Thursday, April 8, 2010

Aprilia Tuareg - New Dual Sport Bike

Could this be the bike that pries me away from my beloved Transalp?

The Aprilia Tuareg is rumored to be a 750cc V-twin with real "enduro" suspension, a 21-inch front wheel, and weight around 445 pounds.
Since KTM refuses to bring the Euro only 690 Adventure to the US this Aprilia is certainly enticing. Their 450 and 550 v-twin dirt bikes have been well received and provide plenty of power. So much so that the 450 was banned from MX competition in the US. At the most recent Dakar Rally an Aprilia 450 came in 3rd overall after 2 KTM's and ahead of the Yamaha and Sherco (Honda) teams. Not too shabby for such a small manufacturer.
The rumor is that this model will be released in the fall as a 2011 model. When, if ever, it reaches the US is the big question. How much it will cost is another. However, Aprilia has done well by supplying unique and interesting low volume bikes at competitive prices. The only thing lacking is a robust US dealer network.
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2 comments:

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  2. Aluminum frames that are less than 3.5-4 lbs. are going to be much more likely to dent in a crash and potentially develop cracking issues through normal use. full suspension bikes under 3001

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