Aprilia Tuareg 660 - First Impressions By A T7 Owner

[@robertfellchannel]

As an Italian I thank you for your kind words about our products. Aprilia T660 is an amazing bike and very reliable, even if T7 is a great bike as well, no doubt about it. Sometimes we are more focus to "numbers" and bikes, and forget the places, feelings and experience these bikes give us. Cheers from Venice.

[@keyboarddancers7751]

That Aprilia engine has already proven its credentials.

[@JohannesDalen]

Happy to hear Robert, and thank you for the greetings from Venice 🇮🇹

[@alozborne]

I absolutely love the Tuareg 660 on paper, but sadly Aprilia doesn't have the best reputation for reliability. So, I am sticking with my Honda CB500X which is very much a lesser bike than the Tuareg but I know it will last me for years with very few if any maintenance or repairs

[@Szlejer]

Yeah, the 660 engine is sooo reliable you can only find like dozens of youtubers complaining about it and getting rid of these bikes...

[@felixlechat1780]

@@Szlejerand good luck to find parts in 15 years with the Tuareg

[@valefur72]

Those two bikes are both engineered in Italy... The T7 has been designed by Yamaha Italy, and made in France with only the engine coming from Japan. The Italian branch of Yamaha asked for this bike for years and at the end they decided to design the bike and to present the project to Yamaha Japan that accepted.

[@williamrae9954]

I currently have a Tracer7, those were hard to get during lockdown as the factory was concentrating on building higher priced T7's...I had 1 of 2 in Scotland...over 3000 T7's sold in the UK,only 275 Aprilia Taureg 660's,currently(approx)!

[@sspirito3130]

That's a great review! I am waiting to get a test ride on the Touareg. I only sat on it at the dealership and I liked the seating position compared to the T7. Also, my first impression was that the bike is well built with lots of attention to details, feels premium. Actually the entire bike is made with top shelf components, the instrument cluster, seat, tubeless rims, suspensions, and even minor details such as the side stand or the chain (it's a Regina chain) are top quality. The T7 on the other hand is built with budget in mind, and it is noticeable.

[@russ4294]

It feels budget such as the switches and handle bars. It rides great though

[@Kavika-xh1qj]

One word defines the best ADV bike, when being used as an ADV bike. Reliability. Everything else is just everything else.

[@g18210]

Ktm are not reliable . Aren’t they ? 890advR

[@vgstb]

So are you still ridding an XR600, because, you know, that is a very reliable motorcycle.

[@MotoPassport]

I have just returned from a 12,000km trip across Australia on my Aprilia Caponord 1200 road bike. It’s 8yrs old and I’ve owned it for 5 years and it’s been incredibly brilliant and reliable so understandably I am interested in and considering the Tuareg 660 for my next purchase. So as an Aprilia owner with extensive touring kms on my Aprilia these are my thoughts on the Tuareg and Aprilia’s in general. Brilliant, Reliable, Capable, I like owning something different and by far the best feature is they are cheap second hand. People are so reluctant to buy them that you can get them cheap second hand as did I. Brand new it cost $22,000 in 2014. I bought my Capo 3yrs later for $9,700 (second hand) and with taxes a total of $11,000. Wow what a saving and what a bike! So the bad things, Long term ownership is bad as parts get hard to find as I’m finding now. Maybe it’s because the Caponord was not a big seller the Tuareg has a lot of interest so this maybe different. As for small dealership networks yes this is true but the world is smaller than ever and you can order a part from Italy or elsewhere with a click of a button. It’s something you just got to get used to. However the worst thing is this, on my trip across Oz there was a 12km deep sandy road I struggled on so much so I turned back after only 3kms. The critical reason I turned back was I was in an extremely remote part of Oz and if I burnt my clutch plates or damaged another part of the bike the trip was over. Like I said parts are getting harder to find, some mechanics refuse to work on Aprilia’s for the specific tools needed and the minimal Aprilia bikes they work on doesn’t justify buying said tools. Hope I’ve helped, Aprilia’s are AWESOME!. Long term ownership is the downside. Happy Riding 👍

[@williamrae9954]

Looking at a Caponord 1200,because it has a mechanical fault, and it's cheap, so I did some research...there's only 17 on the road in the UK...explains why I've never seen one in a country of over 65m people!

[@brettonjones4765]

I had a Capo 1200 TP which I traded for a T660 2 years ago. Why? well I loved the Capo and did some big miles on her, but never liked the low rev throttle response (though I learned to forgive that for the overall performance). The Tuareg is light (comparatively), great handling, fast enough, sounds great even on standard cans and just so good on all surfaces. Looks are subjective but have really grown on me. I definitely recommend a test drive.

[@Adventurous_noob]

I put around 8000km on a Tuareg 660 in all sorts of conditions and I can tell that the bike is very very good. Regarding low revs: see my video on how it crawls uphill with the closed throttle. And keep in mind that regardless of experts sayings that the break in is something that isn’t necessary - having 200km and having 3,000km on the clock is like having two different engines. What else did I try: Honda NC750x, CRF300L, BMW 310gs, 750 and 850gs, 1250gsa, f650, KTM 690 duke.

[@ducmoto1975]

thanks for sharing your feelings about this test ride. This is probably the most authentic motorbike review on KZbin. If you check videos from professional youtube reviewers, they are always happy in general - and I understand this. the big difference is they do not need toi take a decision for one or two bikes out there, they just tell you what they like and maybe 2 or 3 comments about what they don't like, But you take your decision and you buy the bike based on your experiences. this makes your thoughts so much more meaningful compared to other reviews.

[@JohannesDalen]

I appreciate your kind words my friend!

[@dinnng]

I could ride the T7 right off the Yamaha Promo-Truck shortly before it was officially released. And i wanted one right away. But couldn't spend the money. In August i went to the Olsberg motorcycle days to ride one again. Yamaha canceled theire truck just some days before. BUT i could ride the Ducati DesertX, the Streetfighter V4S, the Africa Twin 1100 and than just after riding the Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory i steped on the Tuareg....and fell in love to its riding skills right away. 2 weeks later i drove the T7 again....and noticed that Aprilia fits my riding absolutely best! Now i'll wait for EICMA to see the new Transalp and if it's (much) more offroad oriented than the AT. If not....i'll go and buy a Tuareg. Alles gute zum Geburtstag und immer eine sturz- und unfallfreie Fahrt!

[@kevinleeratanankorn2773]

I am in the industry and have ridden both pretty extensively. Love the Tuareg for the power delivery, handling (mostly due to the weight distribution), superior suspension and riding modes (put it on offroad (no ABS) and it stays there even when engine is turned off - unlike the pain of switching off the Tenere ABS (4 step process!) EVERY TIME I start the bike offroad!). Not liking the front looks of the Tuareg. The Tenere looks a lot better BUT the Tuareg looks much better in the red or yellow. The blue and white (as in this video) is the absolute worst. Not sure why it costs more. And if you see owners who have wrapped their Tuareg black, those look amazing! Which would I choose? My head says Yamaha as I use these bikes for my offroad excursions in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Borneo, Indonesia, etc but my heart says Aprilia (I ride to these places with my mates who are on KTM 990s!). The thing that will sway me would be if I can find a very good used Tuareg which would cost 80% of the price of a new Tenere, Id buy that. If from new with Aprilia costing 15% more, Ill get the Yamaha. But if money is no object, the Toureg would be the one in my garage.

[@NomadSweden]

First comment!? 👍🏻First thing I loved about this review is that you did not mention any numbers! You focused on the holistic feeling, and that is the only thing I find important. Super! I am impressed by the Tuareg, but I will never own one. I can't explain it but it's just that I feel strong about the T7 and it takes a lot to compete there, personally. I am married :) Cheers!

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you Robert, I appreciate your kind words. You are "Mr. T7" - so I definitely respect your marriage :)

[@Snjaiper]

Word of caution; i bought Tuareg 660 in the beginning of august, rode 800km in four days, and got oil leak at weep hole (bad water pump seal). Phone call to the nearest dealer/service, they didn't do warranty service for some weird reason, had to be shipped to a different city to be serviced which was 600km away from my home. Bike is still in service because they haven't get the seal yet and estimate for the part is in november.. So yeah, be sure that you have working dealer/service provider near you when you decide if that to buy Aprilia bikes.

[@turbolag5107]

Someone mentioned on the Facebook page to just get a whole new water pump because they tried doing the seal and it ended up going bad again but since they got a whole new pump they have been fine. Personally I am 4000 miles in on mine and all is well

[@vladimirilic3593]

@@turbolag5107 that's me hi 😅, it really is all good now people need to know that this is first production model hickups can happen but once I got pump from later model ( I guess Aprilia figured out I think was problem with the casing where seals lay ...they fixed it in later models and all is well now no more issues it's small hassle to have in order to have road bike dirt bike and sport bike all in one package

[@davidrahbany]

So good when someone is willing to admit they prefer something over an investment they’ve already made. I appreciate this review!

[@victorsturdivant4731]

Great report. Its nice to hear someone speaking in honest terms about their first impressions.

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you!

[@ojaisherpa]

I own both…selling my T7. The Tuareg is a much better moyorcycle imo. Great video!

[@JohannesDalen]

That’s interesting, thanks for sharing Steve. What exactly do you think the Tuareg does better? Thank you 😊

[@RadDadisRad]

Better is subjective. Your riding style prefers the Tuareg. My riding style prefers the T7 and does not like the Tuareg.

[@guzzidelgado]

Excelent video Mr. Dalen. Thanks for the review... your spontaneous character made it very entertaining as well as informative.

[@RamblingRuters]

As Tuareg owner I can say the heat on the right side is HOT!! Specifically when your riding here in Arizona 🥵. Also the aerodynamics could be better on the road, but it is a blast off-road, comfortable and handles great kicking that rear out, you have to get it broken in, first service done then you can get the engine to rev out more and the quick shifter option added, it's super easy at low speeds. Good review brother

[@KrishnaKumar-hz8my]

Excuse me sir do you see any crack or anything from hard enduro jumping and landing on seat

[@RamblingRuters]

@@KrishnaKumar-hz8my none, great seat, although I don't do too much extreme jumping

[@adamanderson8838]

What part of AZ? I’m up in Payson & missed out on a Tuareg purchase. The last one that came up for me to buy a coupe days ago has the endaco paint scheme that I’m not interested in. The extra cost is over my budget considering all the gear to go with as I’m a new rider. It would be most helpful to me to know what you paid out the door for yours also. I didn’t like the extra costs involved & so I held out. It is frustrating that buyers pay the top asking price of these over priced machines. Every dealer I have worked with knows that KZbin has hyped up the adventure bikes & with how rare the T7 & 660’s are they don’t budge on price. They are marking up the shipping, assembly & doc fees to boot😬 feed back please & thank you.

[@RamblingRuters]

@@adamanderson8838 I'm in the W Valley area (Buckeye), yea with the crappy economy right now freight fees have gone up and most dealers in my 20+ yrs of riding will charge for the prep fee and some don't (rarely). I put a little down on mine and was roughly $13k otd with taxes, doc fees etc. I'm actually looking at selling it as it just doesn't fit my needs, I have the gold color with matte black wheels model, really pretty in person.

[@jfcuylits1759]

It’s hot on both side. It’s burning your legs. I tried the Tuareg this summer and I found it amazing except this problem that it heats your legs. It’s really a blocking point and so I bought a KTM 890 Adventure R. I’m really happy with this bike.

[@RadDadisRad]

I prefer the T7 over the Tuareg. It lugs around better at lower speeds which is what I need.

[@JohannesDalen]

Yeah the T7 is incredible at lugging, that's why I think it is the best adventure bike engine available. Pick any gear and throttle your way over anything!

[@trailrunnermike]

@@JohannesDalen rode a T7 off-road for 6-8 hours a day for 4 days in a row last week. Lugging Champ for sure! I really liked the engines power delivery very much. Enough power for anything I want to do for sure.

[@JohannesDalen]

@@trailrunnermike That's awesome! Where did you ride?

[@timm1583]

I actually wanted the T7 but two years of no stock I went and bought the Aprilia. It's a pretty fun bike can't compare to the T7 as I never even got to see one for sale let alone ride one.

[@captainamerica9353]

Tim M , yes and I wonder when any Honda Transalps will show up? I have to assume those are already sold out, or will be. A friend just drove all day to get a new Honda CB500X in SD, there were none in all of north central MN and WI. And the few that dealers have, often come with $800 of dealer fees! How is your Aprilia and what is the dealer like?

[@angrytuareg4344]

Love my Toe Rag ! ...coming from dirt bikes and Supermoto's... and now older a wanting more gadgets and gismo's this is as close to a unicorn that I've ever owned ..cruise control yes please ! seriously this bike is the cats meow !

[@angrytuareg4344]

come to the Dark side its time to buy a Tuareg and become one !

[@OFFroadOFFcourse]

happy birthday man! you got me one step closer to wanting to try one :p ...not that i didnt want before, but now i want even more, hehe

[@JohannesDalen]

Thanks a lot Diogo. When I rode this bike today my first thought was to message you and ask if you've ridden it, but the day has been so busy - I'm super interested to hear your thoughts about it!

[@MichaelShaw206]

I tried to find a T7 but they are hard to come by where I live. I stumbled into the Tuareg 660 and bought it - mostly because I was afraid of missing an opportunity given the scarce market. I've been pleasantly surprised. I agree about the looks - meh - but it is so fun to ride, the electronics are well done (shifting ride modes on the fly, cruise control) and tubeless tires are a blessing. I've bought the OEM grip warmers and installed crash bars. I'll add barkbusters because the plastic handguards would not survive a fall. I'm now looking for a Honda 450L to complement the Tuareg, which is still too heavy to ride alone in technical trails - anything over 200 kg/450lbs is too heavy for this old man.

[@JohannesDalen]

Happy to hear the Tuareg is serving you well Michael, it sure is a great bike! Just out of curiosity, how has the reliability been and how many KMs do you have on yours? A Tuareg and a 450L sounds like a great combo.

[@MichaelShaw206]

@@JohannesDalen I'm still breaking it in so I don't have a lot of miles yet, 400 or so. I'm lucky to have a dealer nearby, which is unusual, and it has a two-year warranty so I'm not too worried. There's a Facebook group that focuses on 660 problems but nothing seems to be a chronic problem, like the 701 clutch slave cylinder issue or the 790 display problem. We'll see how the year goes. Happy birthday young man! Can't even remember 30.😆

[@adamanderson8838]

Curious what your out the door cost was on the Tuareg. I hear you on scarce with our adventure bike interests & going for it on the Tuareg. I past on a acid Gold Tuareg here in Scottsdale AZ. I’m up in payson & did not like the extra fees. Please help a fellow buyer with knowledge of your experience. Thank you. Adam

[@MichaelShaw206]

@@adamanderson8838 No problem! I paid msrp of $11,999 plus freight & handling ($1,000, which is why I hate buying new). Sales tax is 10.4% where I live thus another $1,351. No additional fees beyond the licensing fee.

[@adamanderson8838]

Thank you for the details on your purchase. Most helpful.

[@kymcopyriot9776]

Happy birthday mate! Love how we are getting to see your personality in these more spontaneous videos. Knew you’d love the Aprilia. Loved the German/Italian comparison…as a man of German heritage I love my Italian bikes and own a Tuono which has the same happy, fun attitude as the Tuareg. However, in Australia I am forced to apply some cold logic. When you are 500 kilometres from civilisation and you have a problem, you might be lucky enough to find a Yamaha franchise that can help, but if you tell them you ride an Aprilia they’ll have no idea what you’re talking about!

[@MotoPassport]

Spot on mate bout being in the middle of woop woop. I found that out on my trip and made me wish I had a Japanese bike. Now that said gees I love my Aprilia.

[@valefur72]

Aprilia fix some issues on the latest production as well of the low end torque, now better. In Italy they sell now the bike with new colours and good discounts. Probably now it's a better option than before.

[@urbanadventurer5]

Happy birthday buddy! I hope you have a great birthday weekend. The Aprilia seems to have lots of positives. It’s on the 2nd phase short list for me along with the KTM 890 Adventure R, T7, and the new Suzuki V Strom 700 if they ever release it. I probably won’t be ready for a middleweight for a year or more though so I am stuck living vicariously through your adventures for now lol.

[@lynvigo]

Hi Johannes, little did I know when I was watching this video many months ago, that I would end up buying this EXACT bike you are riding in the video. Rode it from Kristiansand back to Oslo yesterday. Hope you didn’t ride it too hard hehe😜 If you want to do some comparison videos some day (Tuareg vs T7 etc), I would be up for meeting up and going on some rides. Anyway, keep up the good work with your channel, I have really been enjoying you videos👍

[@JohannesDalen]

Hey Morten, that is so cool to hear 😁 Congrats on a fantastic bike and thanks a lot for offering me to test ride it - I hope our paths cross. Ride safe and enjoy your new Italian stallion! Thanks for the kind words Morten 😊

[@SB-Kiwi]

Nice review. Regarding the snatchy throttle of the T7, I believe it is to do with a complete cutting of fuel on deceleration so that when throttle is applied again the initial shot of fuel causes snatchy throttle. The only way to remedy this is during the remapping process of the ecu and toggling this fuel cut "function" to off. It's pretty well documented on MT-07 forums etc. Hope this helps.

[@danstevens2204]

I adjusted my throttle cable after one ride. Problem solved.

[@SB-Kiwi]

@@danstevens2204 so did I. Problem alleviated but not completely eliminated.

[@danstevens2204]

@@SB-Kiwi it’s certainly nothing that concerns me. 600-800cc Parallel twins in quads I’ve ridden are very similar. My T7 is a 2020 model so I’m unsure if the later euro 5 models differ.

[@SB-Kiwi]

@@danstevens2204 likewise. I ride around it. I won't be dropping a thousand bucks to get it remapped either.

[@cossiedrifter]

Really wish it had a retro twin round headlight design like the Ducati Desert X.

[@alexanderkirschke6601]

I had for 2 years a Teneré. Ä very good Bike! And i've driven the Tuareg. The Teneré is even better in my opinion. The Best engine in the class, better windshild, the suspension is even less, but enough and good, the sound is better! For this class i don't need a lot of driving modes. And... the T7 looks so much better!!! But it's only my opinion!

[@Rob-tl9md]

That is a very rare opinion.

[@Rusonekox9]

When you said HAD does that mean you changed it for something better?

[@alexanderkirschke6601]

@@Rusonekox9 I had changed to a bigger one. Husqvarna Norden 901. It's different, but also great!

[@alexanderkirschke6601]

@@Rob-tl9md opinions can be different. 😉

[@Mistro07]

@@Rob-tl9md out of the amount of people that ride these things how many did you ask before you created your opinion? my guess is not enough to statistically matter

[@Ritalie]

The first generation bikes are good, but can have minor catastrophic problems. It will be interesting to see how reliable the Tuareg is. I really hope that Aprilia can grow and be a bigger company, because their products are really unique and the engines sound absolutely amazing. The are very good bikes, and I think Ducati bikes are too big, and too complicated, and I love the simplicity of the Aprilia products.

[@motoric5188]

Seen the vid in the feed this week, said to myself I'll spare this one for the weekend. Now feel sorry whyI havent come and at least chime in for few minutes... So here I am, with the delay, wishing you all the best for your birthday Johannes! 14:24 😅 So happy for you my man! 😁 This are the moments we live for! Cheers Johannes, keep it up! 👍

[@kevinmccarthy621]

Happy birthday Johannes. You are doing a great job with the channel!

[@JoakimGulbrandsen]

The Toureg 660 really seems like a good option. Ive had a BMW G650X, and those were built by Aprilia - to me it was a solid bike, fun single-banger 650cc and very reliable, Although i broke the chain roller a couple times because of bottoming out the travel height. But i miss that bike so bad, and if the Toureg is similar it would be an awesome bike to own. Also happy 30th birthday!

[@bikeserv]

G650 was a testride bike which I got to ride when I was a bmw tech

[@JoakimGulbrandsen]

@@bikeserv how did you like it?

[@bikeserv]

The seat was really hard. Was a good bike though

[@lazios]

I forgot, I happened by chance (thanks to the "famous" algorithm), I want to congratulate you on the complete and also funny review. 👍

[@ivanlalev8223]

And my car is crammed with a lot of electronic control options that I end up using....almost never. All kinds of tickles that I studied at first with trepidation, and now I don't even remember. T7 has ABS. You turn it on, you turn it off. Point. Beautiful engine, suspension, exterior design. Excellently thought out bike for all terrains. It was heavy! Well, train people!

[@wanderlustadventures8850]

Happy Birthday Johannes 😎🙌 Hope you have a good one! Great review! I totally agree with you when you said, that aprilia would have sold more bikes when they had more dealers. I think the next shop near my area is 90km away. And from there it takes you another 200km to the next aprilia dealer. I would like to testride a touareg although i love my T7 and will keep this tank for sure 💪 Have a great weekend 😎

[@urbanadventurer5]

Johannes I am watching this for like the third time intentionally. I closed the deal on a brand new Kawasaki Versys X-300 today as my first adv bike. I am super excited to get out there on something that isn’t a dirt bike. The Versys isn’t the goal though. The Tuareg is. I just wanted to thank you for all of the candid footage and advice you have shared. I feel like I chose a safe and good starter bike and you helped me get there and you helped me select my goal bike with this video. Thanks my friend. 👍🏾

[@JohannesDalen]

Hello my friend, I'm very happy to hear that you've found my videos and advice helpful - and congratulations on a new bike! I haven't ridden the Versys x300 myself, but I've only heard good things. Good sized gas tank, relatively lightweight, bulletproof, so many good things to it. Let me know how you like the bike when you have some time with it. Enjoy and ride safe :)

[@urbanadventurer5]

@@JohannesDalen thanks! It felt like a good place to start and unlike the 300L, it was available around here. Let the games begin lol.

[@ferkuzuel]

Happy birthday Johannes! it was a Great and honest review 😊🏍️👍

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you for the wishes and the kind words my friend!

[@Unfunny_Username_389]

16:51 - totally agree - I think the "something" is the size of the gap between the top of the mudguard and the bottom of the lights assembly. The lights need to be a bit bigger, basically. I suppose that would add weight - but not much. I'm a massive power-to-weight geek, so I should against such excess baggage....however, in the case of the Toe-rag, I think I'd make an exception.

[@JohannesDalen]

Yeah that could definitely be it. In the end however, if I was in the marked for a new adv bike, I wouldn't let the looks sway me away from this bike, because it is an excellent bike!

[@Unfunny_Username_389]

@@JohannesDalen I have ridden my friend's. I liked it. In particular I thought the suspension was nice and plush - I was expecting something much firmer, and unyielding. But in fact, I could quickly tell that the Toe-rag would be a comfy bike - a criterion that is very high on my list. I also would put the Triumph Tiger XCA in that kind of category (the 2016 model, e.g.) - courtesy of its White Power suspension front and back. Now really - the Triumph Tiger is one ugly bike. Good grief. But I always think, so what - you can't see it when you're on it.

[@jotemenkir]

Great review! I've been eyeing one for quite some time. I need to find a dealer that'll let me test ride one. Happy cake day!

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you Jote! Let me know if you find one and test ride it, curious to hear what others think as well.

[@be4tnl]

Happy birthday mate! The open mind approach is the right one for any bike. I liked this test more than the 'German test', I guess riding bikes is about emotion. But we do have to stay rational about buying bikes.. And about change..yes you will. With growth the need for change will come, you had that with the t7-701-t7, and more will happen in the future..just keep an open mind.

[@klccmd]

Excellent review. Thank you, that's the bike for me:) Happy Birthday!

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you very much Kevin! So you own one or are you about to get one?

[@cogentdynamics]

I have ridden one. I love it. Might sell one of my DR650s for.

[@gbner9991]

Very informative video, thanks. The only thing I would really like from the Touareg on my T7 are the tubeless wheels :)

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you for watching. Yes that would have been nice, I agree. I would have added the CC too.

[@gbner9991]

@@JohannesDalen true I forgot that one, that's probably the biggest advantage of all that you get from having ride by wire...

[@standoutbizpeter]

Happy birthday mate. Great bike. Now Diogo needs one for Portugal...

[@urbanadventurer5]

Thank you for the answer to my questions as well!

[@wolfganglueger1691]

Nice review. I switched from a 97er ATwin DCT to a new 2022er T7. I just test rode it once because of interest never wanted to by it, was looking for a bigger bike but i loved it immediately because of the engine and the handling and its simplicity. For me: as long as you ride alone, you will never miss anything. For me the aprilia: Looks ugly, Reliability? (heard weird things from aprilia riders) Engine (C2 is better) Emotions? it looks way cheaper then the yam. For me the T7 is not perfekt but the best bike for the money by far. The higher center of gravity which is always mentionend is the reason for the superb handling of the T7 imho, no other bike has this, you can ride it with this flexibility in the turns, i love it. The AT (e.g.) is a stubborn goat in comparison. With all the bikes i have had over the years, the T7 is one of the rare that will stay! Looking forward to throwing in the öhlins suspensions next year. Your T7 looks great, can support all you said!

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you Wolfgang! Interesting that you point out the high center of gravity on the T7 being a positive thing, most will call it a negative. I agree with you, the higher center of gravity makes the bike more agile. This was pointed and explained to me by one of the guys I rode the TET here in Norway with, another T7 rider from Sweden, a very good rider. I didn't think about that until he pointed it out. The T7 I now have is here to stay for a long time. Thanks for watching!

[@theurbanway10]

Happy birthday Johannes and tnx for a good review 😊

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you very much :)

[@dengyuansun2100]

Happy birthday, very nice review

[@kirkmulhearn7931]

Thank you for your review 😊 , it’s a handsome bike, but the value of the T7 is unbeatable

[@johnandersson]

Congratulations Johannes!

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you John!

[@max.fleming1045]

Happy birthday Johannes 🥳. I fully agree with the looks of the 660. Not as fugly as a KTM but still couldn't bring myself to buy one. As for reliability I also couldn't say but overall Aprilla doesn't have a great track record. In case you're not familiar with the vlog "fort nine" it would be worth checking out. Ryan of fortnine fame got his hands on lots of different bikes and did the first oil change on them and sent off samples to a lab. If memory serves me right, Aprilla came in very close to last if not last?. Lots of metal filings etc from the manufacturing process still in the crankcase.

[@teneridertravels]

Yes Max, F9's oil comparison was scary, wasn't it? That stuff which came out of the Italian bikes looked gross! Still, in general I really adore them for their design. But the Tuareg looks like a bike inspired by the 80s - but not in a good way. Especially I really dislike the seat, rims and rear.

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you very much Max! Ryan and his channel is simply art, I absolutely love his videos. I didn't recall that about Aprilia, but now that you mention it, wasn't it the same with Ducati as well?

[@max.fleming1045]

I don't remember if Ducati was on the test but I wouldn't expect it to be much better if it was. Having said that I confess, though I don't suspect I'll ever get one, the current bike of my dreams is a Ducati desert sled. I think it'd be too much like a lover that turns out to be high maintenance and demands lots of money spent on them to keep them happy 😅.

[@stopper90004]

@@max.fleming1045 the desert sled is nowhere as good as it looks. I test rode it when i was riding my KTM 690r and the Ducati was very slow and heavy in comparison. You should try the Triumph Scrambler 1200... It's a revelation on and off road!

[@jpaulie2008]

Happy Birthday, thanks for review. I would love to test ride a toureg. But like you, I like my my bikes simple. My currrent adv bike has anti-lock brakes and a tft dash....about as complicated as I want. Was not sure about the anti-lock brakes until I needed them. Just need to add the cut out switch for off road now. A cruise control would be nice, but there are work arounds for that. Enjoy the cake.

[@shassabo]

Can’t wait until you try the other Italian beast. Ducati DesertX will blow your mind. Balance, control, power, and suspension. It’s got it all 🔥

[@JohannesDalen]

I will as soon as I get the chance 😁 it looks the part, that’s for sure, curious to see if it rides as well as it looks!

[@wilhelmvage5157]

I have a moto guzzi v85tt. But wanna change it to tuareg 660. Also live in Norway. Have been riding Italian brands for 17 years never feelt unsafe or afraid for reability. Wanna go more offload. But really like the v85tt also

[@giovannicolligc]

Amazing video man!! tried this bike... so good. Also: definitely agree on the Italian approach :D

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you Gio!

[@paulvandervyver4223]

The Tuareg is one heck of a bike, it ticks all the boxes. The only 2 things that really concern me are dealership support and long-term reliability of the bike. I believe it cannot compete with Japanese manufacturers in this regard

[@Ritalie]

The gear ratios are the problem with all the new bikes, especially the Tuareg. Basically, you will need to get completely new custom sprockets if you want to drive the Tuareg in North America on the 80mph freeways. You can't use the stock gearing because it runs about 6,000 rpms at 70mph on thre Tuareg. One person said he was selling his because it was just geared too short, and that was even after a 1 tooth increase on the front sprocket. I think you could get a custom CNC rear sprocket made, which would turn the bike into a real ADV bike. A real ADV bike needs to have highway gears, not gearing for a cow pasture.

[@henryhawk978]

I understand what you are saying about Italian and feeling that spirit. 5 out of 6 of my bikes are Italian 3 Moto Guzzi, 1 Ducati and 1 Aprilia. So if you take the same thought process and try the V 85TT and see what you come up with. Enjoyed the video and RIDE SAFE!

[@sorenmelchior]

You mentioned lack of distribution of Aprilia, and I echo that as sadly there are no dealers where I live (Alaska) to test one out.

[@vinaykhanduri3261]

I beg to differ on the looks - I think this is the best looking mid-weight adv bike out there. Reliability is what I am not sure about. And as you mentioned, the dealer network and support - 450+ Yamaha dealers vs around 50 for Aprillia in the US.

[@___Tom]

happy birthday man!

[@JohannesDalen]

Thanks a lot Tom!

[@cliftonsr]

T-7 is geared way lower than the Tuareg that is why it may feel a little bit more torquey. The Tuareg needs wider spaced gears for sure in my opinion, I own this same Tuareg like the one you were riding but believe me it has more torque and horsepower than the T-7. Just compare the two bikes on a dyno test machine, also turn off traction control on the Tuareg it will blow away the T-7. But your right that T-7 looks awesome and I have been a fan of Yamaha dirt bikes since 1973 and I started out on a Yamaha dirt bike when I was just a kid and they a special place in my heart for hitting the off road dirt and hills in the country. Awesome video keep them coming!

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you for your kind words! Yes I can imagine the Tuareg is peppier because it has more HP, but during my little test I didn’t feel the difference was that big, like when I rode the 901 or 890. Since you own a Tuareg, out of interest because many seem to ask about this - has yours been reliable, and how many KMs do you have on it? Thanks and have a great day!

[@vladimirilic3593]

@@JohannesDalen I think the problem is you riden it in urban mode , explorer mode is the mode to go because urban cuts horsepower and torque it's like rain mode big difference between urban and explorer, + the big fun begins from 7 6500 7000 rpm

[@TwoWheeledBooBear]

@@JohannesDalen Probably a late response to your inquiry, but I've owned mine since April of 2022 (the week it arrived in the US) and have had 0 issues with reliability. I'm also not particularly kind to it, though I DO perform all of my own servicing and maintenance. I bang around on it through single and double track and a wide variety of trails and tracks - occasionally cracking 100mph (not km/h haha) in the dirt, and it's served me perfectly well over the past 10,000 miles. My only issue is that front spokes were loose from the dealer leading to a wheel that ended up out of true almost immediately. At this point the rim is too far gone to sort, so I just have it "close" while waiting for a replacement. It still feels smooth at 75mph so not a deal breaker. Having spent a lot of time in the saddle on the 901, 890s, and on the T7 - there's not a doubt in my mind that I purchased the correct machine.

[@TwoWheeledBooBear]

@@vladimirilic3593 This isn't actually true. All of the riding modes are the same with regard to power - the only difference is the throttle response. Aprilia has confirmed this. The AES setting is very simply a toggle for deciding how aggressive you want the throttle to be. Crack it wide open and it'll still unleash all 80hp, but the initial jolt of power will be less aggressive if AES is set to its max setting such as in Urban mode.

[@JohannesDalen]

@@TwoWheeledBooBear Thanks a lot for the update - I’m very happy to hear it has served you well so far. If I didn’t have my T7 the Tuareg would be my choice, no doubt about it. Hope it continues to serve you well my friend, ride safe!

[@flyterlucki]

Liked how you admit it T7 is inferior to 660 in some area. I have the T7, and some specs from Aprilia sound so good but then I think about fiability and until now (22000 km) T7 was perfect and give me so much trust.

[@JohannesDalen]

I’m happy to give up some performance in order to gain that extra reliability. The peace of mind is easily worth it. Glad to hear your T7 is serving you well!

[@tockingwatches2377]

Very helpful review and Q&A as I consider a purchase.

[@JohannesDalen]

Happy to hear!

[@TallRider101]

Hello Johannes, after seeing your video i can say that for the same reasons you prefer Touareg, I have chosen the T7. I did the opposite test rode on the same day T7 and Touareg and after 30min on T7 i spent only 10min on Touareg. The dealer was concerned that something when wrong with Aprilia. Only thing wrong with it was my 40+yrs brain telling me you are sitting on a wrong machine....

[@johnjaques342]

Happy Birthday!

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you very much John!

[@glennwr450]

Maybe a high front fender like the 890r. Your heart pumping and legs shacking you talking about riding the bike or riding something else😂. Great review and happy birthday

[@thodoris3790]

this headlamp...urrrg.the thing getting better with a metal protector

[@inrptn]

Great review Johannes, and Happy Birthday man! The 660 is my most wanted bike right now. I probably won't be in the market for a new bike until 2024, maybe by then the Honda Transalp will be something to consider too. Have you seen Brake Magazine's video series on making the T7 an off-road monster? Is that something you are interested in doing with yours?

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you very much my friend! I’m excited to see what Honda brings out. For some reason my hopes aren’t that high, I’m imagining a 220kg street oriented touring adventure bike. I really hope they prove me wrong and bring out a sweet lightweight adventure bike 😁 Yes I have seen those, and the rest of his videos - I absolutely love that channel. Much of the inspiration for this build comes from his build series. My bike will probably a bit less offroad oriented since this is my adventure bike.

[@whitedrguy6503]

Great review Johannes,nice and to the point. I have no doubt the Aprilia is a great bike, they have made great bikes in the past so they do have a great history of that, sadly they also have a great history of not being the most reliable bikes on the market. Italian motorcycles on a whole are all about passion and feeling, same as the cars, which is why most people buy them, reliability is second on the list, Japanese are the exact opposite, reliability is first, practicality is second and passion a distant last. Strangely it is the thing I dislike most about the T7 that I like about the T7, the engine. I dislike it because of the high COG but at the same time because of the way that engine sits in the frame and the built in anti squat of the rear suspension basic allowing for no need for TC, you really have to try to spin that rear wheel, it doesn’t just happen, I have ridden on a few rocky climbs and the bike just tracks true without stepping out, bloody impressive. I like the new camera angle mate works better than the telly tubby look. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@DaBinChe]

It is not just bigger brand but parts takes half a year to get.....at least here in the US

[@robertadair6612]

Nice review Johannes, and happy birthday for Friday! As per your request, my first bike was a Suzuki TS250 (1972), this was known as a 'trail bike'... over the years I owned and fell in love with KTM's, but never the heavy adventure bikes! Although long in the tooth I can tell you the latest KTM 690 enduro needs a remap to clean up its bottom end power (could be sold by KTM as an 'off road' option to get around the Euro 5 regs) a slightly wider gearbox, a much better dashboard display and larger but adjustable windscreen...😊

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you for your kind words and birthday wishes Robert! The 690/701 sure has a lot of potential with the great LC4 engine and well balanced chassis, but as you point out it does need some mods. A taller sixth would definitely be nice. I had a taller screen on mine but it still felt a bit too light on the highway, the winds were tearing me apart.

[@shassabo]

Wait until you ride a Ducati DesertX 😅 it’s absurdly good.

[@papawhisky2935]

5:38 Johannes why do you have to do me like that? Cliffhanger for another month? Dude! P.S. Happy birthday mate. Welcome to the dark side

[@JohannesDalen]

I don't want to hype it too much, but I think it's worth the wait! Thanks a lot my friend, the dark side seems pretty good so far :)

[@alfredstaude3955]

Gratulerer med dagen min venn!

[@JohannesDalen]

Hjertelig takk Alfred!

[@pinnacleroofing9841]

I own both bikes currently. Taureg shines - in height (for me), suspension, giddyup / power, modes (if you're into that). T7 shines in - low end torque on the steep, slow, rocky stuff. toughness, I have beat the dogsh!t out of it and it takes all very well, Wind protection, Lack of electronics (i like that), no heat on my legs (taureg puts out too much heat), T7 is much narrower. Muffler bracket is a problem on both. The Taureg has a lot of shitty parts (kickstand bracket, shifter and brake pedals, lack of quality protection options, everything is exposed). In the end, with all the benefits of the Taureg, I still like the T7 better, I can't put my finger on why.

[@aegetswil1]

What about the windshield? I too am 6'4" and got a load of wind burble @ helmet. Did you experience the same?

[@BigDaveTALKS]

First off Happy Birthday and Great video. Man I am contemplating getting the Tuareg or a new dirt bike next year. That said, you bought it didn't you🤣🤣

[@SmokinZen]

It’s seems like Aprilia paid very close attention to the T7 and created a bike addressing it’s short comings. I have a T7 and like what Aprilia created. As much as I try to deal with the top heaviness of the T7, I just can’t get used to it. Aprilia may be a bike I will be keeping an eye on along with others.

[@JohannesDalen]

It does feel 20 kg lighter than the T7. They were really smart with where they placed the tank and air box.

[@daddio1954]

Ditto. Will trade my t7 for this….

[@danstevens2204]

If I needed traction control I’d buy a smaller bike. Wheel spin is generally part of off-road riding. Looks like a reasonable bike especially for the first of a model but I’d never own one.

[@BrookStockton]

Agree on the looks. In promo pictures at certain angles it looks good but when walking around it can look funky.

[@JohannesDalen]

"Funky" is a good word. It definitely out-rode its looks though!

[@kostasrestas]

what if we compare Tenere World Raid with Tuareg ?? what suspension is greater then ????

[@phil6347]

Reliability, is it really that main factor that some of you don't buy the Tuareg ... All you have to do is have a good look at KTM s there not so perfect but everyone loves to have one of them .. Can't wait to get my Tuareg and get rid of the T700 🎉😊

[@mathiaszingmark2034]

Hi Johannes. Thanks for your honest and unprepared review of the Tuareg 660. If you have the opportunity to test KTM 890 R, be sure it have the "Tech Pack" installed. The 890 R in rally mode is a blast! Lots of torque, from low end for your to enjoy doing powerslides like a pro. Take care!

[@Joey730]

Happy 30th B day Johannes✌✌

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you Josef 😊

[@wb4367]

I wanted to buy a T7 for a long time now. Prices have gone crazy now that i could afford one. On the other hand local (germany) dealers are selling the tuareg for 9900€ , as no one buys them. Might reconsider my choice.

[@martyn_g]

So, long term owners - any reliability issues? For an adventure bike, you don’t want to get stranded, so, what issues have popped up?

[@XtremeCoke]

Like your sensational review! Aprilia is known for class leading chassis and I have an RSV4 for that reason. For ADV I am not sure it's targeting T7 but more to husqvarna 901, Dessert X triumph Tiger 900 in my mind. Road oriented off road capable ride that can do long distance and pack with tech. I went for 890 ADV R for its off-road capability but long distance travel will be nowhere near as comfortable to all other bikes in the same category.

[@Advcrazy]

If you ever want to do a comparo with an 890R (with rally suspension) just let me know. I’m in Ålesund and haven’t tested a T7 yet ;)

[@IRQ1Conflict]

I actually like the way the front looks. But, more importantly, how does the lighting perform at night?

[@rykielkark]

Hi mate, enjoying your videos very much. I bought a Tuareg and sadly I have some problems and I am about to trade this thing in and get a replacement. I am torn between T7 and Tuareg again. Yes I know this is kind of funny to go and get another Tuareg, but this bike performance is fantastic for this category. The only thing I want from you, is which one of them would be the best platform to build on? Air Filter, ECU and exhaust, skid plate, crash bars and heated grips are the must upgrades for me (+suspension for the Tenere). I really appreciate your unbiased opinion. Thanks a lot.

[@JohannesDalen]

Hello there my friend! Too bad to hear that about your Tuareg. What kind of issues have you had with it? I appreciate your trust in my opinion. No matter what you do to the T7, it will not be as good as the Tuareg. But, it does have that legendary reliability, and if you are willing to sacrifice some performance for knowing your bike will most likely never let you down, the T7 is a good choice. Have you ridden the T7? It would be too bad if you went for it, only to regret your choice. It feels 20kg heavier than the Tuareg.

[@rykielkark]

@@JohannesDalen I have a lot of random cut offs of the engine and a couple of times even the tft turned completely off. This is a very dangerous situation, especially when it happens on the highway. I have info about good reliability in general, the same like any other company, and some random issues with small parts that are covered within the warranty. I love the Tuareg in every aspect, I really dont care about the electronics (Cruise Control, Traction Control, Engine Programmes etc I dont care at all) but the handling of this bike is awesome. The seat is one of the best seats I have ever been on, and at the same time it is good for off road, and at the same time it is good for the pilion. The suspension is fantastic for this price range, and the tubeless tyres are so good especially on pavement. The bike has such a character, but my problem is this: I love the simplicity of the Tenere (at least in theory) and I don’t like to switch bikes every 2-3 years. I want my bikes to last at least 7-8 years, so the investment I make upgrading them has more value.

[@HuFilms]

Nice one. How did you find the seat height? At 6'4" I'm guessing the Tenere suits a taller rider better? Edit: I see that you mention it. I still think the Tenere looks nicer, though looks don't matter as you said!

[@McPappan]

Vilken snäll fru! Jag tycker videokvalitén ser grym ut 👍 jag har en gopro 9, men jag vill ha en 11 🙂 Jag har inte testat den hojen, men jag har sett den i verklighet, tycker den känns mycket mindre än T7an. Grattis!

[@JohannesDalen]

Godt å høre, og dette var bare "easy settings", har ikke rukket å leke med innstillingene enda. Prøvekjør den om du får sjansen, du vil bli imponert!

[@gabrielkopp2036]

I do like the toureg 660...but I love my t7 like you I'm about the simplicity..I grew up riding bikes the lat 70 to mid 90s..as far I am concerned the rider is the ride modes.. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY "

[@JohannesDalen]

Thank you very much Gabriel!

[@michaelhartleib7923]

It sounds great

[@thaicraft1219]

If you look hard enough you’ll be sadly surprised at the feet shuffling that Aprilia is doing over some serious warranty claims nevermjnd the fact that some are potentially catastrophic failures.

[@AlbertManiscalco]

they are trying to evoke the eyes of a tuareg tribesman looking out from their indigo tagelmust, thats why they look like that in the front...i personally love it, as i think the majority of people feel based on watching many reviews

[@crazyRyoga]

I'm Italian, so Aprilia is a name that brings back memories to me, but I have to agree on the look. The T7 is simply stunning to see. The Tuareg is not ugly of course, but I didn't like it from day 1. The only bike I like as much (if not more) as the T7 is the Ducati Desert X, which is simply beautiful imho.

[@JohannesDalen]

The Desert X looks absolutely fantastic indeed! Have you ridden it yet?

[@crazyRyoga]

@@JohannesDalen No, I didn't ride one. Ducati's bikes are way out of my league anyway, and it seems like they are becoming even more expensive with new models XD

[@aviron2000]

Awesome review! Now's here's my question - I'm looking for a new bike and these two are on my short list.. I live in a hot climate, city center and use my bike daily (only have one vehicle - one bike) so as you can imagine a-t b-e-s-t I'll be a weekend warrior. Still I'm looking for something versatile with a fun factor Any thoughts about the Tuareg as a daily driver?

[@augustbrante8117]

I think everyone should take Aprilla if shorter than 6'2" everyone taller should look at the Tenere. But T7 is way to tall for average sized man. If you have an Aprilla shop close by it's a no brainer!

[@vgstb]

So if reliability is so important (and all the rest is secondary) , then why not stick with the undeniable champion in that regard: the Honda XR600?

[@exploreR3ality]

Thanks for a great review. I watched also the one from two days ago. I know that you mentioned size few times, and that you felt cramped on it, but how much is it really, since your T7 has higher seat and lower pegs ? If you imagine that you do same things to 660 (higher seat, lower pegs) - how would it feel then, could that be a deal breaker for us tall people (i am also 194 cm - 6" 4)? All the best!

[@JohannesDalen]

Hello there! I'm basing this on memory, but I can't remember feeling more cramped on the Tuareg than on a stock T7. I'm somewhat cramped on any bike, and I rode five 10 hour days on a 250L in Portugal and it was never so uncomfortable that it was a deal breaker. Stop every now and then for a stretch and back on the bike all fine. The biggest "issue" would be the standing position. On the 250L it's hard to get in a proper "attack" position because it's so small, but that isn't the case with the Tuareg, or any other mid sized twin. Hope this helps!

[@exploreR3ality]

@@JohannesDalen yes, thanks mate. Keep up the good work!