2025-on Aprilia Tuono 457 review: Fast, fun, and affordable

The main changes to the Tuono 457 form the RS457 are its straight bars (124mm higher and 14mm closer to the rider), a new nose and side panels. The red lip under the headlight is reminiscent of the 2006 Tuono 1000R.  Its aluminium frame (unique for the class), 175kg kerb weight and 800mm are all the same as the RS’s. Like the 660 and V4 Tuono, the 457 mixes the donor sportsbike impeccable handling, brakes and power with a real-world, upright riding position.

That makes the Tuono 457 more than just a back road scratcher, although it's very good at that. Braking power is strong, the suspension offers lots of support in attack mode and footpegs stay nicely away from the tarmac at full lean.

A firm ride is payback for the suspension’s sportiness, which you can’t do anything about with just preload adjustment. But if there’s fire in your belly enough to want a mini super naked in the first place, it won’t be a problem.

Budget Eurogrip Protorq Extreme HR tyres (110/70 x 17 front, 150/60 x 17 rear) don’t offer the last word in granular feel, but they don’t cause us any problems during our ride in the hills near Aprilia’s Noale factory at the Tuono 457’s world launch. A decent set of sports tyres would let it shine even brighter.

The Aprilia is light, easy to shuffle around at walking pace and small. That’s good news for the less experienced or those with shorter legs, but taller riders need not apply. A six-feet-tall me is hemmed into the tank, making it hard to move around in corners and high pegs squash knees.  But the Tuono’s high bars add spaciousness and the wide 12.7-litre fuel tank gives the Aprilia a substantial, big-bike feel. Engine vibes are isolated from the rider with damped bars and rubber mounts.

Aprilia’s 457cc 270-degree crank parallel twin was first seen in last year’s RS457 and is unchanged for the Tuono 457. The motor weighs 6kg less than the RS660’s. Although it doesn’t have the power to wheelie off the throttle, like its V4 sister, the engine has a broad spread of meaty power and a grumbling soundtrack to match.

There are three riding modes (Eco, Sport, Rain) feature varying levels of TC (plus ‘off) and ABS (includes ‘front only’). Although the motor never lacks urgency, the Aprilia is just as happy to potter in the slow lane.

The power delivery has no peaks, dips or hesitations, the throttle response is impeccable. For new riders progressing from a 125, the Tuono has more than have enough performance in the tank to keep you amused, entertained and educated while you’re in A2 licence exile. You’ll pine for something with more power in the end, but this is a bike that’ll still crack the ton and isn’t slow by any stretch of the imagination.

Costing just over six grand it’s clear the Tuono 457 won’t be as luxuriously appointed as a £20k-plus super naked, but it’s still well built and finished, out of the crate. There are no major mechanical or electrical problems reported for the 2024 RS457 in the owners reviews, which is the same machine with different bodywork and bars.

Although Aprilia has always been regarded as an exotic manufacture the Tuono 457 is competitively priced, especially compared to naked rivals like the £6049 Kawasaki Z500 and £6199 Honda CB500 Hornet. But the £4299 CF Moto 450NK and £5699 KTM 390 Duke are cheaper.

Just like a big-capacity super naked the Tuono 457 has a classy colour TFT dash, backlit switchgear, an adjustable brake lever, traction control, ABS, power maps and rider modes. It’s available in red or grey.

Performance, styling and touring accessories are also available, including a red anodised chain and brake lever straight from the 90s.