Father and son on the the Tail of the Dragon, Tennessee. (Above photo by 129photos.com; other photos by the author)
Dad’s first sojourn through the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia needed to be grand. Dad is a desert dweller from southern Arizona and has never ridden east of Texas. We agreed on a short list of must-haves: Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Tail of the Dragon. Everything else – the fall foliage, the swollen creeks and runs, the rural country roads, the morning fog – would be an added bonus.
There would also be pancakes. Lots of pancakes.
We picked up Dad’s Triumph Tiger Explorer at a motorcycle dealership in northern Virginia, where he had it shipped from Arizona. We rode south and entered the Blue Ridge Parkway west of Lynchburg. The parkway is aptly named, with smooth, graceful curves, well-manicured roadsides, and plenty of parking areas to admire the view. A word to the wise, as I learned as point man: pay attention to mile markers. I missed the country road that the kind ladies at Explore Park said would lead us to Mount Airy, North Carolina, our first stop for the night and the birthplace of actor Andy Griffith.
Lush valleys provide a stunning backdrop to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia.
Dad’s Explorer has heated grips and a larger fairing than my Triumph Sprint GT, so he was better prepared for the chilly 40-degree temperatures during our ride. For most of the morning, we enjoyed relative seclusion, clear skies, autumn colors, and beautiful farm country. In one short span, the view of the valley below on my left was stolen by a patch of trees and granite outcroppings only to be returned over my right shoulder. It was a literal tennis match of competing landscapes – valleys of farm country on one side and ridgelines stretching to the horizon on the other.
Traffic increased the farther south we traveled, and overflowing pullouts often prevented us from stopping, so, we leaned back and enjoyed the ride. We left the parkway at Asheville, having decided on Maggie Valley for our overnight stay.
The author’s father posing with their motorcycles on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
A steady downpour and tornado warnings nixed riding the second day, so we covered the bikes and took a taxi to Wheels Through Time. While walking through the museum – home to more than 300 interesting and rare motorcycles – Dad shared stories of his older brother’s 1950 Harley Panhead and their shenanigans on it back on the farm in Iowa. One involved the bike, loaded with three riders, being chased by a dog that gave up the hunt after my uncle retarded the spark for a spectacular backfire. Dad hunted the base of many a cylinder barrel, searching for a stamp that would identify the same year as his brother’s, but to no avail.
Tourist traffic in the lush Great Smoky Mountains National Park slowed our progress. We found a place to park the bikes at Newfound Gap, a 5,049-foot pass on U.S. Route 441, allowing us to stretch our legs. Traffic in the park paled in comparison to the carnival of tourism we saw in Gatlinburg, where we found the Little House of Pancakes.
Dad tucked into a stack of blueberry pancakes, and I gorged on sweet-and-spicy apple pancakes. Between bites – and doing our best not to drip syrup on our map – we sketched out an alternate route back to Maggie Valley. We tested our pioneering skills on Tennessee State Route 32 in search of secluded switchbacks. Any concern about traffic was dispelled by a large red diamond-shaped sign that warned “Do Not Enter, Your GPS is Wrong” a few miles into the alternate route.
Littered with wet leaves and twigs from the previous day’s storms, Route 32’s pucker factor was off the scale, especially when I felt the front wheel push over some wet leaves at the apex of a turn. I rarely engaged 3rd gear after that. Pavement turned to hard gravel at Davenport Gap, where we crossed back into North Carolina on Mount Sterling Road. We found blacktop again at Waterville Road along Big Creek, and after a few miles, under cavernous trees and crags, we came upon Interstate 40 and our path back to Maggie Valley.
Compared to Route 32, the Tail of the Dragon’s 318 curves in 11 miles were not as technical, nor as precarious. The roads in this part of Tennessee, which arc around the southern side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, plunge into valleys, rise to bluffs overlooking man-made lakes and hydroelectric dams, and hug the steep sides of tree-blanketed mountains. After a full day of Appalachian curves, we stopped for the night in Middlesboro, Kentucky, just a stone’s throw west of Cumberland Gap.
Another sweeping view along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
With our bellies full of pancakes, we rode east on U.S. Route 58 through southwestern Virginia under crisp, blue autumn skies, with ridgelines on our left marking the border with Kentucky. We continued northeast on U.S. Route 19 for our next overnight in Princeton, West Virginia, and we awoke the next morning to find frost on our bikes. Despite the cold, the scenery from Princeton to Elkins on U.S. Route 219 was a moving feast of fields, pastures, valleys, woodland, creeks, rivers, and quaint towns.
This route map is available on the REVER app in the Rider Magazine community.
A section of U.S. 219 we traveled along is known as Seneca Trail. A pleasant surprise around one bend was Indian Creek Covered Bridge, which was completed in 1903 at a cost of $400. The rest of the morning was spent passing farm after farm, including writer Pearl S. Buck’s birthplace in Hillsboro, West Virginia. For pancakes, we recommend Greenbrier Grille and Lodge, overlooking its namesake river in Marlinton.
Our last day involved riding from valley to ridge to valley. We followed curves along various creeks and branches of the Potomac River that snaked their way through the Appalachians. Eventually we had to leave the winding roads behind and hop on Interstate 66 to complete our multi-day loop. For Dad’s first ride east of the Mississippi, he was proud to see his tripmeter roll over 1,504 memorable miles.
The Indian Creek Covered Bridge on West Virginia Route 219.
Our guest on Episode 19 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is Lauren Trantham, founder of Ride My Road. In 2016, Lauren set out on a 10,000-mile solo motorcycle journey across the United States to photograph American survivors of human trafficking. She founded Ride My Road to reach as many people as possible about the realities of human trafficking in America. The organization has raised over $160,000 for survivor-led organizations, hosted dozens of events across the country, and educated thousands of motorcyclists. Ride My Road hosts F.A.S.T. (Fight Against Sex Trafficking) Ride charity events and the #Survivorbike Series (volunteer builders restore old bikes and donate them for fundraising giveaways), and it recently launched Disruptors University.
Trev chats with Troy Herfoss about a major setback on his recovery that sees him going under the knife again today. We also reflect on his early career, progression to road racing, and then have a quick chat about some racing topics in general.
Troy in Darwin earlier this year before a big crash had him heading for surgery – Image RbMotoLens
Trevor Hedge: It is now two months since your accident Troy, how did your most recent follow-up go with the surgeon?
Troy Herfoss: “I got some bad news yesterday, I’m back to square one with the femur, so I’m packing to have surgery today. Because of the internal bleeding and stuff when it happened, with two surgeries, they just had no option but to do it as quick as possible and straight as possible. But basically when they put the screws into my femur to get it as straight as possible in the x-ray machine, they’ve put in a screw with a thread right up to the head. What they’d normally do is a thread on the end and the broken part would float on the screw and help the healing process. But because there was a thread on both ends, the bones were sitting there apart and the idea was they would eventually grow together, which would be fine if I was a 90-year-who was never going to walk again, but for anyone relatively young and active. So after 8 weeks I was told to put some weight through it, and I’ve now got a 15-20 millimetre shorter leg and a broken screw…”
Trev: That’s a terrible blow mate, just when it looked like things were on the up a bit.
Herfoss: “Essentially I’ve only lost four weeks, maybe a touch less, as normally a femur break like I’ve had I’d be on my feet after three to four weeks, but now my surgeon can do it as he’d hoped to have been able to do it in the first place, so I might be better off in the long run.”
X-Rays of Herf’s hip after the first bout of surgery
Trev: How long do you think it will be before you could realistically be strong enough to start testing?
Herfoss: “Such a hard question, because I can’t get an answer from any surgeons, and I mean I guess they are always on the conservative side. No one really wants you to ride a motorcycle to be fair. But that’s a pretty common evaluation. Based off how I was feeling before I got the bad news yesterday, I went to the surgeon thinking I’d get news that my bones are healing and I can start to move on with things, and start strengthening my body, and you know I guess I’m ambitious, but my plan was then to work on trying to be in shape for Wakefield Park in two months time. Which seemed logical to me, with the way I feel.
“With my arm it’s a bit frustrating but I am getting a lot of movement back in my shoulder and I can hold onto a motorbike in the braking and acceleration zone now, but if I try and change direction I have no side strength. I was really just waiting for the go ahead to put weight through my leg, as it feels fine, which is the upsetting part about having to go back into surgery. So anyway I think I can’t know when I’ll be back, so I’ll wait a few weeks and see how the hip takes. If everything goes to plan there, at this stage the only thing I can really expect to be able to say is that I’ll be definitely 100 per cent fit for next year…”
Trev: So away from the track you’ve basically been playing Mr Mom of late after becoming a dad earlier this year?
Herfoss: “It’s been really good to be with Mia 24/7, but it has been difficult, we weren’t actually living at home for the first seven weeks just because I couldn’t – I was pretty much under full care from Emily. She was looking after me as I couldn’t bear any weight on my left and my arm was pretty useless, but it was good to be with Mia and hanging out. Now she’s my rehab margin, I can lift her a little bit now and play with her a little bit and I’m trying to put in her head the adrenaline side of the Herfoss family. But I can’t really throw her around and do the aeroplane rides at the moment so I’m just trying to do my best to get some strength back to give her some thrills.”
Trev: So talking a bit more generally, your first real taste of racing on the tarmac was in Supermoto. You experienced some great success in that discipline, including winning the American AMA Supermoto Championship as a 21-year-old when going up against the biggest names in the sport back then, Ward, Fillmore, Nicoll, Dymond. Well, it was three AMA Supermoto Championships all up.
I first met Herf at a Supermoto meet at Toowoomba. His precision immediately told me this kid was going somewhere.
It was a late transition to the blacktop, then an even longer wait to get on a road race bike. A very different graduation process from your similarly aged competition here in Australia now, and of course nothing like we see with the kids of today. You didn’t even get on a Supersport bike until you were 22… Certainly a very different avenue to get into road racing, than most, these days, and even back in the days of when you were first getting into it.
A teenage Troy Herfoss when racing Supermoto
Herfoss: “It was a weird way to transition and sort of unheard of at the moment. And to be fair you can’t really do that these days, because we’re allowed to ride road bikes so young now in Australia and worldwide, you really have no choice but to be on a road bike at a young age. People say I couldn’t afford it and I literally couldn’t afford a road bike, but the supermoto bikes were just so much more affordable.
Troy Herfoss with Josh Waters and Wayne Maxwell when Herf was just starting road racing a decade ago
“Even the few months before my accident I was riding a supermoto bike around and it’s just so cheap. There’s no real lap record for the go-kart tracks to look at all the time, you’re just riding around and just ride the tyre until the carcass is hanging out and then put another one one. You fall over, the bike is ok and you get up and go ahead. It’s just so much cheaper than a road bike.”
Herfoss went to America and beat the best that America had to offer, winning three AMA Supermoto Championships along with an X Games Silver Medal
Trev: And it is a lot of fun, I had a bit of a play with it myself back in the day, ran a few events, put a lot of investment into covering the supermoto racing, it’s a bit of a shame to see how it’s gone by the wayside now, really.
Herfoss: “Yeah it is a huge shame, especially when you see guys like Toprak, he’s pretty famous for his stoppies and the way he rides the bike, and he’s literally riding it like a supermoto bike. I don’t know, but it looks like he probably honed his skills from supermoto riding to me.”
Trev: How crazy is Moto3 right now, does watching that cut and thrust make you want to be amongst those nutters? Or make you thank your lucky stars you don’t have to share the track with them?
Herfoss: “The second one I think, it makes me feel lucky not to be out there. It’s just crazy and it’s just so scary because they’ve really got to treat it like a bicycle race and look for a tow all the time. It’s unfortunate it’s like that but that does make it exciting for us to watch.”
Troy Herfoss in 2010, he tried his hand at road racing the year before and won the Australian Supersport Championship in 2010
Trev: I’ve heard some suggestions that the best way to fix that could be mandated gear ratios. Apparently the bikes have a huge gap between fifth and sixth gears, where basically it makes it impossible to use sixth unless you’re in a slip-stream, and thus that can gain you a second or a second and a half per lap, but they will not pull sixth at all if not in the slip-stream. So what some are suggesting is that they actually close down and have set gearbox ratios, so the gap between fifth and sixth isn’t so much, and thus the slipstream effect may come down to a tenth or two-tenths, rather than a second or more as it is now.
Herfoss: “I never knew that, seems logical. Or a superpole where they just go out 30-seconds apart.”
Troy Herfoss with the RK Chains Samurai Trophy he won in 2010
Trev: And how are you enjoying MotoGP at the moment, who do you think will take the title this year? Quartararo was unbelievable under brakes in Austria last weekend and throughout this year he has been making all the other Yamaha riders look like also-rans. Next time out the circus visits Silverstone and Fabio arrives there with a 47-point lead in the championship. Who’s your tip.
Herfoss: “In short, I have to say Quartararo after how he handled himself in Red Bull Ring. I always look towards the psychological side of racing, as everyone has so much going on out there and they can all ride a bike fast, and I think there was a lot of flaws in Quartararo mentally last year. Going back to Red Bull Ring this past couple of weeks was pretty much his test in my mind, and I think he passed with flying colours.”
2010 Australian Supersport Champ – Troy Herfoss
Trev: He was amazing to watch, just so brave under brakes. I thought wow, there’s no way he’s going to get it stopped, but then he did and made the other guys look a little bit soft under brakes at times.
Herfoss: “He did and I think he literally took – in that dry part of the race, in my mind – he literally took every opportunity he had, he never sat back, he just went for it under brakes at every moment, like honestly he may not have got to the front if he hadn’t been so confident on the brakes.”
Troy Herfoss made the step up to Superbike in 2011
Trev: What do you think about the state of play in WorldSBK this year? Are you surprised by the lack of results that Bautista and Haslam have been able to achieve? It must fill you with some pride that you are the only rider in the world to give Honda any success in Superbike racing in recent years on the Fireblade. Hooky and the F.C.C. TSR Honda squad have been brilliant in the FIM Endurance World Championship, but in Superbike racing, you and the team have been the only ones in the world to be winning races and championships. Yet still you don’t even seem to get a sniff of a chance of taking that performance to the World Championship, or even the British Championship. That said, with the situation you are in here in Australia and the guys behind you, I can completely understand that being enough to satisfy you.
Troy Herfoss – 2016 ASBK Champion
Herfoss: “It’s tough to watch the Honda’s struggle, and I’m not saying I should be over there doing it because I could do a better job, but it is hard to see such an amazing package struggle so bad. Hopefully they do better, for me personally I don’t know what to say anymore, how much more do I have to do, to get a call. Who knows, and now I’m sort of an injured 34-year-old so that can be their excuse from now on.”
Penrite Honda – 2018 ASBK Superbike Champions – Left to right – Glenn Granger – Troy Herfoss – Ian Collier – Scott Charlton – Shaun Clarke and Team owner Deon Coote – Image TBG
Trev: Thanks Troy, I have enjoyed following you throughout your career, right back from the first time I saw a lanky kid race a Supermoto bike at Toowoomba, I thought from the off that you were something more than a bit special. I hope to spend a few more years reporting on your racing while marvelling at your bike control and bravery. All the best with this next bout of surgery.
Herfoss: “Thanks Trev, that means a lot. I’ve never been in this situation, I’ve never really had anything taken away from me that bad. So it’s a pretty rough time, but at the moment it looks like I’ll be ok. But there is some part of me that thinks, maybe I won’t be. But I’ll definitely be a healthy adult, but maybe a professional sportsman may be more difficult than I first thought.”
Trev: If that happens, you’ve still got a brilliant life to look forward to and I’m sure you’ll find something to keep you occupied. But hopefully we don’t have to cross that bridge. You’re an animal of a competitor but there’s a lot to enjoy in life if that ends up being the cards you’re dealt with.
Herfoss: “That’s right mate, I’ll be good, thanks for the chat.”
Troy Herfoss – Team Honda Racing – 2015 Swann Australasian Superbike Champion
My work as a photographer rarely provides bad days but some days are definitely better than others! Such was the case when I had the opportunity to shoot this Ducati Desmosedici GP14.2.
Ducati Desmosedici GP14.2
The GP14 was Ducati’s first entry into the “Open” class of MotoGP. Open class bikes had to use supplied spec’ software but were able to use more fuel, had more engines available during the season, and most importantly to Ducati, were able to continue development of the motor, rather than it being frozen at the start of the season.
The GP14.2 was the result of that development and was first used at the 14th, Aragon, round of the championship. Newly appointed at the start of the year Racing General Manager Gigi Dall’lgna used the GP14.2 as a stepping stone to the GP15, which was the first of the Desmosedicis to be fully designed under his watch.
Ducati Desmosedici GP14.2
The GP14.2 had substantial changes to both the engine and chassis, but as is normal for MotoGP the details were not released. This bike is an ex-Iannone Pramac Team machine.
Andrea Dovizioso was the best of the GP14/14.2 riders, finishing the year in fifth place with two podiums. Iannone was 10th with three fifth places. The released GP14 (not 14.2) specifications detailed an output of over 235 hp, a dry weight of 160 kg and a top speed of over 330 km/h.
When the Montesa King Scorpion 250 was introduced in 1970 it inverted the usual method of making a ‘scrambler’ by putting a high-level exhaust and other off-road features onto a road bike. The King Scorpion instead took the 250 Scorpion motocross model and added lights etc.
Montesa 250 Rapida Automix King Scorpion
The subject of this shoot completed its journey to a fully road going model. Launched in 1975 the 250 Rapida Automix was basically a King Scorpion fitted with an automatic oil lubrication system (rather than pre-mix). It also featured a low level exhaust, larger rims and a lower rear guard.
Montesa 250 Rapida Automix King Scorpion
The metallic purple and orange paint scheme is pure ‘70s and power was increased by 2 hp to 24 hp at 6,800 rpm, while only 600 were constructed.
Moto Guzzi’s long-running 500cc Falcone was produced from 1950 to 1968. Here is the model that replaced it – the Nuovo Falcone. As you can see the company didn’t stray too far from its successful formula!
The Moto Guzzi Nuovo Falcone
The Nuovo Falcone was introduced in 1969 as a machine for military and police use. The civilian version appeared in 1971. The major changes compared to the older Falcone were a wet sump motor, modified gearbox (still with 4 speeds), an alloy cover over the external flywheel and 12V electrics with optional electrical starter. In addition a new frame was used as well as new body work.
The Civile differed from the military/police models in having a lighter flywheel and its use of many parts from the V7 Special, such as the instruments. It was originally painted white with a red frame but in 1974 that was changed to red with a black frame with stainless steel guards.
Moto Guzzi Nuovo Falcone
This particular silver bike is a unique factory build for the Dutch importer Greenib, and is in original, unrestored condition. Production of the Nuovo Falcone ceased in 1976 with 2874 Civile and 13,400 military/police models produced. Power was 26 hp at 4,800 rpm, with a dry weight of 214 kg. Top speed was 130 km/h.
Zero release the FXE, an affordable, fun urban commuter with a claimed range of 100 miles.
Zero Motorcycles has been around for well over a decade now, and it’s no surprise that the evolving EV space has seen a great deal of innovation in that time. Although the key issue of range vs. weight will still give petrol-heads reason to pause, it’s also fair to say that e-motos have become a good deal more practical, and fun. But perhaps the other enduring issue holding back potential buyers is their cost. Case in point, Zero’s fully faired and extremely quick SR/S or naked SR/F will set you back $20,000.
Enter the FXE. New for 2021, Zero has taken the existing frame from the FX and added a redesigned body. The starkly modern, supermoto styling is very similar in appearance to the FXS – tall, slim and sporting a raised front mudguard. However, the FXE is capable of a claimed 100-mile range on a full battery charge and costs $11,795, which can be bought down to around $10,000 depending upon available EV rebates and credits.
2021 Zero FXE
The 7.2 kWh battery in the FXE drives a passively air-cooled, brushless, permanent magnet motor, which produces a claimed peak power of 46 horsepower and 78 pound-feet of torque, and with a top speed of 85 mph, the FXE can take to the highway. Unlike the more expensive models, the FXE is not compatible with public charging stations and is designed to be charged via a standard 110-volt household outlet. It takes over nine hours to fully recharge the battery, although this can be reduced to just under two hours with the optional accessory charger. The FXE utilizes Zero’s Cypher II operating system and the new connectivity enabled 5-inch TFT display is compatible with the Zero app, providing access to ride modes, Eco and Sport, and battery status.
A Showa 41 mm inverted fork, and monoshock take care of suspension and are adjustable for preload, compression, and rebound damping. Bosch calipers are fitted with a single disc front and back, and ABS is standard. Zero claims a wet weight of 298 pounds, which promises exciting performance from the 46 horses available and a handy machine for dealing with tight urban spaces. But surprisingly, advantages in accessibility imparted by its lightweight are somewhat undone by the tall seat height, which at 32.8 inches will put some shorter riders off.
Supermoto styling, practical range, and a relatively affordable price should appeal to a wider range of customers.
Compared to many of its heavier, more expensive competitors the FXE is a lightweight and thrilling runabout, and what it gives up in range it makes up for in accessibility and potential for fun. The FXE makes for a credible commuter bike, capable of taking to the highway but ideal to zip around town on.
Zero FXE Specs
Base Price: $11,795 (excluding electric vehicle rebates and credits) Website: https: zeromotorcycles.com Battery: 7.2 kWh Motor Type: Air-cooled, brushless, permanent magnet motor Transmission: Clutchless direct drive Final Drive: 90T / 18T belt Wheelbase: 56 in. Rake/Trail: 24.4 degrees / 2.8 in. Seat Height: 32.9 in. Wet Weight: 298 lbs. Charging Time: 9.2 hours (via 110-volt household outlet to 95 percent) Fuel Consumption: 373 eMPG (claimed) Maximum Range: 100 miles (claimed)
Wayne Rainey began the 1993 season riding the new 0WF2. Apart from having a revised motor that produced an extra 10 hp over the previous year’s 0WE0’s 160hp, the major change was the adoption of a completely new chassis.
Wayne Rainey’s 1993 Yamaha 0WF2 500 GP Racer
The extruded alloy main frame members were designed to provide much greater rigidity with increased lateral torsion resistance. Rainey rode the bike for the first seven rounds of the season (up until the Dutch GP), and scored wins in Malaysia and Japan.
However he changed to the ROC framed bike seen here from round eight as the original frame proved to be too rigid, upsetting the handling of the bike. The French produced ROC chassis was based on his 1990 title winning 0WC1.
Wayne Rainey’s 1993 Yamaha 0WF2 500 GP Racer
Rainey won the European (Catalunya) and Czech GPs before his career ending crash at Misano later in the season. He finished the season in second position behind Kevin Schwantz.
The introduction, in 1957, of Ducati’s first OHC road bike – the 175 Sport, proved to be such a success, that together with the Turismo version, accounted for 25 per cent of the 175 cc market. As a result, that saw the company quick to follow with 125 cc (also in 1957) and 100 cc (in 1958) models.
The Ducati 100 Sport was a domestic only model, with this restored model featuring several non-standard parts
The same basic bottom end of the 175 was used on both smaller models although the sumps were both smaller and smooth, not finned, as were the rocker covers. The barrels and heads were of course of smaller dimensions. Wheels were 17-inch and the less bulbous tank held 17-litres.
The 100 Sport was purely a domestic model and was only made up until 1960. The 125 Sport was exported and survived until 1965.
Power was eight horsepower and good for 105 km/h
The very pretty 100 Sport did not have a detuned Turismo variant and was good for 8 hp at 8,000 rpm and top speed of 105 km/h, while weight was 100 kg. In comparison the 125 Sport had 10 hp at 8,500 rpm and a top speed of 112 km/h.
This 100 Sport was restored in Italy before being imported into the USA. It has several minor incorrect parts including the lack of a speedo (and the blanking plate is from a later model), the wrong sump and drain plugs (both should be marked Esso not AGIP), the wrong colour battery strap, an incorrectly shaped seat and the wrong horn.
The new Tuono V4 Factory is still an out-and-out hypernaked sport-bike, with upgraded suspension and new electronics. (Photos by Larry Chen Photo)
It was a glorious morning in Pasadena, California, and the huge windows overlooking historic Colorado Boulevard bathed Aprilia’s Advanced Design Center office in natural light. Miguel Galluzzi, whom many credit with saving Ducati when he designed the groundbreaking and immensely popular Monster, sat impassively as the room filled with journalists. Galluzzi is also the designer responsible for Aprilia’s RSV4 and Tuono V4 models, which take full advantage of the extremely compact and powerful 1,077cc V4 engine.
Galluzzi explained that the Advanced Design Center allows his team to sit at the heart of the North American market, where proximity to a diverse group of riders and their viewpoints can be fed directly into their design process, fresh and unfiltered. The latest CAD technology and 3D printing allow design ideas inspired by feedback, coupled with cutting-edge advances trickling down from Aprilia’s factory racing team, to be prototyped and tested more efficiently than ever.
The two models – Tuono V4 Factory on left, Tuono V4 on right – are almost identical on paper, but offer different experiences.
The result, we are told, are the most advanced Tuono models yet, a combination of incremental updates designed to improve handling and accommodate a broad spectrum of riders’ needs. The V4 engine is now Euro 5 compliant, and with some tweaking Aprilia has managed to match the outgoing model’s performance. Claimed peak horsepower is 175 at 11,350 rpm and maximum torque is 89 lb-ft at 9,000 rpm.
Influences from the racetrack include a redesigned fairing with integrated winglets and enhanced geometry to improve handling at the limits, as well as a new inverted swingarm designed to improve traction at the rear wheel. The updated seat is wider, longer, and surprisingly comfortable. A new sculpted fuel tank looks gorgeous and maintains the same 4.9-gallon capacity. The Tuono V4 gets an improved 5-inch TFT dash and new switchgear. The headlight array features the triple LED headlight and a DRL configuration common to the rest of the Tuono line, with the addition of cornering lights.
The Tuono V4 is designed to take you further, with all the thrills, added comfort, and even luggage, if required.
Despite being nearly identical on paper, the new Tuono V4 models are quite different in terms of experience. Track rats will be happy to hear that the V4 Factory model is still an out-and-out naked maniac, and is the more expensive, track-focused of the two. The street-focused Tuono V4 represents a new direction, designed to go places carrying more than just a rider and a bare minimum of gear.
The Factory version is now fitted with Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 semi-active suspension and a new Magneti Marelli ECU, controlling fueling and a full suite of electronics. Four times faster than the previous ECU and fully integrated via ride-by-wire throttle and a six-axis IMU, the new setup promises more precise and programable handling for road and track. There are three preset and three track-oriented, user-programmable riding modes, and a host of adjustable rider aids, including traction control, wheelie control, launch control, engine mapping, engine braking, cornering ABS, cruise control, and an up/down quickshifter.
The Tuono V4 is billed as a naked, but a minimalist fairing now incorporates racing inspired winglets.
Siting astride the Factory, it feels much more compact than might be expected from a liter bike. The body position is definitely sporty, but the wide bars and seat feel roomy, even for my 6-foot 2-inch stature. Setting off in Tour mode, within the first few miles the V4 Factory somehow feels familiar. Even on the highway leading us to the twisty mountain roads, it is impossible to completely open the throttle for more than a moment before running out of road, and any true test of the Factory model would require a racetrack.
Throttle response is immediate but initial ham-fistedness is miraculously smoothed out before I can get myself into trouble and I throw the Tuono into the turns with some confidence. Steering is light yet purposeful and exact, the front wheel holding its line despite less-than-perfect surface conditions. A single pop on the downshift raises a smile, and ballistic acceleration on corner exits, accompanied by one of the most fantastic, raspy exhaust notes ever to erupt from a stock can, leaves me grinning like an idiot.
The Tuono V4 Factory is nimble and precise, even on less than perfect roads.
The Factory is fitted with Brembo’s M50 monoblock front calipers, which offer progressive feel and no want of braking capability. With my knees firmly pocketed in the sculpted tank I can keep my weight off the bars, gripping the bike with less effort, and lean into corners with a connected conviction. The V4 Factory’s comfort and ergonomics compare quite well to rivals like the KTM 1290 Super Duke R and Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS, yet its sportbike credentials remain intact.
The standard Tuono V4 feels similar. Slightly raised handlebars make for a less aggressive stance. Despite lower pillion pegs, the rider’s footpegs are identically placed on both models, providing plenty of clearance but also a potential source of fatigue over long distances. A slightly larger fly screen and upper fairing, a practical pillion seat, grab handles, and optional luggage all make for a hyper-naked sport-tourer, with a heavy emphasis on sport.
Performance is identical to the Factory model, and the standard model will make a capable track-day machine if required. Its taller top gear makes for comfortable, economical highway cruising, as you make your way to the next winding backroad. The standard comes equipped with fully adjustable Sachs suspension, front and rear, but on the road, its handling is fairly close to that of the Factory.
The new Tuono V4 and Tuono V4 Factory are intoxicating motorcycles. They offer astounding power in a compact, lightweight chassis that is exhilarating. And yet, thanks to its suite of adjustable electronics, they are both rewarding and manageable. And one can never forget – or grow tired of – the machine-gun salute connected to your right wrist. While the Factory will keep the Tuono faithful satisfied, the standard model will open up the Tuono range to a host of new riders, who, like me, actually want to go places and bring more than just our wallet and smartphone.
The new Tuono has a broader appeal. Track enthusiasts will love the factory for its suspension and formidable array of programable settings, while sports riders who like to cover miles can now add the Tuono V4 to their list of possibilities.
2021 Tuono V4 / Tuono V4 Factory Specs
Base Price: $15,999 / $19,499 Website:aprilia.com Engine Type: Liquid cooled, transverse 65-degree V-4, DOHC w/ 4 valves per cyl. Displacement: 1,077cc Bore x Stroke: 81.0 x 52.3mm Horsepower: 175 @ 11,000 rpm (claimed, at crank) Torque: 89 lb-ft @ 9,000 rpm (claimed, at crank) Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated slip/assist wet clutch Final Drive: X-ring chain Wheelbase: 57.1 in. Rake/Trail: 24.8 degrees/3.9 in. Seat Height: 32.5 in. Wet Weight: 461 lbs. Fuel Capacity: 4.9 gals.
Series (volunteer builders restore old bikes and donate them for fundraising giveaways), and it recently launched Disruptors University.
