it's paces? Greetings from the States 👍☺️
Thanks mate! Unfortunately not likely, the KTM group doesn't generally deal with RUclipsrs in Australia
@@onthebackwheelWhy, they scared you might find faults in their equipment? 😂🤣
@@ChrisSauer-oe5ve hehe or they'll break down!
I agree with the other comments - you did a great job. I have a question though: over the various vids it seemed like the Tuareg would stall whenever you came to a quick stop. Is this how it was? is this something it does a lot?
Cheers. I stalled it a few times in really slow stuff taking off, but never had any issues besides that
@@onthebackwheel ah ok, cheers!! happy trails!
Good review mate ...I`m now a subscriber.
Cheers mate 👊
Love the bike & I intend to get one but I think the headlights are hideous. So much that I would look into seeing how hard it would be to remove them and fit a couple round ones.
Headlight protector could cover it if you really hate it 😂. I think the darker colours make the front look much nicer
Great series 👍
Cheers mate
Great job covering most of the essentials. Was wondering if you rode at night at all. The headlight looks great but how did it perform? Thanks again.
Yes mate, my mistake for not putting that in. I ride a lot at night as I do shift work. It's very good, a crisp white. Not amazing, but does a job for sure
Hi can you tell me the name of the crash bars please? Thanks
They are the Aprilia's OEM crash bars
I love the color of that bike, my local dealer has one, about 14k USD.
Is that a good price? Seems a little high for USD?
@@onthebackwheel It was 12,699 plus about 1k in fees I think the tax and license is included.
@@Moondoggy1941 cracking bike, really enjoyed it
Price notwithstanding, would you take one of these or a KTM 890 adv R? If you could only have one bike to do it all.
For everything including longer highway stints, probably the new 890r. It's got a fair displacement advantage for highway cruising
Very good review. I'm a new rider and have just bought one. However, apologies in advance if the answer to my question is obvious. If you don't advise getting a centre stand, how do you fix a puncture out on the road without being able to elevate the wheel or clean the chain without being able to spin the back wheel?
All good mate. I personally use motorcycle paddock stands at home. On the trail I use a stick or you can use a dedicated prop stand. People commonly use a cut down crutch and prop it with that. Have a look at my flat tyre vid and my bike recovery one to get an idea. Enjoy the bike mate, fantastic machine!
How do you compare it to the Husqvarna 701/ KTM 690 for the suspension and engine?
I haven't ridden a modern one (it's going to happen soon), but a very different bike. Love that twin cylinder sound and overall power, the Husqy has that single cylinder grunt that is a lot of fun. Suspension...pretty similar? Will let you know when I ride the new Husqy 701
As much as I like the blue color I do like to have gold rims.
0:42 hi Curtis just keen on your opinion lm currently riding for the last l.5years triump 900 rally pro lve owned quite a few bikes etc Ktm / Bmw / xtz 1200 tenere and so on all being around 1200 cc but now love the lighter tiger but really considering a lot lighter bike as a few old bike injury’s 😂 not that lm going let that stop me from living I’d really like your opion as lm considering Husky 701 or Touareg 660 l commute every day to work rain and shine it’s only about 7 minute ride unfortunately and week ends like to get out anywhere 200-400 klm loop on black top mainly back roads and as much gravel roads or tracks l come across can’t help myself 😉 I think lm still in late 20s not gonna change that Sorry for wofflin on l love the tiger but think going lighter would be lot beneficial old discs bulges will thank me when picking up bike and lm mostly on my own out and around Gippsland really appreciate your feed back Kind Regards Andrew Paul 👍
Gday mate. Two great options there. The Tuareg is definitely lighter, but may not be as big a change as you're looking for. The 701 will be a lot lighter, just be wary that it is going to be nowhere near as good on the road. She's definitely suited to mostly dirt riding and shorter black top stints. Try a Tuareg first though, it's 20+kg lighter than the 900 so it might be alright
@@onthebackwheel thanks for getting back to me so quick really appreciate your insight l reckon your wright on what you said about the 701 l was real keen on that or 690 l guess l keep thinking back being on past dirt bike/ enduro bikes really miss those days but l guess trying to be practical my misses drives the car and l ride everyday keeping cost down 1 less rego+ insurance 😁not really a compromise just a win for me so l know deep down something more road compliant makes sense but would just want the lightest capable off road still and not loose to much power they way you described the Touareg seemed to be a good fit was considering t7 but hearing they feel bit top heavy and 790/890 katos getting bit rich and there heavier than the Touareg sorry lm talking again to much l very much appreciate your advice/ help PS l really enjoy your U Tube channel you do a great job👌
@@andrewpaul5186 thanks mate. I REALLY liked the Tuareg. It would be my choice ATM for exactly what you are describing. Another option could be the AJP PR7, bit left field but you never know
So what be your pick for an around the world bike?
First thought is crf300 rally
And if the KTM 890 and the Tuareg were the same price? Would you still choose the Tuareg?
I’m referring to the 890 R
Possibly just lean towards the 23 890R. It's now a lot more expensive
Maybe I got a bad one, but the one I rode had some of the worst brakes I've used. They stopped the bike well, but everything else about them sucked massively.
Must have been a dud or needed a bleed or something, because these were great. Got a chance to try a different one?
@@onthebackwheel Nah, I think that is the only demo in Auckland, so not much chance of another test. In regards to the brakes, you could be right, although there was plenty of pressure and no sponginess once they started to actuate... There was Lots of lever travel though (about an inch or so at the end of the lever) before anything happened, tons of pulsing through the lever with any hard braking. They worked good in gravel in the off-road mode. The dealer took it around the block and couldn't get the ABS to kick in... so!!?? At the end of the day, I think the Tuareg isn't for me. I like the riding experience you get being connected to the chassis, brakes and engine - For me there was zero connection to the engine or back wheel, and no braking feel, so I think it is out. Maybe when I'm 60+ and need the extra help, although a CRF300 Rally might be a better bet by then. Cheers for your thoughts and the great work on your channel. Hoping to test the Ducati Desert X and or Norden 901 in the next few weeks :)
@@actstuntcam fair enough mate, sounds like they were bled property or something. Those 2 will be mean bikes to try, got to love trying new bikes
@@onthebackwheel 100% - Cheers for your great content. I wish I could ride that quick, ya loose unit :)
@@onthebackwheel You were right. There was something wrong with the brakes on the Tuareg I rode. I rode another one and the ABS issue was not present. It still had over an inch of lever play though and the transition from light to hard braking was a bit abrupt, but they were noticeably better than the first one I rode.
How hard will it be to go back to the KLR? (Or not???)
It felt like the brakes were stuck on first ride back 😂
Can i ask why you choose the vstrom instead of this?
Because the vstrom is new and hasn't been covered. Loved the Tuareg
I guess I don't understand your reasoning here. Were you not able to get the 800 for a demo and had to purchase it to do an honest review? I like the 800 and it looks awesome, but you had such high praise of the 660 I wonder why you would spend hard earned $ on a bike you "Might" enjoy? To be perfectly honest I probably would've went for the 800 too had it come with CC. The weight was a concern for me but that engine off-sets the weight penalty IMO. Anyway good luck with the Suzuki. Also your videos are a pleasure to watch. Very entertaining! Cheers! @@onthebackwheel
@@duanekinney1942 yep I couldn't get anything from Suzuki, happens when you are a smaller channel. They've been happy to share some of my content though 😂. I was also in a situation where I needed a bike because my KLR was written off, the extra 4 grand on the Tuareg was out of reach, especially since I was buying it for the channel. No regrets though, really enjoying the 800de.
What weight is it sprung for? I am 90kgs with all gear and stuff
I'm 90kg without gear and it was good, you should be bang on the right weight
Was it just the cost that stopped you buying it?
Wife 😂 But seriously, money and go more riding to do on the KLR
did he just say a tiny bit more ground clearance would be appreciated? are we comparing to real enduros again? cmon, for ADV bikes this is great
I did and I'll stand by it. Nit picking though, fantastic bike
I don't know who looks prettier, You or the Aprilia ? 😅
Considering I said the Aprilia's looks were 'mixed', I'm not sure how to take this 🤣
@@onthebackwheel You both were so clean & in blue. And did I mention clean.
Hey, both of them look lean and mean🤠
@@connysjostrom5787 haha not as lean as I could be, but thankyou
@@onthebackwheelWifey is feeding you to good 😂👍
What is your height and weight?
183cm and 90kg at time of review (without gear)
@@onthebackwheel thank you!
Personally I think it's an ugly bike and ots an aprillia..not known for reliability and no dealer network..many dealerships here in the US have dropped the aprillia line due to too many problems
The front part is ugly, the rest is quite ok-ish, but overall I would expect much more from Aprilia when it comes to the design. Specs are not everything, I think the Tenere is better package for many people. Its very simple, proven and reliable bike with charisma.
They have improved a lot. It seems that unlike KTM, they are learning and listening.
Great bike but not many service centres here and Aprilia are not very reliable!!!!!!
This one it seems reliable. It's been designed by one of the best off-roaders in Italy. Also, since Aprilia has been bough by Piaggio, the reliability is way better.