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I had to laugh when she asked whether she will break the footpegs and you let out an exasperated “no Bibi”. 😂 As a married guy, I recognize that voice. 😉
Your motorcycle reviewing concept is the most detailed, perfect concept ever. I get all the answers to my questions. You deserve more subscribers. I'm from Türkiye and there a lot of motorcycle lovers who looks for a RUclips channel like yours. So, if you add Turkish subtitles and title to your videos (there is an automatic sub. translation option in RUclips), that will draw a lot of viewer and subscriber.
I owned a 07 Tuono and never had a problem getting parts. I have never used a dealer shop so that not an issue for me. The build quality of my Tuono was outstanding. In the 10 years I owned that bike I never had any problems. I would do Aprilia in a heartbeat over a Chinese built KTM 790. But otherwise good job. Your videos are always comprehensive and very informative. Keep up the good work.
Loving the series. Also really appreciate the demonstration on the issue of passenger comfort as it’s something that no other reviewer has even spoken about…
Really like that Ian is doing a little about the passenger accommodations. My wife rides with me 95% of the time, so very important to us. We did get to sit on a Tuareg, and my wife felt it would be comfortable to her. But she is used to being passenger on a dual sport, maybe she is more used to the narrow seat. Anyway Thanks Ian for including this bit of information.
I love how honest you are about bikes that you obviously like. That demonstration about the limitations of passenger safety and comfort was bang-on fair. You point out the shortcomings even if you generally like a bike. This is honest moto journalism. Love Big Rock Moto.
I really enjoyed the "Parts" and "Maintenance" sections of this video. I've been looking really hard at this bike and I have a dealer 45 min from my house. The reliability worries me some so I'm waiting for the model to get a few years in before plop down some cash. Thanks for doing this series!! It's been super helpful for me.
From what I'm gathering being a member of the Aprilia Tuareg owners group page on Facebook I haven't really been noticing any catastrophic issues. Honestly it's mostly just like a gasket might be seeping or a water pump might need to be replaced or a random bad switch or no start issue. Honestly that's the same kind of stuff that you'll get with pretty much any bike out there. I have put about 5,000 miles on to mine and the only issue that I can recall was the bolts on the valve cover gasket came a little loose and it started to seep some oil. The riding season has definitely slowed down here in Pennsylvania and I can't wait for spring. I think you have a better chance at things being fine then not. Besides it comes with an 2 year unlimited mile warranty with an optional 2 year extended warranty through Aprilia themselves. No third party warranty stuff
@@turbolag5107 this is nice to hear. Sounds like if you are a solid DIY type and can get parts online, it would only be a major issues that would be a problem! sometimes hard to tell the type of people that are complaining online, maybe they are types that can't even change oil ;-)
My humble opinion is that this bike it is almost in all aspects better than the TNR700, except reliability. For me as a person from Europe actually from the balkans, we have no problem to faind spare parts and maintenance, because we have wide range of dealership ! Anyway this is another excellent explanation from you as usual 👍
I don't think there is any data to back the reliability concerns for the Tuareg. People are incorrectly stating that reliability is a lower when they really mean that reliability may be lower than T7 etc.
@@mantan_rtw the T7 engine is the same engine as the MT07/FZ07. It is considered one of the most reliable engines on the market today. It even tops the charts as Motorrad’s most reliable engine after their 50,000km engine tear down. The Tuareg engine came from the RS660 which had reliability problems in its first generation and already some Tuareg owners are reporting having to get water pump and engine gaskets replaced because they were not fitted properly in engine assembly. I am looking at a Tuareg but I’m waiting a little bit, want to make sure the engine is reliable
Touratech does a rear carrier & grab rail assembly you might find useful, but I couldn't find any better seats for the Tuareg. The comfort seat is just heated, connected by a wire to the battery.
Your Tuareg videos were very helpful. Thank you. It was your honest assessment of the 890 R that convinced me the Tuareg was the bike for me. I’ve had it for just over a week, it is amazing. Quality of build, the sound of the engine when it fires up, the screen, all terrific. I didn’t expect this, but I love driving it in the city (interstates even). I am looking forward to going to the mountains for off road soon.
When you buy that online service manual you also get the owners manual. You just have to click on the download. It's way better than the little book you get with the bike.
Your reviews are great, they seem to be very objective and you share your opinion occasionally but it's relevent. They have been really helpful whilst looking for a new bike. Still not made a decision yet but your videos have been great simple and informative. Your climate is very different from mine as well as dealer networks but I just need to read between the lines. The drop test is a nice touch. Thanks Graphitepanda
I like the reviews and the detail provided. But most of all I find it entertaining when the wife is in helping out. Nice lady trying to help out as much as she can with an honest opinion. Good job and keep going.
Great idea listing some of the spare parts pricing and availability. Most people somehow believes that brands such as Aprilia, Ducati or BMW are way more expensive to maintain than a Japanese bike - the reality is very different. Just for comparison, I had to buy some parts and accessories listed in your video for a Tenere 700, and the Yamaha parts were way more expensive than the Aprilia (double the price or more) here in Australia. The icing on the cake, the T7 headlight…$740USD ($1,100AUD).
Recently had a desmo service done on a Ducati Multistrada. They only offered the service as a package deal, oil change, etc. I could do that myself. The service was $2,400.00 Labor was $150.00 per hour (reasonable) Parts, and there was some price gouging. For example. $16.00 spark plugs were marked up to $45.00 each x 4.
@@nose2wind872 A shop that charge you $45 for a $16 spark plug should tell you something about their honesty - a valve checks takes half day, but they charged you 14 hours of labour. The issue is your mechanic, not an overengineered engine.
@@sspirito3130 Unfortunately, I have to agree with you. I most likely won't purchase another Ducati. I hope Aprilia (Italian) doesn't have the same practice.
Those "handles" under the seat are for lifting up the rear end of the bike. They're not really designed for a passenger to hang on to. Great video as always.👍
Looks like the bike isn't designed for a passenger at all. That rear seat section is more for lashing bags down. Any adventure bikes with decent passenger seating?
@@fallinginthed33p No bikes that i can think of. I mean adventure bikes are kind of designed for one person because riding off road is difficult with a passenger. Even though they do put foot pegs on the back of most of them, they are mainly for a passenger when you're riding on the road only.
I purchased My Aprilia from AF1 Racing in Texas. Great experience. I believe they are the largest Aprilia dealer in the US. Here is the current situation on parts availability in US: "AF1 Racing 11/09/22 BO update - Still have well over 8000 parts on BO from Piaggio, Vespa, Moto Guzzi and Aprilia. Parts that show in stock in the US are taking 2-6 weeks to arrive right now. Big delays out of the US and Italian warehouses." Japanese manufacturers are only slightly better. Something all of us need to be aware of until global supply chain returns to normal.
Such a beautiful motorcycle... Tons of heritage on European bike brands. Thanks for your willingness Ian... giving your community the chance to reach out directly !!
Great channel. Thank you for your detailed and thought through reviews! One critique: Please use a more standardized set of pickup methods with each bike so they can be compared. Each bike might differ, but just be more intentional about keeping it standardized and why one works or doesn't for a specific bike in your opinion. That brings me go the location you choose to pick the bike up from. Do it in the same place at home so it can be compared between the bikes. You had the Aprilia on a slight hill and you picked it up from the uphill side which helped getting it into a 'level with gravity' position. The T7 was picked up from more level ground. Just looking at where the fuel tank is, makes sense that the Aprilia would be less top heavy, but the whole point is to get your opinion on what it feels like in comparison. Just having the 'test' be a little more standardized would be great. Perhaps use that hill you use in this Aprilia video and do an uphill pickup as well as a downhill pickup (facing the bike different directions if you don't want to damage exhausts). Again, great videos - definitely subscribed!
I'm new to this channel and enjoy the content. The way you explain the bike and how it works is awesome. The content is consistent in every video and that really speaks to how much work you put into it. With being said, whoever put you up to wearing that jumpsuit I would immediately go to the nearest 68 Ford Falcon, grab the tire iron out of the trunk, and beat them with it, Italian style. Seriously, I'm looking forward to more content coming from this channel. Keep up the good work.
Nice as usual…FYI I get mine back this weekend and found out that until you get past the break in period…you can put your bike into “limp” mode. The rev limit is set at 6500 and if you go over it to much…it goes into Limp…so I found out the hard way…ha!!! I did add the quick shift while there…thanks again for the in-depth…keep you posted!!!!
I have had my Acid Gold Tuareg for a couple of weeks now and loving every ride. Waiting for all the goodies that I ordered... Touratech pannier and top case racks, Lone Rider Motobags and Overlander 48, SW Motech Engine Guard and Crash Guard, DoubleTake mirrors. Looks like I will make it to the 600-mile maintenance before all can be delivered. You and daily rider series were a big help for me figuring out what bike to purchase. Was also nice see a tank bag on one of these (tank is a strange strange shape). I'll be sure to use your link if I decide to pick up a Gnome from Mosko Moto. Keep up the great work!
So the parts/service question... I know a lot of folks worry about this and I do factor it in when buying (how far do I need to ride for service)... BUT it does seem that folks assume service available correlates with parts availability... and it doesn't... at all. During my Transamerica Trail ride I had my 701 Enduro serviced 3 times, twice at Ktm or Husqvarna dealers and once at an Independent service location (In Moab). In all three cases they had the parts on hand to perform the service. I spent some time drinking beers with a crew that were on T7's... and Yamaha has a huge dealer network compared to KTM (in the US)... but they'd been looking all over the Pacific NW to try to find air filters and there were ZERO available anywhere. They were running into problems getting routine maintenance for those bikes even with the great dealer network. SO... yea make sure you have dealer service within a reasonable distance from your home... but I'd say don't worry as much about touring maintenance, just plan ahead and communicate with the places you plan to stop... if they're not an Aprilia dealer then have parts shipped to them so you can scoot through and get it done fast.
Thanks for the video! Really very helpful. I can't remember a single episode of my life whereby I would watch "ad" about something and it made me thinks of buying it.... and I understand that this channel is less about promotion but without it I would never considered a Tuareg 660 as a bike to purchase (had strong settings for T7 by then). Now its in my garage and I find it to be a good buy.
I live in the rocky mountains of Canada. We buy lots of adventure bikes. The nearest Honda dealer is 30 mins. Nearest Yamaha dealer is 30 mins. Nearest KTM dealer is 1hr. Nearest Aprilia dealer is 7 hrs (one way!) nearest Ducati dealer is same.
I suspect I'm repeating myself, but I also have a wife that I would like to have ride with me; having Maggie demo the passenger riding aspect of the bikes is hugely important. Yes, some guys/ gals go off on their own all the time, but there are also a lot of us who ride on our own, and then also want to have our partners ride with us for some trips. I just wanted you both to know that this is an unusual and valuable perspective that I really appreciate.
Here in Louisville Kentucky we have an Aprilia dealership where I bought mine at Commonwealth Motorcycles also where I bought my 2022 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R and I'm having too much fun here in the bluegrass state. I love your videos Ian and it's like I'm riding along with you on this episode!
@@user-xe7oz2ym3h so far so good, and the dealership is pretty good to deal with and they got more Tuaregs in also a bunch of 2024 models as well and they fixed my fuel level sensor on my 2022 890 Adventure under warranty with no problems and very fast.
Just trying to decide between a Tuareg and the new Honda Transalp. Mostly on road stuff, but plan to do BDR’s at some point. I have a 2 stroke for real off road stuff. But want something to jump off the road and be able to do whatever, but mostly light stuff.
great video, thx. Note, overlanding, if you need any part (not consumable which are quite standard for most brans) most likely you will have to courier that part no matter if it is honda, yamaha or whatever and no matter how many brand dealers are in the country you ar; this is why you can use honda, or aprilia, it is gonna be basically the same in this aspect
Great stuff as always. The parts discussion reminds me of an exchange I had with GP Motorcycles about a Ducati I owned "Hi, I need some passenger pegs" "OK, just to let you know, it's going to be at least 6 weeks. Maybe longer." "Oh wow, is that normal?" "Well, Ducati takes September off" "Like...the whole company? All month?" "Yeah, pretty much" "Must be nice"
So excellent news for us Ian, thanks so much 🙏🏽! I live in Puerto Rico and we actually have 2 authorized dealers which is good for me 👌. About parts , I might say is a question of planning ahead and don't wait 'till the last hour. Order some important parts and have it at hand before service is due. ONE MORE DAY GETTING CLOSE TO THE 660. Thanks my friend. Godspeed!
Dude I love that bike. Maybe I’ll upgrade from my RE himi. Rode it today. It’s a cool little bike that sips gas but no wheelies or rear tire steering. Like I need to be doing that at almost 60 years old with multiple injuries. But…… when the mood hits ya. Sometimes you just got to say WTF. Haha.
Great video. I also ride with my wife. She's Mongolian and that's where we ride. We dropped our 1993 Transalp a lot in the Gobi sands. It was a beast to pick up and we had to remove all our luggage every time and work together to pick it up. Now I'm older and had disc surgery, I'm only riding lightweight bikes around 130kg or less because I ride around our home in the mountains and need to be able to pick it up multiple times. My days with mid-weight or heavy weight bikes are over. Maybe touring too but I'd like to do it again with a 2-up capable adventure bike that is also easy to pick up. Maybe that's a unicorn. We've got no Aprilia dealers in Mongolia. We've got KTM, Yamaha, Surron and Honda dealers though. So Aprilia is a non-starter for me even if they had a lightweight adventure bike. At the moment I've got a Surron Storm Bee and a Kenbo 200. Both Chinese bikes.
As Spanish it's curious to hear about the dealer network issue, in Europe or at least in my country Aprilia or the Piaggio group has a very strong dealer network, i guess they don't have big penetration on American markets, i found you're channel recently and I'm loving it, that's exactly the kind of in depth, real user reviews i like it more, and are more difficult to find, i see you're channel getting bigger and bigger as the time pass
Cheers for this great video! Rumour has it, the sump is only 5mm-10mm above the bash plate. Is that a worry for you? Rocks, river crossings, chunky stones at speed could easily cause a disaster perhaps?
Always glad to see Maggie helping out, RIDICULOUS to consider this bike as a two-up ride--it aint, nor was it designed as such. However, no doubt Maggie could have helped you with the drop/pickup test. Next thing: your mom dresses you funny--Klim is NOT your tailor! Bottom line: this is not the bike that will keep me coming back for further video--wake me up when you sell it.
If I could only own ONE bike and I wanted some offroad chops it would be the 660... it can handle light offroad, touring, ADV. It's very similar to the 890 but prettier. 🙂 Good point regarding passengers though... I'd probably not look to the middleweight bikes for pillion use... would be leaning GS (and losing the offroadability) if I needed to carry a passenger regularly. Very nice bike from Aprilia.
Excellent job on these videos! I watch a lot of your content since I own several of the bikes you review. You seem like a down to earth guy, but your channel must be getting pretty big. I liked your preview for “My FAMOUS drop and lift test”. Good luck with the future success of this channel. You have me watching most of them!
So I was extremely surprised. I went to Aprillia’s website and it’s as simple as selecting the bike and trim package and adding it to cart then selecting your dealer. When I got to that point the dealership option for me is within an hour of where I live. Now I have been to that dealership many times and had no idea they sold Aprillia bikes. Also, if I completed the order they require a credit card number (nothing gets charged to it) and it says the bike will be available for pick up within 60 days. All payment is made at dealership at time of pickup. Super easy ordering. Solid time table. This brings me to wonder if there are perhaps more dealerships in the dealer network than shown and perhaps the ones shown are just dealerships that regularly carry Aprillia inventory in stock on their showroom floor? Could it be that other dealerships are authorized dealers that don’t show up in the listed network?
As a Tracer7 owner, you don't buy one to carry passengers, first thing removed was the rear pegs,first thing fitted was a luggage rack...if you have to carry someone from the pub you put your feet on top of their's on the front pegs,and they can hold on to your 'love handles'...never an issue on small ADV/touring bikes!
Test rode Toureg a few days ago. 3 items that gave me pause. I didn't like the fuel cap. My right leg kept contacting the right pillion-foot peg. Off-Road riding, I couldn't tell much difference in the riding modes, expecting less power offroad. I checked and full 80hp in all modes. I felt this was a little much. Enjoyed your review and look forward to the riding portions.
The seat height on my husbands bike measures 35" at the slimmest part of the seat. I wish it really measured the 33.8" that it states. I also planned on purchasing one if I can get it lowered for me to touch the ground. I have a 31" inseam, but I don't weigh enough for it to sink enough. We purchased a lowering link, and looking into a softer spring...I wish there were more ADV bikes for shorter people. I was hoping this would be the one, but with it over an inch taller than stated I have that much more to touch the ground. Would love to know if others are having this issue? thanks for your insight!
That bike actually seems nice! Im not a fan of Italian (and also French when it comes to cars) build quality, but what Ive seen so far, I might be prooven wrong. It is an issue with the passenger seating...! Looking forward to the next video.
Regarding dealer support. There could be a 1000 dealers, but parts availability and service schedule delays would most likely end a trip in the event of a breakdown. It took me a month to get my RAM truck in for warranty service. A friend has been waiting 2 months for car parts after waiting for a service appointment. A dealer is of no use if they don't have time or parts.
The only Aprilia dealer around me is 80 miles away. The say they have sold over 40 Tuaregs, but part of that reason is they only received 5 tenere 700s since the launch.
Another great review. Thanks It’s definitely appealing but I put deposit down on a Husky Norden 901 Expedition that’s suppose to come in March. We shall see. Thanks again for great content.
Enjoying your videos on this bike. This kind of detail is so helpful. The one question I still have is do you think the value justifies the risk of buying an Aprilia from a reliability and maintenance standpoint for those of us that plan to ride off road quite a bit?
Excelent series! Can you also do a series comparing some tank bags I am interested in the new mosco gnome and how it compares with the nomax, tusk and some sw motech. Thanks!
Arkansas is one of the top 5 states with most registered motorcycles. Aprillia needs to get some better data collection and open one there. Also great state for off roading. If they would open one in Jonesboro or Little Rock I would 100% get one closest one is three hours which seems to be about the same for you. Not awful.
thanks for the video im trying to get away from the high maintenance checking valves every other service sounds excessive but if you want the performance you have to put in the work
I have a penchant for obscure bikes. My latest isn't running right, and only has 200 miles on it. I've checked fuel injectors, fuel pump, and other stuff, but no bueno. Nearest dealer is 800 miles away. Goodbye $1100 for roundtrip shipping to a dealer. (hope the fix is cheap or free). Next bike (?) will be mainstream.
The Aprilia is a very nice bike for sure. For me though, I’ll stick with KTM/Husqvarna because of the lack of dealer support and parts. That 2023 KTM 890 Adventure is high on my list.
You could easy get the Maintenance done at any other motorcycle workshop you trust, without loosing the warranty. Just talk to Aprilia. No problem at all.
Though in order to reset the maintenance (wrench) light on the TFT the shop would need to have a PADS (Piaggio Advanced Diagnostic System) from what I understand.
How tall is your wife? She looks about 5’5 and very small and she was still hanging off the seat. For people wanting something for their passenger to hang on with, look up Powermade Passenger Handles, they work great. Another great video
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⚠Amazon Store: amzn.to/3viGZ0A
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NEW! 2023 Mid-Size ADV Buyer's Guide PDF: bit.ly/3NRlP2a
🏍 SERIES PREVIEW:
1. Why I Bought it (ruclips.net/video/NuuvH0v2KL0/видео.html)
2. Features/Specs/Tour (ruclips.net/video/JtT1l87Mvf4/видео.html)
3. Practical or Not?
4. Off Road Test
5. Highway Test
6. Pros/Cons
7. Reliability/Issues
8. Q&A
9. vs. Competition
Your wife cracked me up. “Honestly I don’t remember all the bikes” that’s the most wife answer I’ve ever heard.
mine can't even describe what I do for a living. I have only been doing it 20 years :)
I had to laugh when she asked whether she will break the footpegs and you let out an exasperated “no Bibi”. 😂 As a married guy, I recognize that voice. 😉
guilty
Your motorcycle reviewing concept is the most detailed, perfect concept ever. I get all the answers to my questions. You deserve more subscribers. I'm from Türkiye and there a lot of motorcycle lovers who looks for a RUclips channel like yours. So, if you add Turkish subtitles and title to your videos (there is an automatic sub. translation option in RUclips), that will draw a lot of viewer and subscriber.
Thank you
I owned a 07 Tuono and never had a problem getting parts. I have never used a dealer shop so that not an issue for me. The build quality of my Tuono was outstanding. In the 10 years I owned that bike I never had any problems. I would do Aprilia in a heartbeat over a Chinese built KTM 790. But otherwise good job. Your videos are always comprehensive and very informative. Keep up the good work.
Good info
My experience, as well.
@@BigRockMoto yep and no need to buy a "TECH PACK" with the Aprillia
Isn't this Aprilia 660 engine Chinese?
@@chucklesthefireguy5356 Nope Italy..
Loving the series. Also really appreciate the demonstration on the issue of passenger comfort as it’s something that no other reviewer has even spoken about…
Yes, very pertinent to some of us.
Really like that Ian is doing a little about the passenger accommodations. My wife rides with me 95% of the time, so very important to us. We did get to sit on a Tuareg, and my wife felt it would be comfortable to her. But she is used to being passenger on a dual sport, maybe she is more used to the narrow seat. Anyway Thanks Ian for including this bit of information.
@@marnienrichaaron5813
Nothin likea wife willing to learn to ride!
Shout out to your wife for helping you in the review with the passenger segment. Wish other reviewers would do the same. Go Maggie!
I love how honest you are about bikes that you obviously like. That demonstration about the limitations of passenger safety and comfort was bang-on fair. You point out the shortcomings even if you generally like a bike. This is honest moto journalism. Love Big Rock Moto.
I took delivery of mine a couple of months ago! I am 6-3 and this bike is perfect for me. I'm so happy, It's the best in the market. Tom California.
I really enjoyed the "Parts" and "Maintenance" sections of this video. I've been looking really hard at this bike and I have a dealer 45 min from my house. The reliability worries me some so I'm waiting for the model to get a few years in before plop down some cash. Thanks for doing this series!! It's been super helpful for me.
Glad you enjoyed it!
From what I'm gathering being a member of the Aprilia Tuareg owners group page on Facebook I haven't really been noticing any catastrophic issues. Honestly it's mostly just like a gasket might be seeping or a water pump might need to be replaced or a random bad switch or no start issue. Honestly that's the same kind of stuff that you'll get with pretty much any bike out there. I have put about 5,000 miles on to mine and the only issue that I can recall was the bolts on the valve cover gasket came a little loose and it started to seep some oil. The riding season has definitely slowed down here in Pennsylvania and I can't wait for spring. I think you have a better chance at things being fine then not. Besides it comes with an 2 year unlimited mile warranty with an optional 2 year extended warranty through Aprilia themselves. No third party warranty stuff
@@turbolag5107 this is nice to hear. Sounds like if you are a solid DIY type and can get parts online, it would only be a major issues that would be a problem! sometimes hard to tell the type of people that are complaining online, maybe they are types that can't even change oil ;-)
you spend your best years to waiting at home! Go buy this damn bike and have fun
Real life parts pricing and availability and the passenger perspective- both excellent things that set your work apart. Love this!
Thanks! 👍
My humble opinion is that this bike it is almost in all aspects better than the TNR700, except reliability.
For me as a person from Europe actually from the balkans, we have no problem to faind spare parts and maintenance, because we have wide range of dealership !
Anyway this is another excellent explanation from you as usual 👍
As an Aprilia owner (Tuono), reliability has been very good. No serious issues, and only a couple very minor ones. Better than my Ducati, for example.
@@gregoryyount6907 I had an aprilia for 8 years I was very happy never any issues. And I still have a bmw.
I don't think there is any data to back the reliability concerns for the Tuareg. People are incorrectly stating that reliability is a lower when they really mean that reliability may be lower than T7 etc.
@@mantan_rtw I want and i hope that Touareg will be reliable, like japanese motorcycles, but time will show if it's true or not.
@@mantan_rtw the T7 engine is the same engine as the MT07/FZ07. It is considered one of the most reliable engines on the market today. It even tops the charts as Motorrad’s most reliable engine after their 50,000km engine tear down. The Tuareg engine came from the RS660 which had reliability problems in its first generation and already some Tuareg owners are reporting having to get water pump and engine gaskets replaced because they were not fitted properly in engine assembly. I am looking at a Tuareg but I’m waiting a little bit, want to make sure the engine is reliable
Touratech does a rear carrier & grab rail assembly you might find useful, but I couldn't find any better seats for the Tuareg. The comfort seat is just heated, connected by a wire to the battery.
Your Tuareg videos were very helpful. Thank you. It was your honest assessment of the 890 R that convinced me the Tuareg was the bike for me. I’ve had it for just over a week, it is amazing. Quality of build, the sound of the engine when it fires up, the screen, all terrific. I didn’t expect this, but I love driving it in the city (interstates even). I am looking forward to going to the mountains for off road soon.
When you buy that online service manual you also get the owners manual. You just have to click on the download. It's way better than the little book you get with the bike.
Your reviews are great, they seem to be very objective and you share your opinion occasionally but it's relevent. They have been really helpful whilst looking for a new bike. Still not made a decision yet but your videos have been great simple and informative. Your climate is very different from mine as well as dealer networks but I just need to read between the lines. The drop test is a nice touch.
Thanks
Graphitepanda
I like the reviews and the detail provided. But most of all I find it entertaining when the wife is in helping out. Nice lady trying to help out as much as she can with an honest opinion. Good job and keep going.
Great idea listing some of the spare parts pricing and availability. Most people somehow believes that brands such as Aprilia, Ducati or BMW are way more expensive to maintain than a Japanese bike - the reality is very different. Just for comparison, I had to buy some parts and accessories listed in your video for a Tenere 700, and the Yamaha parts were way more expensive than the Aprilia (double the price or more) here in Australia. The icing on the cake, the T7 headlight…$740USD ($1,100AUD).
Recently had a desmo service done on a Ducati Multistrada. They only offered the service as a package deal, oil change, etc. I could do that myself. The service was $2,400.00 Labor was $150.00 per hour (reasonable) Parts, and there was some price gouging. For example. $16.00 spark plugs were marked up to $45.00 each x 4.
Great point
@@nose2wind872 yeah the desmo service is well know for being expensive but it happens only once per 30'000 km on most of ducati v twins.
@@nose2wind872 A shop that charge you $45 for a $16 spark plug should tell you something about their honesty - a valve checks takes half day, but they charged you 14 hours of labour. The issue is your mechanic, not an overengineered engine.
@@sspirito3130 Unfortunately, I have to agree with you. I most likely won't purchase another Ducati. I hope Aprilia (Italian) doesn't have the same practice.
Those "handles" under the seat are for lifting up the rear end of the bike.
They're not really designed for a passenger to hang on to.
Great video as always.👍
Looks like the bike isn't designed for a passenger at all. That rear seat section is more for lashing bags down. Any adventure bikes with decent passenger seating?
@@fallinginthed33p No bikes that i can think of. I mean adventure bikes are kind of designed for one person because riding off road is difficult with a passenger. Even though they do put foot pegs on the back of most of them, they are mainly for a passenger when you're riding on the road only.
@@fallinginthed33p the tiger 900 rally and the norden 901 maybe
I purchased My Aprilia from AF1 Racing in Texas. Great experience. I believe they are the largest Aprilia dealer in the US. Here is the current situation on parts availability in US:
"AF1 Racing
11/09/22 BO update - Still have well over 8000 parts on BO from Piaggio, Vespa, Moto Guzzi and Aprilia. Parts that show in stock in the US are taking 2-6 weeks to arrive right now. Big delays out of the US and Italian warehouses."
Japanese manufacturers are only slightly better. Something all of us need to be aware of until global supply chain returns to normal.
Good to know. I'm only about 15 minutes from AF1 in Austin so i kinda feel OBLIGATED to buy one 😄
Flat out best looking adventure bike in its class!!!
Maggie is so adorable it’s clearly not staged I appreciate her input
Everytime I get a big rock moto notification I get happy. 👌
Such a beautiful motorcycle... Tons of heritage on European bike brands. Thanks for your willingness Ian... giving your community the chance to reach out directly !!
Thanks for taking us along BRM..!! Another great video.!!!
You bet
Also worth noting that if you're in Europe, or planning to travel Europe, there is a really good service network for Aprilia.
I'm SO close to buying one of these. Probably just gonna wait for the 2023 model. Thanks Ian!
Here in South Africa the Tuareg costs more than a new Triumph Tiger Rally Pro 900 which is a bit ridiculous in my opinion. Great reviews...thanks Ian
Great channel. Thank you for your detailed and thought through reviews!
One critique: Please use a more standardized set of pickup methods with each bike so they can be compared. Each bike might differ, but just be more intentional about keeping it standardized and why one works or doesn't for a specific bike in your opinion. That brings me go the location you choose to pick the bike up from. Do it in the same place at home so it can be compared between the bikes. You had the Aprilia on a slight hill and you picked it up from the uphill side which helped getting it into a 'level with gravity' position. The T7 was picked up from more level ground. Just looking at where the fuel tank is, makes sense that the Aprilia would be less top heavy, but the whole point is to get your opinion on what it feels like in comparison. Just having the 'test' be a little more standardized would be great. Perhaps use that hill you use in this Aprilia video and do an uphill pickup as well as a downhill pickup (facing the bike different directions if you don't want to damage exhausts).
Again, great videos - definitely subscribed!
Fantastic! Love this series. When you are done with it, please let me know… 🎉
Best review and info moto channel on youtube - hands down.
Well done, Sir
Glad you think so!
I'm new to this channel and enjoy the content. The way you explain the bike and how it works is awesome. The content is consistent in every video and that really speaks to how much work you put into it. With being said, whoever put you up to wearing that jumpsuit I would immediately go to the nearest 68 Ford Falcon, grab the tire iron out of the trunk, and beat them with it, Italian style. Seriously, I'm looking forward to more content coming from this channel. Keep up the good work.
It is a horrible suit. Expensive, but truly horrible.
Decent proper review. Thanks, actually telling us the important things about the bike so many reviews don't bother with
I really love this series, so honest and down to earth
Nice as usual…FYI I get mine back this weekend and found out that until you get past the break in period…you can put your bike into “limp” mode. The rev limit is set at 6500 and if you go over it to much…it goes into Limp…so I found out the hard way…ha!!! I did add the quick shift while there…thanks again for the in-depth…keep you posted!!!!
I have had my Acid Gold Tuareg for a couple of weeks now and loving every ride. Waiting for all the goodies that I ordered... Touratech pannier and top case racks, Lone Rider Motobags and Overlander 48, SW Motech Engine Guard and Crash Guard, DoubleTake mirrors. Looks like I will make it to the 600-mile maintenance before all can be delivered. You and daily rider series were a big help for me figuring out what bike to purchase. Was also nice see a tank bag on one of these (tank is a strange strange shape). I'll be sure to use your link if I decide to pick up a Gnome from Mosko Moto. Keep up the great work!
awesome thanks!
So the parts/service question... I know a lot of folks worry about this and I do factor it in when buying (how far do I need to ride for service)... BUT it does seem that folks assume service available correlates with parts availability... and it doesn't... at all. During my Transamerica Trail ride I had my 701 Enduro serviced 3 times, twice at Ktm or Husqvarna dealers and once at an Independent service location (In Moab). In all three cases they had the parts on hand to perform the service. I spent some time drinking beers with a crew that were on T7's... and Yamaha has a huge dealer network compared to KTM (in the US)... but they'd been looking all over the Pacific NW to try to find air filters and there were ZERO available anywhere. They were running into problems getting routine maintenance for those bikes even with the great dealer network.
SO... yea make sure you have dealer service within a reasonable distance from your home... but I'd say don't worry as much about touring maintenance, just plan ahead and communicate with the places you plan to stop... if they're not an Aprilia dealer then have parts shipped to them so you can scoot through and get it done fast.
Good point
Thanks for the video! Really very helpful. I can't remember a single episode of my life whereby I would watch "ad" about something and it made me thinks of buying it.... and I understand that this channel is less about promotion but without it I would never considered a Tuareg 660 as a bike to purchase (had strong settings for T7 by then). Now its in my garage and I find it to be a good buy.
I live in the rocky mountains of Canada. We buy lots of adventure bikes. The nearest Honda dealer is 30 mins. Nearest Yamaha dealer is 30 mins. Nearest KTM dealer is 1hr. Nearest Aprilia dealer is 7 hrs (one way!) nearest Ducati dealer is same.
that's a big deal
I suspect I'm repeating myself, but I also have a wife that I would like to have ride with me; having Maggie demo the passenger riding aspect of the bikes is hugely important. Yes, some guys/ gals go off on their own all the time, but there are also a lot of us who ride on our own, and then also want to have our partners ride with us for some trips. I just wanted you both to know that this is an unusual and valuable perspective that I really appreciate.
Here in Louisville Kentucky we have an Aprilia dealership where I bought mine at Commonwealth Motorcycles also where I bought my 2022 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R and I'm having too much fun here in the bluegrass state. I love your videos Ian and it's like I'm riding along with you on this episode!
How is the dealership there? Any issues with your Aprilia? I live in Henderson, about 2 hours west of Louisville.
@@user-xe7oz2ym3h so far so good, and the dealership is pretty good to deal with and they got more Tuaregs in also a bunch of 2024 models as well and they fixed my fuel level sensor on my 2022 890 Adventure under warranty with no problems and very fast.
Just trying to decide between a Tuareg and the new Honda Transalp. Mostly on road stuff, but plan to do BDR’s at some point. I have a 2 stroke for real off road stuff. But want something to jump off the road and be able to do whatever, but mostly light stuff.
great video, thx. Note, overlanding, if you need any part (not consumable which are quite standard for most brans) most likely you will have to courier that part no matter if it is honda, yamaha or whatever and no matter how many brand dealers are in the country you ar; this is why you can use honda, or aprilia, it is gonna be basically the same in this aspect
Go careful, Ian. You'll make Maggie the star of your videos. Fair play to the lady for getting involved.
Great stuff as always. The parts discussion reminds me of an exchange I had with GP Motorcycles about a Ducati I owned
"Hi, I need some passenger pegs"
"OK, just to let you know, it's going to be at least 6 weeks. Maybe longer."
"Oh wow, is that normal?"
"Well, Ducati takes September off"
"Like...the whole company? All month?"
"Yeah, pretty much"
"Must be nice"
So excellent news for us Ian, thanks so much 🙏🏽! I live in Puerto Rico and we actually have 2 authorized dealers which is good for me 👌. About parts , I might say is a question of planning ahead and don't wait 'till the last hour. Order some important parts and have it at hand before service is due. ONE MORE DAY GETTING CLOSE TO THE 660. Thanks my friend. Godspeed!
Once again.. a perfect format for an informative unbiased review….
Thanks
Excellent review ( as usual). The lack of dealer support is a real concern.
Dude I love that bike. Maybe I’ll upgrade from my RE himi. Rode it today. It’s a cool little bike that sips gas but no wheelies or rear tire steering. Like I need to be doing that at almost 60 years old with multiple injuries. But…… when the mood hits ya. Sometimes you just got to say WTF. Haha.
I want to binge watch this series right now 🙂
Great video. I also ride with my wife. She's Mongolian and that's where we ride. We dropped our 1993 Transalp a lot in the Gobi sands. It was a beast to pick up and we had to remove all our luggage every time and work together to pick it up. Now I'm older and had disc surgery, I'm only riding lightweight bikes around 130kg or less because I ride around our home in the mountains and need to be able to pick it up multiple times. My days with mid-weight or heavy weight bikes are over. Maybe touring too but I'd like to do it again with a 2-up capable adventure bike that is also easy to pick up. Maybe that's a unicorn.
We've got no Aprilia dealers in Mongolia. We've got KTM, Yamaha, Surron and Honda dealers though. So Aprilia is a non-starter for me even if they had a lightweight adventure bike. At the moment I've got a Surron Storm Bee and a Kenbo 200. Both Chinese bikes.
Thanks, looking forward to the off-road vid.. 😆
Coming next week
As Spanish it's curious to hear about the dealer network issue, in Europe or at least in my country Aprilia or the Piaggio group has a very strong dealer network, i guess they don't have big penetration on American markets, i found you're channel recently and I'm loving it, that's exactly the kind of in depth, real user reviews i like it more, and are more difficult to find, i see you're channel getting bigger and bigger as the time pass
Thanks for your time and effort. i got one and really happy with it. By your videos i get a better understanding about the bike. Big ups 🙏✊
Glad you like them!
Cheers for this great video! Rumour has it, the sump is only 5mm-10mm above the bash plate. Is that a worry for you? Rocks, river crossings, chunky stones at speed could easily cause a disaster perhaps?
A decent Skid Plate should be sufficient
Your wife needs to be in all the videos she cracked me up!😊
Great video as always. Thanks for showing how things work for a pillion as that's something I need to factor in. Looking forward to the next one
Always glad to see Maggie helping out, RIDICULOUS to consider this bike as a two-up ride--it aint, nor was it designed as such. However, no doubt Maggie could have helped you with the drop/pickup test. Next thing: your mom dresses you funny--Klim is NOT your tailor! Bottom line: this is not the bike that will keep me coming back for further video--wake me up when you sell it.
Real life experience, thank you Mag for your honest opinion.
Maggie is such a cool guest in these videos !
If I could only own ONE bike and I wanted some offroad chops it would be the 660... it can handle light offroad, touring, ADV. It's very similar to the 890 but prettier. 🙂 Good point regarding passengers though... I'd probably not look to the middleweight bikes for pillion use... would be leaning GS (and losing the offroadability) if I needed to carry a passenger regularly.
Very nice bike from Aprilia.
If you only have a smaller passenger a middle weight would probably be OK
Excellent job on these videos! I watch a lot of your content since I own several of the bikes you review. You seem like a down to earth guy, but your channel must be getting pretty big. I liked your preview for “My FAMOUS drop and lift test”. Good luck with the future success of this channel. You have me watching most of them!
That’ll be next for KTM, demos with a comfort seat but they take it away after 1500km unless you pay extra
So I was extremely surprised. I went to Aprillia’s website and it’s as simple as selecting the bike and trim package and adding it to cart then selecting your dealer. When I got to that point the dealership option for me is within an hour of where I live. Now I have been to that dealership many times and had no idea they sold Aprillia bikes.
Also, if I completed the order they require a credit card number (nothing gets charged to it) and it says the bike will be available for pick up within 60 days. All payment is made at dealership at time of pickup.
Super easy ordering. Solid time table.
This brings me to wonder if there are perhaps more dealerships in the dealer network than shown and perhaps the ones shown are just dealerships that regularly carry Aprillia inventory in stock on their showroom floor? Could it be that other dealerships are authorized dealers that don’t show up in the listed network?
As a Tracer7 owner, you don't buy one to carry passengers, first thing removed was the rear pegs,first thing fitted was a luggage rack...if you have to carry someone from the pub you put your feet on top of their's on the front pegs,and they can hold on to your 'love handles'...never an issue on small ADV/touring bikes!
Love the relationship dynamic
Test rode Toureg a few days ago. 3 items that gave me pause. I didn't like the fuel cap. My right leg kept contacting the right pillion-foot peg. Off-Road riding, I couldn't tell much difference in the riding modes, expecting less power offroad. I checked and full 80hp in all modes. I felt this was a little much. Enjoyed your review and look forward to the riding portions.
90 hp?
I love the passenger reviews. Keep up the good work man...
Thanks for doing this series. Super informative. I appreciate the detail!
You and your wife are a nice couple man. She seems chill.
The Quality is amazing.. good work mr Big :)
The seat height on my husbands bike measures 35" at the slimmest part of the seat. I wish it really measured the 33.8" that it states. I also planned on purchasing one if I can get it lowered for me to touch the ground. I have a 31" inseam, but I don't weigh enough for it to sink enough. We purchased a lowering link, and looking into a softer spring...I wish there were more ADV bikes for shorter people. I was hoping this would be the one, but with it over an inch taller than stated I have that much more to touch the ground. Would love to know if others are having this issue? thanks for your insight!
Another great and usefull video! Thank you!
That bike actually seems nice!
Im not a fan of Italian (and also French when it comes to cars) build quality, but what Ive seen so far, I might be prooven wrong.
It is an issue with the passenger seating...!
Looking forward to the next video.
love this channel, keep going man!
Thanks
If it's reliable, the cross-spoke wheels give it an adantage over the T7.
man,i watch many moto youtubers becouse next year i m plannimg to buy new bike.you are one of the best.straight to the point.continue the good work
Glad I could help
Great information about parts and maintenance. Thanks 👍
Regarding dealer support. There could be a 1000 dealers, but parts availability and service schedule delays would most likely end a trip in the event of a breakdown. It took me a month to get my RAM truck in for warranty service. A friend has been waiting 2 months for car parts after waiting for a service appointment. A dealer is of no use if they don't have time or parts.
True
The only Aprilia dealer around me is 80 miles away. The say they have sold over 40 Tuaregs, but part of that reason is they only received 5 tenere 700s since the launch.
You really nailed this review. The pillion comfort issue on this machine would kill it for me.
it's fixable
Really! How? I’m asking Because this bike seems to tick all the right boxes for me due to my age 63 and its lightness compared to most ADV’s
great vid as always. KTM dealer map isn't updated, missing my local one which is a major dealership (NW Ark). thnx!
Your reviews are the best!
Thank you for the vids. I just had one of these delivered yesterday.
Enjoy it
Another great review. Thanks
It’s definitely appealing but I put deposit down on a Husky Norden 901 Expedition that’s suppose to come in March.
We shall see.
Thanks again for great content.
Can you share info about the Expedition model?=
Enjoying your videos on this bike. This kind of detail is so helpful. The one question I still have is do you think the value justifies the risk of buying an Aprilia from a reliability and maintenance standpoint for those of us that plan to ride off road quite a bit?
I think it does
@@BigRockMoto thanks Ian!
Excelent series! Can you also do a series comparing some tank bags I am interested in the new mosco gnome and how it compares with the nomax, tusk and some sw motech. Thanks!
Thanks for the great review Ian. It would be interesting if you compare Tuareg and 890 Adventure. Best wishes from Türkiye 🙋🏻♂️
Arkansas is one of the top 5 states with most registered motorcycles. Aprillia needs to get some better data collection and open one there. Also great state for off roading. If they would open one in Jonesboro or Little Rock I would 100% get one closest one is three hours which seems to be about the same for you. Not awful.
That Tuareg looks awesome, especially in that colour scheme. Why pay more for the tri, red, white and blue?
Because you're proud of being French?
@@anxiousappliance could be a reason , for some.
Your wife is sooo helpful! You need to help her form her opinions prior to video production! :-P Good stuff! Enjoy your videos!
Probably the bike I would buy if I was settled down. But since I travel internationally with my bike I'm glad to have a T7.
thanks for the video im trying to get away from the high maintenance checking valves every other service sounds excessive but if you want the performance you have to put in the work
Where did you get the 27mm axle nut?
I have the same question. Seems like a good idea to swap it out, but I can't figure out where to get one, or the right size.
good job and the bike is beautiful and more in these colors
I have a penchant for obscure bikes. My latest isn't running right, and only has 200 miles on it. I've checked fuel injectors, fuel pump, and other stuff, but no bueno. Nearest dealer is 800 miles away. Goodbye $1100 for roundtrip shipping to a dealer. (hope the fix is cheap or free). Next bike (?) will be mainstream.
The Aprilia is a very nice bike for sure. For me though, I’ll stick with KTM/Husqvarna because of the lack of dealer support and parts. That 2023 KTM 890 Adventure is high on my list.
The hard side cases on both my Yamaha FZ-07 and 2008 Buell Ulysses have passenger handles built in ..
You could easy get the Maintenance done at any other motorcycle workshop you trust, without loosing the warranty. Just talk to Aprilia. No problem at all.
Though in order to reset the maintenance (wrench) light on the TFT the shop would need to have a PADS (Piaggio Advanced Diagnostic System) from what I understand.
Shop near me quoted 6 hours for valve insp and another 2 hours for adjustment, so $600-$800 for that.
Does the Tuareg come with a USB power socket as standard ? Great series covering different aspects of the bike 👍👍
How tall is your wife? She looks about 5’5 and very small and she was still hanging off the seat. For people wanting something for their passenger to hang on with, look up Powermade Passenger Handles, they work great. Another great video