Am I selling the Tuareg 660? No! Not for now, anyway. I love it too much and it just WORKS for my riding. Stay tuned for more episodes, I've got some cool customization happening in the future! Tuareg 660 Playlist: ruclips.net/p/PLoAHOJsWdMGXiYiCrKPEgwmplNXO614pv 🏍 SUPPORT BIG ROCK MOTO BY USING THESE LINKS! ⚠Rocky Mountain ATV/MC: bit.ly/33kgRIz ⚠Revzilla: imp.i104546.net/6bxxXN ⚠Mosko Moto: moskomoto.com/bigrockmoto ⚠Amazon: amzn.to/3viGZ0A ⚠Merchandise: big-rock-moto.myspreadshop.com/ ⚠Patreon: www.patreon.com/bigrockmedia
Hey Ian you might try a 17 tooth front sprocket which works perfect because the 17 tooth front sprocket is what the RS 660 uses, which the Tuareg has a lower 1st gear, and also has exactly the same front sprocket engine guard for both engines and it doesn't seem to effect engine performance and I weigh 265lbs and this 660 engine torque comes on so soon from idle and up and it just does not want to stall the 270 crank of this engine is remarkably so smooth, and I have the 2023 890 Adventure and it stalls out a lot easier than the Tuareg at low speed technical trail riding, even now when I run the 17 tooth on the Tuareg, and the fuss about wanting a little taller 6th gear issue is solved. And I can't find any reason for to sell my Tuareg 660 either. Both the KTM 890 and Tuareg 660 are so good in their own way one is such a hoot of hooliganism that is great on the twisties and easily maneuverable off road and the other is just so playful and agile that is a confident inspiring riding experience I'm holding on to both for now! Love your videos Ian!
thanks for your break down on reliability being 90% perception. So often people express ethnic bias when talking about reliability. old perceptions are just that, old perceptions and biased anecdotes...
31:00. Love the answers to the questions, great video! I'm watching it in stages, because it covers so much more than a normal motorcycle review. This is the "Unicorn." I am glad you said that, because I knew from the moment I saw the specs on paper, and saw the initial reviews, that it was the bike we have all been waiting for. In the U.S., they have given people large single cylinder dirtbikes and enduros, and not many offerings. On the street, they have given consumers about 20 different engine configurations to choose from. But when it came to enduros, there was no way to purchase an 80 horsepower enduro, because it didn't exist. It doesn't make sense why it took so long for a manufacturer to put an 80 horsepower streetbike engine on a large dirtbike, because the basic principle is very simple. Make a lightweight enduro have a more "road worthy" engine. Making a single cylinder bike bigger, with a bigger piston, is not a valid solution (see KLR650). The Tuareg is such an awesome engine, chassis combination, and it's the perfect size to be practical.
you need to take out the shift lever bolt and clean regrese, also in aliexpress sell a axis trans holder that (makes a bit of sense but it works) cost 30usd max, and helps the presicion, also change your oil, yes, changed mine at 700, 1500... Im a certified Aprilia for the 660 engines, and runed a Aprilia dealer for 2 years and own one.. and love the bike.
this series should get an award for quality and the level of detail that has gone into this review. Great info, well done and highly enjoyable to watch - very natural and well put together. Loved it. This may be my next bike!
Hi, I have the Tuareg too, I’ve done 10k over 12month, 90% on road. I have to say, this is an awesome bike for my taste. Good engine (no vibration, good torque, ok power, good feeling, good sound). Suspension are too soft with factory settings. Fortunately, you have full control over them. After testing, I have found my good settings for on road (which seem to translate good off-road) and I am really pleased now. Confort overall is good. Not too high for me (way better than the t7). The only meh is the windscreen ; I had to add the same add on screen as yours, and now it’s very good. Cruise control ftw !!! Factory pegs are large and good. Front brake is really good, strong enough with good feeling. Being a bike with long suspension, you need to know how to brake properly to avoid strong movement on the front suspension. Rear brake pedal is a bit low when standing up, even with the highest settings (than can be changed easily with 2 screws). Might need to buy something to make it higher. Oem tires (Pirelli rally str) are incredible on road, rear tires last me 9000km while driving quite dynamically and strong throttle. They are ok off-road (for my noob level). I paid 280€ for the 10k km checkup in France. Aprilia crashbars are good enough, the skid plate may need to be replaced if you do more off-road as it does not protect the motor enough just behind the front wheel, and the water pump is exposed in case of crash. Bonus : I have tested the tuono 660. Despite being the same engine, this is really not comparable. The tuono engine feel more sporty and more powerful above 5000rev. Suspensions are obviously harder too, and the brakes are phenomenal. But I much prefer the Tuareg for the confort, the overall performance available and the fact that it’s more all rounder than the tuono. There’s more to say but this sums up good my feeling about the Tuareg. Cheers.
I wrote a long comment explaining why looks are important but accidentally hit delete. But the KTM 890 is SO ugly. The Tuareg looks awesome in comparison. The Tuareg is sleek and lightweight looking, and doesn't have those hideous bulbous fuel tanks on the sides like the KTM. I like the Yamaha Tenere 700 the best, in terms of looks, the very best looking bike of all the bikes in the world is the Triumph Tiger 880. But they ruined the Triumph with the awful straight plane, piece of SHITE crankshaft and the "coarse" running and vibration that the flat plane (awful) crankshaft provides, as well as no longer having the beautiful high pitched inline 6 cylinder sound, but now a more ruffled and rough misfiring 4 cylinder sound. I can't wait for the "flat plane" crankshaft era to end, SWIFTLY, and never return. No bike in the 1980's sounds as bad as some of the flat plane crankshaft engines being made today. It's unacceptable that consumers will buy these awful sounding bikes, they need to vote with their wallet, and stop supporting bad engineering choices.
Thank you Ian for all these Video's about the Tuareg. I recently sold my T7 because most of time i'm offroad and i am only 176cm tall so i couldn't bear the top heavy feeling anymore. So i tried a Tuareg and bought it. Congratulations for all your work on your channel. Cheers from France
I am coming off of many years on a KLR and was very ready to move on to something more. I looked at the Tenere, Tuareg, KTM 790. 1) I bought a Tuareg based on your video series. 2) I am buying Giant Loop based on your selection. You do an amazing job, are a true motorcycle influencer, people are spending real money based on your recommendations. I just hope advertisers see this comment.
I am hugely impressed by what Aprilia pulled off with this bike. It is an incredible accomplishment and fantastic bike. As you said, reliability is pretty much the only remaining question about it, but the indications are favorable. If I was in the market for a bike it would be a front-runner, but my T7 continues to check every box I need and run like a Swiss watch. The mid size renaissance we're experiencing now is so much fun to watch.
@drippinblood28 that's unfortunate but not surprising. I haven't heard too many complaints from Tuareg owners, but at the end of the day it's an Italian bike.
I can't speak for this bike but my Shiver 750 has done about 120K+ km with minimal dramas. So reliability from Aprilia for me has been impressive. If I were to be caught up in the adventure bike craze the Tuareg would be the first place I'd look. I don't really like the look of any of them but the big GS looks ok but is way too heavy for me to consider taking off road. The Tuareg looks way more suitable in that department being much lighter.
Thank you for the comments regarding reliability. You didn’t blow smoke you just gave a very straight forward assessment. Each of us (unfortunately) need to do our own research! Owner forums, FB groups etc will reveal themselves given time.
I have had one for 8 months now, and at 4,500 miles had zero issues (stock tires have about 500 miles left but it really depends on your riding style). Sold my GSA and have a few more bikes in my garage (Yamaha 900 XSR, Honda CRF 450 L), and can say with complete confidence this is my favorite by a long shot. Handles like a sports bike on the street, and got me out of a world of trouble on gnarly off-road trails. I am lucky to be in Austin with an awesome dealer nearby (AF1 Racing) and so far the ownership has been a dream. I am also watching folks from Europe with upwards of 20 K miles that report zero issues.
Regarding neutral - When the tech did my walkthrough at purchase he said to use engine braking as much as possible during run-in, claiming it would solve the neutral problem a lot of people were having. He was right. Neutral became easier and easier to find over the course of run-in, and now it's as easy as any Honda or Yamaha I've owned. So for anyone looking to pick up a Tuareg, that's just me sharing my experience for what it's worth. YMMV. I love my Tuareg! And thanks for another great video!
I have ridden my Tuareg for 8200km now and I absolutely love it! It really is a jack of all trades bike... I can do long trips with my wife on the back and I can rev the shit out of it on swiss mountain roads while scraping the footpegs in the corners and I can ride hard offroad single trails. The fact that all of this is possible with a single motorcycle is nothing short of amazing!
Your answer to the dirt noob was spot on. The way you explained your answer was awesome. To many people get pushed into bikes that are bigger than their current abilities, they will learn more and faster on a smaller bike. Once they gain some experience then can decide what kind of larger bike they need for their riding. Great content as usual😀
To all other bikers or in motorbikes interested people. I surely recommend to subscribe to this channel. Even as a European ( which I am proud to be !) I watch the review’s of this channel. It is the only channel which gives an all around comparison of different types of motorbikes. Technically 100% correct, deep looks into the tested bikes, personal impressions and all the other things that gives me a honest review. Cheers and always ride safe 👍🇩🇪😎
Big Rock Moto is an amazing resource: Taking in the entire Tuareg 660 Review Series, I will have complete confidence in purchasing this machine after a test ride. You've provided amazing information for shoppers and riders.
Aprilia is very respected here in Europe. We love their scooters and motorcycles. Pegasus was one of most sold motorcycle. Overall, they are very reliable, good quality.
Aprilia is probably the most underrated brand out there. Aprilia has always produced top quality bikes, whether you are looking at the latest models or bikes from 30 years ago, they were always one step ahead of their Japanese counterparts. They invest a tonne of money in racing and R&D, but for some reason they don’t sell well.
LOL. Trolls are out? Or is this an Italian bot? These bikes are not on par with the best, not by a long shot. The engineering is awesome, the build quality is garbage.
@@galehess6676 If you've owned an Aprilia before, when you examine closely, those bikes are entirely built with top shelf components. I'm unsure where you're observing the 'garbage build quality.' Most people think Aprilia is a cheap minor brand. It is not; it's an underrated brand. Even in MotoGP, they manage to stay ahead of Honda and Yamaha with a significantly smaller budget. It's impressive
@@sspirito3130 I sure hope so, they are so close to being the real deal. Seems engineering is phenomenal, but the amount of bolts not properly torqued/ spokes, and problems, is more than I am used to with my Japanese ADV/Suz VStrom 650XT (spokes/tubeless).
Quick info about neutral vs quickshifter - you're right on the observation, installing the QS does make the shifting harder and finding neutral gets a lot harder to find. I had no issues before installing QS and after it, it's kind of bad, to be honest. I believe the reason for this is that the sensor in this QS assembly is sort of spring-loaded and it's not a load-cell, so you're effectively pusing on a spring, which feels strange and disconnected. If you want to test it, replace the QS with the standard shifter and you'll see an amazing difference immediately to the better. There's a way how to find a neutral pretty easily even with the QS installed: Pull the clutch lever fully to the bar with no fingers in between, then VERY quickly, but not too strongly kick the lever up, or down depending on the gear you're in. FYI, it's way easier to do so from 2nd gear, it's noticeably harder to do this from the 1st gear. It's hard to describe the movement I do with my leg to get to the neutral, but it's not the same as when shifting, it's really more like kicking it very fast and pretty lightly, whereas when shifting it's more of a strong and fast push/pull on the lever with your foot. This way I find the neutral on the first try in most cases. Also I highly recommend to leave a very little clutch lever play, like 1-2mm at max. It will make shifting significantly better. Aprilia unfortunately chose to make the clutch very easy to pull by making a bigger leverage on the clutch-case lever on the engine, but this leads to a far too long travel with not enough adjustment available. This gets worse after you install heated grips, as the lever cannot get as far as before. Last but not least, I suggest you to check the spokes by ringing them with a screwdriver or something similar. These wheels are infamous for getting loose spokes very soon after the break in and unfortunately, basically no dealer are able to adjust spokes on this type of wheel and true these wheels properly. Another thing to note, after I have finished the video, the side stand/mount is kind of weak and in certain moments, my side stand actually rubs on the swingarm, possibly on jumps, or hard terrain at fast speeds. Maybe it got bent when I laid the bike down, but I cannot say that for sure.
I realy appreciate your review, it is clever as your answers. The best reviews for someone looking to buy a motorcycle better than many professionnals journalists. Keep on doing your good job.
Install a 5" taller Puig 5" windscreen ($150 at AF1), Motoz Tractionator rear, Motoz Dual Venture front, Zumo XT and you are set. Mine rides like a dream...
Nice review as always Sir. Your comments and thoughts mimic mine. Having a Tuareg as well has been bringing me smiles for miles. Thanks again for all you do.
Phenomenal episode Ian. Your depth of honesty, detail and real world experience are beyond anything else I've seen on RUclips. I really admire how you go about your work, and I know it's a lot of work. The fact that you clearly love what you do while remaining so honest elevates you beyond anyone else. Keep doing what you're doing, you're a gem.❤
Excellent discussion of really all the important topics. I’ve watched you for quite a while and feel that your comments and summaries have gotten really good. Please keep up the good work and I’ll keep following along. 😊😊😊 And hell yes you’ve piqued my interest in this bike. Of course I already like Euro bikes and Italian bikes in particular. I was excited about the T7 until hearing so much about it being top heavy and mediocre suspension but this bike might be for me as I’m only 5’7”. I really admire Yamaha reliability and durability.
Tuareg is my fav ADV motorcycle. It is just too good. I did the NMBDR and moto camped the entire way. Tuareg crushed it. Nice to have an Aprilia dealer in NM at Motopia in Albuquerque for parts and just general expertise. I'm a Ducati guy, but really like this bike. Damn good.
I REALLY appreciate your review of basic servicing 😊😊😊 you've truly become a pro with your reviews. Lots of intelligence and effort behind it all. I remember you said you had some chronic health issues once, and I want to wish you good health 👍
Ian - You are Spot on for all your points...Since I sold mine recently this bike was a solid bike - The dealer network didn't work for me...min 120miles. As usual outstanding!!!...Keep it up!!!!
@@IAmYourReflection No not really...the 660 sits lower as the 890 R is TALL plus the 660 is about 20/25lbs lighter - you can check out my review of the two....they are both great bikes...
The more I look at it, the more I like it. I think is one of the most unique bike I ever saw. It will sustain the test of time. It will be a sure classic.
Thanks Ian. Great review. I have been watching the Tuareg closely and nearly bought one last year, but couldn't test ride one because of stock issues etc. I'm glad you bought one and are testing it for us because there is not a lot of information out there. I love your reviews, you cover it all. Well done. Keep up the good work mate
I had a similar issue were the dealer had two for me to test ride but both had dead battery and had to wait 3 month to get batteries send to the dealer by Aprilia to test ride. That turned me off to get the Tuareg.
This is the bike I hope to own someday. It ticks all the right boxes for me. I really appreciate the time you take to address questions and relay your experience and impressions. I realize so many factors are subjective to each person and their abilities/skills/riding style and not enough people are honest enough with themselves in these regards. I think that is where this bike really finds it rightful place as it is so well rounded that it can pretty well serve a wide variety of riders needs/purposes. It’s powerful and fast enough to be fun but with the fairly linear power curve it’s predictable enough to keep for from getting into a lot of trouble real fast. Keep the great content coming. Always look forward to the next segment. ✌️
THANK YOU! For talking about how reliability for the most part is just a warm blanket for people to make themselves feel good and has very little empirical substance. Some how all the Japanese dealerships have service centers attached to them and yet they'll run without oil for a decade, and you can fix it with a rock. Thank you!
thats neat BigRockMoto that you convert the imperial values into metric (SI)! we from outside of the US appreciate that! and btw: is there any chance you're going to check the new suzuki v-strom 800DE?
I applaud your balence of details, comparisons, opinion, and optional bikes. It helps me understand how the bike will ride, and define the type of ride that I want.
I love your videos. Your Aprilia Tuareg videos and assessments of the bike had a big influence in me deciding to trade in my 2022 KLR adventure which was just okay and get a 2023 Tuareg. Part of the decision was also that I moved to a new residence within 15 miles of an Aprilia dealer. The KLR was good for me initially, returning to riding after a 20 year absence. The Tuareg is a totally different bike and really woke an excitement within me to ride a lot more and start longer adventure rides. Going to my first adventure bike group rally ride sponsored by the local BMW adventure group here in the midwest. This bike actually is fun to ride, unlike my KLR I actually don't mind riding at 75-80 mph on the interstate. Your videos were a big influence in me deciding to get this bike and reawakening an excitement to riding motorcycles after 30 years before returning to riding.
This is hands down one of the very best review videos I have ever seen. Thank you for the insight and info! 👍🏾 Still intrigued by the Tuareg but not ready to move on from my Kawi just yet and may just add an enduro and call it a day. FWIW to folks, the 690 felt huge for me at 5’6” w/ a 29” inseam. It was really difficult for me to get even one foot down comfortably. The Tuareg with the low seat fit pretty well in comparison. I could get both feet down some and one foot down really comfortably. There is a significant difference in weight like you said though.
I have a Tuareg, and mine is quite "buzzy" around 4000 to 5500 RPM. My hands get numb from the vibration, and the footpegs also vibrate a lot. Also, in Canada, the manufacturer warranty is 2 years, unlimited mileage.
After testing this engine, I gave up on it because of the engine heating. It is recommended to specify engine heating at every engine test, as important as engine power.
Im planning a round the world trip and Im seriously considering this machine. My honest view is someone in mongolia is going to have as much of a confused expression looking at a T7 as looking at this lol. Ill see what reliability is looking like in a year or two. Great vid as always 👍
This is best mid adventure adventure bike comparison I have seen giving a good over view of bikes from different manufactures. I now have and idea the strengths of each bike for my intended use I like the Tuareg but they are expensive in Australia being $2,500 above the T7 and almost the same as a KTM 890. In my experience Aprilia are beautifully made but parts are hard to obtain.
Engine heat: I had a Tuareg myself and I deal with two other at work. It’s time to share some observations with you guys. All 3 bikes had ~6500-9500km and every unit is different. Mine doesn’t bother me too much and I spent my summer in boiling Montenegro wearing Trilobite jeans and Dianese course d1 out boots. The second bike is similar to mine but maybe slightly warmer. The third is a nightmare - it burns your leg like hell but the engine temperature may show one bar after a 20min ride during summer. I bet the cooling system it’s in its balanced settings.
This video vlog has been quite helpful. For a future expedition/adventure I was planning on buying a Tuareg 660 this year,. But I've decided to wait a year or two and improve my skills on a bike that I currently own, and also find a used bike to gain experience. I had no interest in Italian motorcycles until, fascinated, I saw a WWII documentary where in 1940 the Italian army was fleeing the allied armies in North Africa. Many soldiers were on bikes that looked a lot like our modern off-road motorcycles. Because this bike has attracted so much attention I believe, in a couple of years, the parts availability and prices for parts and accessories will improve dramatically . A large owner-base and loyalty will create a market for parts and accessories. The big 3 Japanese adventure bike manufacturers will have to come up with a bike that can compete with the Tuareg 660 in performance. For now I plan on putting knobbies on my Versys X-300 and get some experience on unimproved roads and maybe a few trails, and do some moto-camping. I have a lot of intrepidation about riding in sand but that's just a fact of life here in Florida.
2:08! I knew it had to be good! As soon as I saw the Tuareg 660 for the first time, I was like, WELL that's the bike that Kawasaki should have built 25 years ago, a KLR660R parallel twin edition. It's simple. Put a 70 horsepower parallel twin, on a dirtbike. SIMPLE formula. It's not complicated. This should have been built, a long, long time ago. Why have the U.S. customers had no options for powerful enduros until recently? We've been able to buy a Hayabusa for 25 years, but the "flagship" enduro by the same company, the DR650, had an air cooled engine with 35 rear wheel horsepower? The DR650 is actually the fastest enduro we've been able to buy for decades now.
As a Tuareg owner another con I would add to top the list is THE SHIFTER! The shifter sticks out too far, made of cast aluminum so it doesn't bend well and the force when hit breaks the pivot bolt almost every time. When it breaks the threads are stuck in the bike you cant get then out unless you have a drill which is awful when out on a ride. they need a way to put it further in.
I propose a safety lever, over the left handlebar, but hard to reach, to put manual transmission in neutral. For distracted people like myself. Click! Done.
@@mechcavandy986the norden probably feels quite a bit lighter with that low tank. Are is the fuel tank symmetrical on both sides or is it uneven like the 890?
A synopsis of concerns with associated “solutions”; did I miss any? -windscreen buffeting: change windscreen or add visor -hot exhaust: remove CC and remap fueling -loose spokes: evaluate wheels and adjust tension as necessary -leaking gaskets: check torque values on all bolts early and often, consider ester oil for a touch of seal swelling What did I miss?
I enjoy your channel and your honest review opinion. I also enjoy your longer video style instead of a short and less detailed video like another channel. I'm very much looking forward to seeing episode 2 about 2023 ktm 890 adventure s.
Good job Ian, I'd 100% agree with your assessment. On the finding neutral, it's all about having a pretty tight cable adjustment on the clutch because of the lever ratios there's not enough travel at the clutch end to get a good disengagement. Adjust it up as tight as you can leaving only the bare minimum of slack so it's not dead tight. The last bit makes a difference. This is one area Aprilia kinda messed up. The other problem is the foot lever ratio is not ideal, it's geared towards a shorter travel and increases the problem. I've changed the lever length at the engine to change the ratio for more leverage/lever travel and it makes a difference. I also suspect this clutch is a bit sensitive to which oil is used. IMO high beam sux, low beam is decent but the beam cutoff is dramatic and you are blind dipping into corners at night. I found it imperative to add aux lights if you ride at night much, a first for me. But ya, it's as close to a unicorn bike as I've yet to ride or own. And the more you ride it the better it gets.
Thanks for answering my question about comparison with KTM ! Looking forward to decide which bike I'll get in the end (I keep watching both ktm and aprilia for good deals)
You’re spot on about the reliability issue…I just rode my T7 this past winter from Seattle to Ushuaia and I was in WhatsApp group with a few hundred other people also doing the trip. There were a lot of questions in this group about BMW GS parts or issues with sensors which had me thinking that they weren’t as reliable as Hondas and Yamahas. I got stuck at a border behind a group of GS riders and brought this up to them. A few of the people in the group had ridden 100,000+ miles on their GS’s with no issues and they said you only hear about the issues because 80% of the bikes doing those long trips are BMWs. Basically it’s all anecdotal.
Nice roundup. As it's impossible to find a CRF300l Rally these days (my reservation got moved from May to September, lol) I was considering this as the 'moving up the scale' bike for 50/50 riding. The dealer network and the fact that you have to bring it in (and pay) to turn off nag lights was what did me in. I ended up going a different route entirely and getting a much less offroad-capable bike because any issues with this thing and I'd have had a 3 hour drive to deal with it. And that's better than most folks in the midwest USA. The demand for these is still pretty decent so dealers were also tacking on a decent number of those junk fees on top of pretty high freight.. The new bike I ended up buying, the dealer didn't even charge the OEM-suggested freight. No setup or doc. Just list, tax, registration fees.
@@lukefish7562 I grabbed a Honda NC750x DCT. I'll be missing out on the traily end of things, but in return, I get a pretty relaxed machine with room for groceries. The Tuareg may also have been a bit too exciting for me, so the more boring bike appeals. Returning rider after years, so I think it will be a decent pick. If for some reason I need to scratch that offroad itch, I guess I can grab a simpler dual sport and/or think about a Tuareg a couple years down the road when we know more. I have a Honda dealer just down the road, but from what I've seen, anyone can do a valve adjustment on the NC with that leaned engine.
Just from other videos: it has a 15 to 1 compression ratio. The biggest negative of all. Second, unreliability. I guess you got lucky. And third, one you mentioned, no dealers, no parts, no Aprilia for me! Thanks for your great videos.
Very well done. I hope you can lay your hands soon on the new Honda Transalp and Suzuki V-Strom 800. Two more interesting competitors in the mid-size range. I know you have a young kid and probably not enough time but I would really appreciate to see some travelling videos from time to time, especially because you live in the south-west. Greetings from KTM-Homeland
I'm ready to move on from my AT and want an 890 badly. Unfortunately, I know me and the "quirks" of the 890 would drive me up the wall. Saw a Tuareg at Amanda's rally and like you, I think it's a close second.... close enough for serious consideration. It checks all the boxes I want over the AT, just not as well as the 890. You're input, as always, is very helpful Ian, keep it up. Thanks!
I really like this bike. My klx300 is great. Happy I got it. But once I get more experience this or the Tenere 700 are my top choices. I like the looks of the Aprillia a bit more and cruise control is a huge plus. Wish I had a dealership near me. The fact that this has a lower center of gravity is also a big plus. My klx300 is just a little to slow to have fun commuting and the small gas tank sucks.
It has a 2 year warranty. I own both the 790 Adventure R and the Tuareg. I have 12k on the KTM and 5k on the Tuareg. The Tuareg is the better all around bike. No comparison. The suspension alone is miles ahead of the KTM. On and off road. The aerodynamics is another area where the Aprilia is miles ahead. Between the suspension and the aerodynamics a day on the KTM can be very tiring. I day on the Aprilia not so much. I have never gotten more than 47mpg with my Tuareg.
My 5 pennies into the piggy bank regarding carrying capacity: I’m 67 kilograms when the socks aren’t fresh and before the morning toilet )) I keep the rear preload knob at the softest setting and the bike hardly sags at all when I get on. So plenty room to go.
I had a look at the 2024 Dakar colour version today and love it but for one thing common on all these adventure bikes the low front fender. I wish all the manufacturers would do as Kawasaki have done with the KLR650 and fit a high mount fender, it makes sense if you ride loose dirt which could jam up a low fender
Finding Neutral: I had this issue when I first got my 2023 Tuareg. Turned out it was clutch drag. I backed off the cable adjust at the clutch lever and it solved the problem completely. I do have a quick shifter. Quick Diagnosis: Turn the engine off but keep key on so you can see neutral light. If it pops into neutral easy when engine is not running (as mine did) but is impossible to find when it was running...its probably clutch drag. Google clutch drag. I absolutely love the T660! Only negative thing I have to say is that it is a little hot on the right leg in hot weather. I notice it most at stops and slow speeds. Over 45mph I don't really notice it. I suspect its the catalytic converter with strict Euro 5 emission specs. After warranty expires I will replace the headers with aftermarket. I'm coming from a 2014 BMW F800GS Adventure. The T660 is a massive upgrade! Very nimble, super smooth, light weight, suspension, it just does everything really well. I'm 5' 10" with a 30 inch inseam and can flat foot the bike. Only bike I have ever been able to "toe" backwards up a slight incline in a parking lot. If I were a female rider this would be at the top of my list. Easy to handling, comfortable seat, easy to push around on or off the bike, and easy to pick up. IMO you cannot find a better bike at this price point. Only weird glitch: sometimes my turn signal does not come on when cruise control is engaged. Great content...thanks Ian!
For the newbie mentioned in the video at 23:08, consider a Honda CB500X as your first ADV bike. It's pretty nimble both on and off road and it has enough power to have fun without getting you into too much trouble off-road. Even better, buy an older 2 stroke dirt bike (street legal, no more than 250cc) to learn on for a few months. In retrospect, I should have done that but instead bought a 2022 CB500X right away so the learning curve for off-roading was a little harder than it needed to be. Still a work in progress, but I'm getting there :-)
Thanks for highlighting the difference between anecdotal statements vs. quantifiable data. I see anecdotes being told as "the truth" far too often, when it really just is word of mouth. Humans are far too susceptible for all kinds of biases. We should be very careful in how we decide what's true/believable or false/not believable.
Hello Ian, watched your videos, nicely done 👍 I rode both, T7 is a heavy 🐄! Like T7 low end, but not enough to change to buy one. Tuareg is on a whole different level. Better suspension, on the fly modes, comfort, turning, road handling. As a Yamaha owner, there is no comparison between these bikes. All you Yami people can kick rocks if you think it is 😂🤣
Great review of the Tuareg. Your channel and what you do is the best, thanks! I would love to look at and ride one to compare to my GS 1250, alas ,there are no dealers in Alaska. Carry on, fantastic stuff. All of it.
@ 18:48 you said the warranty was 1 year. From what I remember it was a 2 year Aprilia warranty and you had 1 year to buy the extended warranty that gives you a total of 4 years from Aprilia.
Add $1999.50 (Aprilia's Freight charge) to the raised MSRP for 2023 of $12,699 for a total of $14,699 plus about a $600 dealer setup fee, taxes, and registration etc. That's right! Aprilla charges $2000. freight to Florida. Might as well buy a KTM 890, dealer here quoted me $16,000 Out The Door.
Am I selling the Tuareg 660? No! Not for now, anyway. I love it too much and it just WORKS for my riding. Stay tuned for more episodes, I've got some cool customization happening in the future!
Tuareg 660 Playlist: ruclips.net/p/PLoAHOJsWdMGXiYiCrKPEgwmplNXO614pv
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Hey Ian you might try a 17 tooth front sprocket which works perfect because the 17 tooth front sprocket is what the RS 660 uses, which the Tuareg has a lower 1st gear, and also has exactly the same front sprocket engine guard for both engines and it doesn't seem to effect engine performance and I weigh 265lbs and this 660 engine torque comes on so soon from idle and up and it just does not want to stall the 270 crank of this engine is remarkably so smooth, and I have the 2023 890 Adventure and it stalls out a lot easier than the Tuareg at low speed technical trail riding, even now when I run the 17 tooth on the Tuareg, and the fuss about wanting a little taller 6th gear issue is solved. And I can't find any reason for to sell my Tuareg 660 either. Both the KTM 890 and Tuareg 660 are so good in their own way one is such a hoot of hooliganism that is great on the twisties and easily maneuverable off road and the other is just so playful and agile that is a confident inspiring riding experience I'm holding on to both for now! Love your videos Ian!
thanks for your break down on reliability being 90% perception. So often people express ethnic bias when talking about reliability. old perceptions are just that, old perceptions and biased anecdotes...
31:00. Love the answers to the questions, great video! I'm watching it in stages, because it covers so much more than a normal motorcycle review. This is the "Unicorn." I am glad you said that, because I knew from the moment I saw the specs on paper, and saw the initial reviews, that it was the bike we have all been waiting for. In the U.S., they have given people large single cylinder dirtbikes and enduros, and not many offerings. On the street, they have given consumers about 20 different engine configurations to choose from. But when it came to enduros, there was no way to purchase an 80 horsepower enduro, because it didn't exist. It doesn't make sense why it took so long for a manufacturer to put an 80 horsepower streetbike engine on a large dirtbike, because the basic principle is very simple. Make a lightweight enduro have a more "road worthy" engine. Making a single cylinder bike bigger, with a bigger piston, is not a valid solution (see KLR650). The Tuareg is such an awesome engine, chassis combination, and it's the perfect size to be practical.
Could you recommend a pair of 80/20 on road off road tires for this bike?
you need to take out the shift lever bolt and clean regrese, also in aliexpress sell a axis trans holder that (makes a bit of sense but it works) cost 30usd max, and helps the presicion, also change your oil, yes, changed mine at 700, 1500... Im a certified Aprilia for the 660 engines, and runed a Aprilia dealer for 2 years and own one.. and love the bike.
this series should get an award for quality and the level of detail that has gone into this review. Great info, well done and highly enjoyable to watch - very natural and well put together. Loved it. This may be my next bike!
He gets awards in payments from RUclips
Hi,
I have the Tuareg too, I’ve done 10k over 12month, 90% on road.
I have to say, this is an awesome bike for my taste.
Good engine (no vibration, good torque, ok power, good feeling, good sound).
Suspension are too soft with factory settings. Fortunately, you have full control over them. After testing, I have found my good settings for on road (which seem to translate good off-road) and I am really pleased now.
Confort overall is good. Not too high for me (way better than the t7). The only meh is the windscreen ; I had to add the same add on screen as yours, and now it’s very good.
Cruise control ftw !!!
Factory pegs are large and good.
Front brake is really good, strong enough with good feeling. Being a bike with long suspension, you need to know how to brake properly to avoid strong movement on the front suspension.
Rear brake pedal is a bit low when standing up, even with the highest settings (than can be changed easily with 2 screws). Might need to buy something to make it higher.
Oem tires (Pirelli rally str) are incredible on road, rear tires last me 9000km while driving quite dynamically and strong throttle. They are ok off-road (for my noob level).
I paid 280€ for the 10k km checkup in France.
Aprilia crashbars are good enough, the skid plate may need to be replaced if you do more off-road as it does not protect the motor enough just behind the front wheel, and the water pump is exposed in case of crash.
Bonus : I have tested the tuono 660. Despite being the same engine, this is really not comparable. The tuono engine feel more sporty and more powerful above 5000rev. Suspensions are obviously harder too, and the brakes are phenomenal. But I much prefer the Tuareg for the confort, the overall performance available and the fact that it’s more all rounder than the tuono.
There’s more to say but this sums up good my feeling about the Tuareg.
Cheers.
For the rear brake pedal, try unscrewing it and flipping it upside down, that should raise it enough, I’ve seen it in a review 😅
@@Degio207thanks, but I already flipped it, and even then, it’s not enough (for me at least).
Hi, how about travel with a pillion rider. It’s a confortable bike.
I wrote a long comment explaining why looks are important but accidentally hit delete. But the KTM 890 is SO ugly. The Tuareg looks awesome in comparison. The Tuareg is sleek and lightweight looking, and doesn't have those hideous bulbous fuel tanks on the sides like the KTM. I like the Yamaha Tenere 700 the best, in terms of looks, the very best looking bike of all the bikes in the world is the Triumph Tiger 880. But they ruined the Triumph with the awful straight plane, piece of SHITE crankshaft and the "coarse" running and vibration that the flat plane (awful) crankshaft provides, as well as no longer having the beautiful high pitched inline 6 cylinder sound, but now a more ruffled and rough misfiring 4 cylinder sound. I can't wait for the "flat plane" crankshaft era to end, SWIFTLY, and never return. No bike in the 1980's sounds as bad as some of the flat plane crankshaft engines being made today. It's unacceptable that consumers will buy these awful sounding bikes, they need to vote with their wallet, and stop supporting bad engineering choices.
Would you do Europe in Tuareg, say Greece to Norway?
Thank you Ian for all these Video's about the Tuareg. I recently sold my T7 because most of time i'm offroad and i am only 176cm tall so i couldn't bear the top heavy feeling anymore. So i tried a Tuareg and bought it. Congratulations for all your work on your channel. Cheers from France
thanks!
I'm considering doing the same thing for the same exact reason..
Hi Ian, any plans for an extended review of the new Himalayan 452?
I'm sure he will get one. All glowing reviews so far so it should be good. @@jesper98
I am coming off of many years on a KLR and was very ready to move on to something more. I looked at the Tenere, Tuareg, KTM 790. 1) I bought a Tuareg based on your video series. 2) I am buying Giant Loop based on your selection. You do an amazing job, are a true motorcycle influencer, people are spending real money based on your recommendations. I just hope advertisers see this comment.
I am hugely impressed by what Aprilia pulled off with this bike. It is an incredible accomplishment and fantastic bike. As you said, reliability is pretty much the only remaining question about it, but the indications are favorable. If I was in the market for a bike it would be a front-runner, but my T7 continues to check every box I need and run like a Swiss watch. The mid size renaissance we're experiencing now is so much fun to watch.
with the miles you put on, the yamaha is probably your best bet
It's not a question, it sucks with regards to reliability. I have two 660's. They don't hold valve clearances well and have numerous other issues.
@drippinblood28 that's unfortunate but not surprising. I haven't heard too many complaints from Tuareg owners, but at the end of the day it's an Italian bike.
I can't speak for this bike but my Shiver 750 has done about 120K+ km with minimal dramas. So reliability from Aprilia for me has been impressive. If I were to be caught up in the adventure bike craze the Tuareg would be the first place I'd look. I don't really like the look of any of them but the big GS looks ok but is way too heavy for me to consider taking off road. The Tuareg looks way more suitable in that department being much lighter.
@@nicerides9224 the 750 v-twin has generally been very reliable interestingly
You are among the most competent motorcycle journalists out there. Thank you for your insightful reviews
Thank you for the comments regarding reliability. You didn’t blow smoke you just gave a very straight forward assessment. Each of us (unfortunately) need to do our own research! Owner forums, FB groups etc will reveal themselves given time.
I have had one for 8 months now, and at 4,500 miles had zero issues (stock tires have about 500 miles left but it really depends on your riding style). Sold my GSA and have a few more bikes in my garage (Yamaha 900 XSR, Honda CRF 450 L), and can say with complete confidence this is my favorite by a long shot. Handles like a sports bike on the street, and got me out of a world of trouble on gnarly off-road trails. I am lucky to be in Austin with an awesome dealer nearby (AF1 Racing) and so far the ownership has been a dream. I am also watching folks from Europe with upwards of 20 K miles that report zero issues.
Regarding neutral - When the tech did my walkthrough at purchase he said to use engine braking as much as possible during run-in, claiming it would solve the neutral problem a lot of people were having. He was right. Neutral became easier and easier to find over the course of run-in, and now it's as easy as any Honda or Yamaha I've owned. So for anyone looking to pick up a Tuareg, that's just me sharing my experience for what it's worth. YMMV. I love my Tuareg!
And thanks for another great video!
Does this mean it should also be turned to max engine breaking in the settings?
Finding neutral on mine (quickshifter installed) has been a non issue. Could easily find neutral from the start.
I have ridden my Tuareg for 8200km now and I absolutely love it! It really is a jack of all trades bike... I can do long trips with my wife on the back and I can rev the shit out of it on swiss mountain roads while scraping the footpegs in the corners and I can ride hard offroad single trails.
The fact that all of this is possible with a single motorcycle is nothing short of amazing!
agree!
Your answer to the dirt noob was spot on. The way you explained your answer was awesome. To many people get pushed into bikes that are bigger than their current abilities, they will learn more and faster on a smaller bike. Once they gain some experience then can decide what kind of larger bike they need for their riding. Great content as usual😀
thanks!
To all other bikers or in motorbikes interested people. I surely recommend to subscribe to this channel. Even as a European ( which I am proud to be !) I watch the review’s of this channel. It is the only channel which gives an all around comparison of different types of motorbikes. Technically 100% correct, deep looks into the tested bikes, personal impressions and all the other things that gives me a honest review. Cheers and always ride safe 👍🇩🇪😎
I've been watching and subscribed for a while now. I 100% agree 👍
Big Rock Moto is an amazing resource: Taking in the entire Tuareg 660 Review Series, I will have complete confidence in purchasing this machine after a test ride. You've provided amazing information for shoppers and riders.
Aprilia is very respected here in Europe. We love their scooters and motorcycles. Pegasus was one of most sold motorcycle. Overall, they are very reliable, good quality.
From England. You are so lucky to be able to ride off road so easily. We have very little space in England. I purchased a Tuareg this Sept.
Aprilia is probably the most underrated brand out there. Aprilia has always produced top quality bikes, whether you are looking at the latest models or bikes from 30 years ago, they were always one step ahead of their Japanese counterparts. They invest a tonne of money in racing and R&D, but for some reason they don’t sell well.
That’s piaggio marketing tactics for you
Because they don't have the price competitiveness and reliability of a Japanese, it's an Italian brand, they're known for power and being expensive.
LOL. Trolls are out? Or is this an Italian bot? These bikes are not on par with the best, not by a long shot. The engineering is awesome, the build quality is garbage.
@@galehess6676 If you've owned an Aprilia before, when you examine closely, those bikes are entirely built with top shelf components. I'm unsure where you're observing the 'garbage build quality.' Most people think Aprilia is a cheap minor brand. It is not; it's an underrated brand. Even in MotoGP, they manage to stay ahead of Honda and Yamaha with a significantly smaller budget. It's impressive
@@sspirito3130 I sure hope so, they are so close to being the real deal. Seems engineering is phenomenal, but the amount of bolts not properly torqued/ spokes, and problems, is more than I am used to with my Japanese ADV/Suz VStrom 650XT (spokes/tubeless).
Quick info about neutral vs quickshifter - you're right on the observation, installing the QS does make the shifting harder and finding neutral gets a lot harder to find. I had no issues before installing QS and after it, it's kind of bad, to be honest.
I believe the reason for this is that the sensor in this QS assembly is sort of spring-loaded and it's not a load-cell, so you're effectively pusing on a spring, which feels strange and disconnected.
If you want to test it, replace the QS with the standard shifter and you'll see an amazing difference immediately to the better. There's a way how to find a neutral pretty easily even with the QS installed: Pull the clutch lever fully to the bar with no fingers in between, then VERY quickly, but not too strongly kick the lever up, or down depending on the gear you're in. FYI, it's way easier to do so from 2nd gear, it's noticeably harder to do this from the 1st gear. It's hard to describe the movement I do with my leg to get to the neutral, but it's not the same as when shifting, it's really more like kicking it very fast and pretty lightly, whereas when shifting it's more of a strong and fast push/pull on the lever with your foot. This way I find the neutral on the first try in most cases.
Also I highly recommend to leave a very little clutch lever play, like 1-2mm at max. It will make shifting significantly better. Aprilia unfortunately chose to make the clutch very easy to pull by making a bigger leverage on the clutch-case lever on the engine, but this leads to a far too long travel with not enough adjustment available. This gets worse after you install heated grips, as the lever cannot get as far as before.
Last but not least, I suggest you to check the spokes by ringing them with a screwdriver or something similar.
These wheels are infamous for getting loose spokes very soon after the break in and unfortunately, basically no dealer are able to adjust spokes on this type of wheel and true these wheels properly.
Another thing to note, after I have finished the video, the side stand/mount is kind of weak and in certain moments, my side stand actually rubs on the swingarm, possibly on jumps, or hard terrain at fast speeds. Maybe it got bent when I laid the bike down, but I cannot say that for sure.
I realy appreciate your review, it is clever as your answers. The best reviews for someone looking to buy a motorcycle better than many professionnals journalists. Keep on doing your good job.
Thanks
Install a 5" taller Puig 5" windscreen ($150 at AF1), Motoz Tractionator rear, Motoz Dual Venture front, Zumo XT and you are set. Mine rides like a dream...
Nice review as always Sir. Your comments and thoughts mimic mine. Having a Tuareg as well has been bringing me smiles for miles. Thanks again for all you do.
Phenomenal episode Ian. Your depth of honesty, detail and real world experience are beyond anything else I've seen on RUclips. I really admire how you go about your work, and I know it's a lot of work. The fact that you clearly love what you do while remaining so honest elevates you beyond anyone else. Keep doing what you're doing, you're a gem.❤
wow, thank you! this means a lot and helps keep me going!
Excellent discussion of really all the important topics. I’ve watched you for quite a while and feel that your comments and summaries have gotten really good. Please keep up the good work and I’ll keep following along. 😊😊😊 And hell yes you’ve piqued my interest in this bike. Of course I already like Euro bikes and Italian bikes in particular. I was excited about the T7 until hearing so much about it being top heavy and mediocre suspension but this bike might be for me as I’m only 5’7”. I really admire Yamaha reliability and durability.
Tuareg is my fav ADV motorcycle. It is just too good. I did the NMBDR and moto camped the entire way. Tuareg crushed it. Nice to have an Aprilia dealer in NM at Motopia in Albuquerque for parts and just general expertise. I'm a Ducati guy, but really like this bike. Damn good.
I REALLY appreciate your review of basic servicing 😊😊😊 you've truly become a pro with your reviews. Lots of intelligence and effort behind it all. I remember you said you had some chronic health issues once, and I want to wish you good health 👍
Ian - You are Spot on for all your points...Since I sold mine recently this bike was a solid bike - The dealer network didn't work for me...min 120miles. As usual outstanding!!!...Keep it up!!!!
What did you replace it with?
@@IAmYourReflection the 2023 KTM 890 R....
@@lifesjourneyat50 does it feel much lighter than the Tuareg with its low center of gravity?
@@IAmYourReflection No not really...the 660 sits lower as the 890 R is TALL plus the 660 is about 20/25lbs lighter - you can check out my review of the two....they are both great bikes...
The more I look at it, the more I like it. I think is one of the most unique bike I ever saw. It will sustain the test of time. It will be a sure classic.
4:00 Thanks for the metric system! Great video!
Thanks Ian. Great review. I have been watching the Tuareg closely and nearly bought one last year, but couldn't test ride one because of stock issues etc. I'm glad you bought one and are testing it for us because there is not a lot of information out there. I love your reviews, you cover it all. Well done. Keep up the good work mate
I had a similar issue were the dealer had two for me to test ride but both had dead battery and had to wait 3 month to get batteries send to the dealer by Aprilia to test ride. That turned me off to get the Tuareg.
thanks for putting l/100 and km for most of us
This is the bike I hope to own someday. It ticks all the right boxes for me.
I really appreciate the time you take to address questions and relay your experience and impressions. I realize so many factors are subjective to each person and their abilities/skills/riding style and not enough people are honest enough with themselves in these regards. I think that is where this bike really finds it rightful place as it is so well rounded that it can pretty well serve a wide variety of riders needs/purposes. It’s powerful and fast enough to be fun but with the fairly linear power curve it’s predictable enough to keep for from getting into a lot of trouble real fast.
Keep the great content coming. Always look forward to the next segment. ✌️
THANK YOU! For talking about how reliability for the most part is just a warm blanket for people to make themselves feel good and has very little empirical substance. Some how all the Japanese dealerships have service centers attached to them and yet they'll run without oil for a decade, and you can fix it with a rock. Thank you!
4,400 miles and zero issues on my Tuareg. My dad has the HD PanAm, and the KLR, both have had warranty repairs. All bikes are 2022 models.
thats neat BigRockMoto that you convert the imperial values into metric (SI)!
we from outside of the US appreciate that!
and btw: is there any chance you're going to check the new suzuki v-strom 800DE?
yes! coming soon
@@BigRockMoto also the 2023 790 adventure would be great :)
I applaud your balence of details, comparisons, opinion, and optional bikes.
It helps me understand how the bike will ride, and define the type of ride that I want.
thank you, glad to know
Thanks for answering my question! Good to know. You're really tempting me to get this instead of the Tenere.
Love to see a comparison between this and a KTM 890. I think they would be on a lot of people short lists.
Thanks to you I bought this bike, it was a great choice. The bike is better than I expected.
I love your videos. Your Aprilia Tuareg videos and assessments of the bike had a big influence in me deciding to trade in my 2022 KLR adventure which was just okay and get a 2023 Tuareg. Part of the decision was also that I moved to a new residence within 15 miles of an Aprilia dealer. The KLR was good for me initially, returning to riding after a 20 year absence. The Tuareg is a totally different bike and really woke an excitement within me to ride a lot more and start longer adventure rides. Going to my first adventure bike group rally ride sponsored by the local BMW adventure group here in the midwest. This bike actually is fun to ride, unlike my KLR I actually don't mind riding at 75-80 mph on the interstate. Your videos were a big influence in me deciding to get this bike and reawakening an excitement to riding motorcycles after 30 years before returning to riding.
This is hands down one of the very best review videos I have ever seen. Thank you for the insight and info! 👍🏾 Still intrigued by the Tuareg but not ready to move on from my Kawi just yet and may just add an enduro and call it a day.
FWIW to folks, the 690 felt huge for me at 5’6” w/ a 29” inseam. It was really difficult for me to get even one foot down comfortably. The Tuareg with the low seat fit pretty well in comparison. I could get both feet down some and one foot down really comfortably. There is a significant difference in weight like you said though.
Ian, you're the best motorcycle journo by a country mile! (No, I don't ride Aprillia, I'm a Norden guy :) )
Never thought anyone could do the level of reviews you provide. You consistently excel smc leave no aspect uncovered. Rw
I have a Tuareg, and mine is quite "buzzy" around 4000 to 5500 RPM. My hands get numb from the vibration, and the footpegs also vibrate a lot. Also, in Canada, the manufacturer warranty is 2 years, unlimited mileage.
Someone with same issue, solve changing the tires.
After testing this engine, I gave up on it because of the engine heating. It is recommended to specify engine heating at every engine test, as important as engine power.
Convinced. Thanks for this series Ian. I committed here in EU. Amazing bike to ride. Week one and living it!
Best reviewer out there. Great work 👏
Thanks
THANKS FOR THIS VIDEO SERIES !!
just an aside, I routinely cat delete primarily to reduce heat, not for a power gain.
great video, thanks!
Im planning a round the world trip and Im seriously considering this machine. My honest view is someone in mongolia is going to have as much of a confused expression looking at a T7 as looking at this lol. Ill see what reliability is looking like in a year or two. Great vid as always 👍
I also noticed finding neutral was more difficult after adding the quickshifter. Prior, no issues at all, after, just a bit tricky sometimes.
That improves with break-in.
This is best mid adventure adventure bike comparison I have seen giving a good over view of bikes from different manufactures. I now have and idea the strengths of each bike for my intended use I like the Tuareg but they are expensive in Australia being $2,500 above the T7 and almost the same as a KTM 890. In my experience Aprilia are beautifully made but parts are hard to obtain.
Really like the audience Q&A. I've been really curious about this bike for when my brother gets in the market for a new one.
Engine heat: I had a Tuareg myself and I deal with two other at work. It’s time to share some observations with you guys. All 3 bikes had ~6500-9500km and every unit is different. Mine doesn’t bother me too much and I spent my summer in boiling Montenegro wearing Trilobite jeans and Dianese course d1 out boots. The second bike is similar to mine but maybe slightly warmer. The third is a nightmare - it burns your leg like hell but the engine temperature may show one bar after a 20min ride during summer. I bet the cooling system it’s in its balanced settings.
This video vlog has been quite helpful. For a future expedition/adventure I was planning on buying a Tuareg 660 this year,. But I've decided to wait a year or two and improve my skills on a bike that I currently own, and also find a used bike to gain experience.
I had no interest in Italian motorcycles until, fascinated, I saw a WWII documentary where in 1940 the Italian army was fleeing the allied armies in North Africa. Many soldiers were on bikes that looked a lot like our modern off-road motorcycles.
Because this bike has attracted so much attention I believe, in a couple of years, the parts availability and prices for parts and accessories will improve dramatically . A large owner-base and loyalty will create a market for parts and accessories.
The big 3 Japanese adventure bike manufacturers will have to come up with a bike that can compete with the Tuareg 660 in performance.
For now I plan on putting knobbies on my Versys X-300 and get some experience on unimproved roads and maybe a few trails, and do some moto-camping.
I have a lot of intrepidation about riding in sand but that's just a fact of life here in Florida.
2:08! I knew it had to be good! As soon as I saw the Tuareg 660 for the first time, I was like, WELL that's the bike that Kawasaki should have built 25 years ago, a KLR660R parallel twin edition. It's simple. Put a 70 horsepower parallel twin, on a dirtbike. SIMPLE formula. It's not complicated. This should have been built, a long, long time ago. Why have the U.S. customers had no options for powerful enduros until recently? We've been able to buy a Hayabusa for 25 years, but the "flagship" enduro by the same company, the DR650, had an air cooled engine with 35 rear wheel horsepower? The DR650 is actually the fastest enduro we've been able to buy for decades now.
As a Tuareg owner another con I would add to top the list is THE SHIFTER! The shifter sticks out too far, made of cast aluminum so it doesn't bend well and the force when hit breaks the pivot bolt almost every time. When it breaks the threads are stuck in the bike you cant get then out unless you have a drill which is awful when out on a ride. they need a way to put it further in.
I propose a safety lever, over the left handlebar, but hard to reach, to put manual transmission in neutral.
For distracted people like myself. Click! Done.
There’s no Aprilia dealers here in Arkansas. The closest is about 150 miles away in Tulsa. Looks? “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
It weighs 30 lbs more than my 22 Norden. I’m gonna need a smaller bike one day, and I thought this would be it.
Tulsa’s not too far from me. I might have to start seriously considering this bike as an upgrade to my 17 Africa twin
@@mechcavandy986the norden probably feels quite a bit lighter with that low tank. Are is the fuel tank symmetrical on both sides or is it uneven like the 890?
You do a great job. Straightforward advice and opinion. Thank you.
A synopsis of concerns with associated “solutions”; did I miss any?
-windscreen buffeting: change windscreen or add visor
-hot exhaust: remove CC and remap fueling
-loose spokes: evaluate wheels and adjust tension as necessary
-leaking gaskets: check torque values on all bolts early and often, consider ester oil for a touch of seal swelling
What did I miss?
Another solid review. Thanks Ian.
I enjoy your channel and your honest review opinion. I also enjoy your longer video style instead of a short and less detailed video like another channel. I'm very much looking forward to seeing episode 2 about 2023 ktm 890 adventure s.
Good job Ian, I'd 100% agree with your assessment.
On the finding neutral, it's all about having a pretty tight cable adjustment on the clutch because of the lever ratios there's not enough travel at the clutch end to get a good disengagement. Adjust it up as tight as you can leaving only the bare minimum of slack so it's not dead tight. The last bit makes a difference. This is one area Aprilia kinda messed up. The other problem is the foot lever ratio is not ideal, it's geared towards a shorter travel and increases the problem. I've changed the lever length at the engine to change the ratio for more leverage/lever travel and it makes a difference. I also suspect this clutch is a bit sensitive to which oil is used.
IMO high beam sux, low beam is decent but the beam cutoff is dramatic and you are blind dipping into corners at night. I found it imperative to add aux lights if you ride at night much, a first for me. But ya, it's as close to a unicorn bike as I've yet to ride or own. And the more you ride it the better it gets.
I use longhaulpaul as my measurements on yamaha reliability. He does mostly hwy but runtime is runtime.
I have no questions, because you answered all the ones I had.
Thanks for answering my question about comparison with KTM ! Looking forward to decide which bike I'll get in the end (I keep watching both ktm and aprilia for good deals)
You’re spot on about the reliability issue…I just rode my T7 this past winter from Seattle to Ushuaia and I was in WhatsApp group with a few hundred other people also doing the trip. There were a lot of questions in this group about BMW GS parts or issues with sensors which had me thinking that they weren’t as reliable as Hondas and Yamahas.
I got stuck at a border behind a group of GS riders and brought this up to them. A few of the people in the group had ridden 100,000+ miles on their GS’s with no issues and they said you only hear about the issues because 80% of the bikes doing those long trips are BMWs.
Basically it’s all anecdotal.
true!
Nice roundup. As it's impossible to find a CRF300l Rally these days (my reservation got moved from May to September, lol) I was considering this as the 'moving up the scale' bike for 50/50 riding. The dealer network and the fact that you have to bring it in (and pay) to turn off nag lights was what did me in. I ended up going a different route entirely and getting a much less offroad-capable bike because any issues with this thing and I'd have had a 3 hour drive to deal with it. And that's better than most folks in the midwest USA. The demand for these is still pretty decent so dealers were also tacking on a decent number of those junk fees on top of pretty high freight.. The new bike I ended up buying, the dealer didn't even charge the OEM-suggested freight. No setup or doc. Just list, tax, registration fees.
Well, what’d you get? 😀
@@lukefish7562 I grabbed a Honda NC750x DCT. I'll be missing out on the traily end of things, but in return, I get a pretty relaxed machine with room for groceries. The Tuareg may also have been a bit too exciting for me, so the more boring bike appeals. Returning rider after years, so I think it will be a decent pick. If for some reason I need to scratch that offroad itch, I guess I can grab a simpler dual sport and/or think about a Tuareg a couple years down the road when we know more. I have a Honda dealer just down the road, but from what I've seen, anyone can do a valve adjustment on the NC with that leaned engine.
Just from other videos: it has a 15 to 1 compression ratio. The biggest negative of all. Second, unreliability. I guess you got lucky. And third, one you mentioned, no dealers, no parts, no Aprilia for me! Thanks for your great videos.
Dude.. you are clueless…
great job as usual Ian.
Awesome review. Considering swopping my GS for this. Thanks.
it feels SO much lighter than a GS
Really good review and very helpful!!! Appreciate your work and guidance in being able to compare bikes to each other.
Very well done.
I hope you can lay your hands soon on the new Honda Transalp and Suzuki V-Strom 800. Two more interesting competitors in the mid-size range.
I know you have a young kid and probably not enough time but I would really appreciate to see some travelling videos from time to time, especially because you live in the south-west.
Greetings from KTM-Homeland
v-strom 800 coming soon
The Engine is not putting out the heat, it is the catalytic converter, which can be fixed with an aftermarket setup.
Aprilia Tuareg 660 launched in India for 27500 USD. I don't know what they were thinking before announcing the price.
I'm ready to move on from my AT and want an 890 badly. Unfortunately, I know me and the "quirks" of the 890 would drive me up the wall. Saw a Tuareg at Amanda's rally and like you, I think it's a close second.... close enough for serious consideration. It checks all the boxes I want over the AT, just not as well as the 890. You're input, as always, is very helpful Ian, keep it up. Thanks!
I really like this bike. My klx300 is great. Happy I got it. But once I get more experience this or the Tenere 700 are my top choices. I like the looks of the Aprillia a bit more and cruise control is a huge plus. Wish I had a dealership near me. The fact that this has a lower center of gravity is also a big plus.
My klx300 is just a little to slow to have fun commuting and the small gas tank sucks.
i like the 890 lurking in the garage behind you...
I hear you on the looks, I prefer the look of the Tenere
T7 ain’t no beauty pageant winner 🤣🙄
Waiting for an episode 8 for a long term reliability data
Cruise control is a must-have for my next ADV bike. That and a few more CCs. 😉😎
It has a 2 year warranty. I own both the 790 Adventure R and the Tuareg. I have 12k on the KTM and 5k on the Tuareg. The Tuareg is the better all around bike. No comparison. The suspension alone is miles ahead of the KTM. On and off road. The aerodynamics is another area where the Aprilia is miles ahead. Between the suspension and the aerodynamics a day on the KTM can be very tiring. I day on the Aprilia not so much. I have never gotten more than 47mpg with my Tuareg.
Great review! And 100% agree on the looks, that front end is hard to look at…
Thanks for all you do! So useful!!
My 5 pennies into the piggy bank regarding carrying capacity: I’m 67 kilograms when the socks aren’t fresh and before the morning toilet )) I keep the rear preload knob at the softest setting and the bike hardly sags at all when I get on. So plenty room to go.
Muchas gracias por tus vídeos, explicativos sobre la Tuareg, soy un fans de esta moto, gracias saludos desde argentina 👍👍👍💪
@16:52 Amazon sells the 26 mm sockets separately, no need to buy a set. $6
Watched it all now.. nice review as usual.
Your videos are excellent. Thanks for the work.
I own the same color scheme Taureg and I love the way it looks. Ya, it's a completely personal thing
I had a look at the 2024 Dakar colour version today and love it but for one thing common on all these adventure bikes the low front fender. I wish all the manufacturers would do as Kawasaki have done with the KLR650 and fit a high mount fender, it makes sense if you ride loose dirt which could jam up a low fender
Finding Neutral: I had this issue when I first got my 2023 Tuareg. Turned out it was clutch drag. I backed off the cable adjust at the clutch lever and it solved the problem completely. I do have a quick shifter. Quick Diagnosis: Turn the engine off but keep key on so you can see neutral light. If it pops into neutral easy when engine is not running (as mine did) but is impossible to find when it was running...its probably clutch drag. Google clutch drag. I absolutely love the T660! Only negative thing I have to say is that it is a little hot on the right leg in hot weather. I notice it most at stops and slow speeds. Over 45mph I don't really notice it. I suspect its the catalytic converter with strict Euro 5 emission specs. After warranty expires I will replace the headers with aftermarket. I'm coming from a 2014 BMW F800GS Adventure. The T660 is a massive upgrade! Very nimble, super smooth, light weight, suspension, it just does everything really well. I'm 5' 10" with a 30 inch inseam and can flat foot the bike. Only bike I have ever been able to "toe" backwards up a slight incline in a parking lot. If I were a female rider this would be at the top of my list. Easy to handling, comfortable seat, easy to push around on or off the bike, and easy to pick up. IMO you cannot find a better bike at this price point. Only weird glitch: sometimes my turn signal does not come on when cruise control is engaged. Great content...thanks Ian!
Well said 👏👏
When I test rode it, same exact experience.
For the newbie mentioned in the video at 23:08, consider a Honda CB500X as your first ADV bike. It's pretty nimble both on and off road and it has enough power to have fun without getting you into too much trouble off-road. Even better, buy an older 2 stroke dirt bike (street legal, no more than 250cc) to learn on for a few months. In retrospect, I should have done that but instead bought a 2022 CB500X right away so the learning curve for off-roading was a little harder than it needed to be. Still a work in progress, but I'm getting there :-)
Nice and honest review/comparison/QnA.. I agree with pretty much everything but have only had a quick test with it.... Liked it alot..
Thanks for highlighting the difference between anecdotal statements vs. quantifiable data. I see anecdotes being told as "the truth" far too often, when it really just is word of mouth. Humans are far too susceptible for all kinds of biases. We should be very careful in how we decide what's true/believable or false/not believable.
so true!
Hello Ian, watched your videos, nicely done 👍
I rode both, T7 is a heavy 🐄! Like T7 low end, but not enough to change to buy one.
Tuareg is on a whole different level.
Better suspension, on the fly modes, comfort, turning, road handling.
As a Yamaha owner, there is no comparison between these bikes.
All you Yami people can kick rocks if you think it is 😂🤣
"can't find neutral..." ---Every Bike Ever Built just entered the chat
I have a 2018 Vstrom 1000. Quite easy to find neutral. I rode a 2023 R1250GS for 3 days and struggled every time to find neutral.
Great review of the Tuareg. Your channel and what you do is the best, thanks! I would love to look at and ride one to compare to my GS 1250, alas ,there are no dealers in Alaska. Carry on, fantastic stuff. All of it.
@ 18:48 you said the warranty was 1 year. From what I remember it was a 2 year Aprilia warranty and you had 1 year to buy the extended warranty that gives you a total of 4 years from Aprilia.
Valuable input.Thank you.
Add $1999.50 (Aprilia's Freight charge) to the raised MSRP for 2023 of $12,699 for a total of $14,699 plus about a $600 dealer setup fee, taxes, and registration etc. That's right! Aprilla charges $2000. freight to Florida. Might as well buy a KTM 890, dealer here quoted me $16,000 Out The Door.
I noticed that as well.