Aprilia Tuono 125 (2003-2005)

 

 

MCN overall verdict

Simply put the Aprilia Tuono 125 is an Aprilia RS125 with nose fairing and flat bars. Which is why it’ll suit taller 17-year-olds much better than its racier sibling. It loses nothing in handling terms, with excellent brakes and packs stunning looks into what’s already a very tempting package. And once de-restricted it’s a flyer.

Engine

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Owners' rating

As stock the Aprilia Tuono 125 is perfectly acceptable; the 14bhp, two-stroke, reed-valve motor pulls along with reasonable torque until you hit 7500rpm where the restrictor emasculates what’s left of the go. Once de-restricted (it involves cutting into the CDI box and it’s illegal on the road if you don’t have the right licence) power doubles to 28bhp, torque jumps to 17ft lb and top speed nudges the ton. 

Ride and Handling

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Owners' rating

Aprilia’s chassis wizards have waved their wands over the tiny Tuono 125, but instead of pulling a rabbit from their hats they’ve produced a greased weasel that stops, goes and turns like a greased weasel. Thanks to the wide bars you can really chuck it about and with the big bike rims sticky tyres are easy to come by.

Equipment

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Owners' rating

Spares are a perennial problem with Aprilias. Things like brake levers can take weeks to arrive, which is a pain. The Aprilia Tuono 125 is well-specced as stock, though, with comprehensive clocks, Brembo brakes and nylon crash bungs.

Quality and Reliability

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Owners' rating

You’ll get the best from the Aprilia Tuono 125's engine if you use high quality fully-synthetic two-stroke oil, which can be expensive. This added running cost often means owners don’t bother and stick in any old rubbish, which may also point to other cut corners like missed service and piston schedules. Reliability is generally good, especially on unrestricted bikes.

Value

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Owners' rating

Prices for the Aprilia Tuono 125 are a little lower than for comparable RS125s – around £100 lower bought through a dealer. However, it’s a lot of cash to drop on a motorcycle that, likely as not, you’ll only have for a year or two before getting something bigger.

Insurance

Insurance group: 7

Model History

2003: Aprilia Tuono 125 introduced.

Other Versions

Aprilia Tuono 50: 50cc version of the Tuono, with 101kg and 1.5bhp in restricted form.

Specifications

Top speed	81mph
1/4-mile acceleration	16.1 secs
Power	14bhp
Torque	12ftlb
Weight	122kg
Seat height	805mm
Fuel capacity	14 litres
Average fuel consumption	35mpg
Tank range	110 miles
Insurance group	7

Engine size	125cc
Engine specification	Two-stroke single, 6 gears
Frame	Aluminium twin spar
Front suspension adjustment	None
Rear suspension adjustment	Preload
Front brakes	Single 320mm discs
Rear brake	220mm disc
Front tyre size	110/70 x 17
Rear tyre size	150/60 x 17