🏆The Aprilia Tuareg 660: My FINAL Review🚀

In this video I give my closing review on ownership of the Aprilia Tuareg 660. I go through the Pro's and Cons of ownership, and also detail some of my personal experiences with the bike. I hope you enjoy the video, and if you ever have any questions please reach out! I'd love to help. Thank you for watching Adventurers!

[@danielmicyk9645]

Came here for the Tuareg reviews and ended up buying one, awesome machine that fits my needs. What you’re doing for pediatric cancer patients is incredible, you’re an awesome human Ryan. Keep up the fight and thank you for what you do!

[@advryan1]

@@danielmicyk9645 Thank you for the kind words Daniel! It has been such a blessing. Doing these events has given me a new perspective on life and I'm so thankful for the opportunity. It's support from people like you that make me love this sport, and inspires me to be better everyday. Thank you 🙏 truly, for watching, and spending a little time with me on here. Ride safe brother!👊😎

[@rorymiskimen5221]

Great comments! I moved from a VStrom 650 to the Tuareg 660, and I absolutely love the T660. Will add that the cruise control and quick shifter are amazing. There are some great tips here, and I’m saving this video. Thanks!

[@advryan1]

Thank you for stopping by Rory! I'm sure the switch over from the V-Strom had you grinning from ear to ear. And yes, I 100% agree that the cruise is a delight. I don't ride street, but would occaisionally commute and it was fantastic on the highway stretches. I never had experience with the quickshifter, but have heard once you get one you never want to go back. Thanks again for watching Rory! Ride safe!

[@MrRumBacardi]

After 2 minutes of you not even talking about the bike I subbed. After the Video I subbed and liked, great stuff. The intro video really shows off your skill and the bikes capabilities, when on a clip it looks like a rough, steep hill then it probably is 10X worse in real life. Keep up the great work!

[@advryan1]

@@MrRumBacardi thank you for stopping by and subbing! I appreciate the kind words! The footage truly never captures the gnarly stuff or inclines ha. The rock bed at the beginning of the video was the scariest of all of them when I round the corner and saw it. Thought for sure I'd bite the dust. 😅 I'm glad you enjoyed it. Some good riding/content to come! Thanks again for watching!

[@MrRumBacardi]

@@advryan1 i’m still on the fence between the Ducati Desert X and the Tuareg… ! Thanks for the response

[@advryan1]

@@MrRumBacardi I think both are great options. I'd say the Tuareg if you want to do more dirt, and the Ducati if you lean towards more street. Although, that's based on reviews I've watched and testimony from riders who have ridden both. Both however, are sweet bikes! I hear maintenance is easier on the Tuareg. Specifically the air filter change. Fyi. A lot of things to consider!

[@houwailo2281]

Nice video,I'm a chinese tuareg owner,I also got these problems and the survise is much worse than KTMs because KTM 790advr is CKD in CHINA ,.we can easly buy the parts in China,that's why the 790 is more popular than 660 in China,but I love tuareg ,lightweight, smooth throttle , extrodinary suspension ,that's what I really need

[@advryan1]

@@houwailo2281Thanks for stopping by! I do love the KTMs, but they do seem more prone to gremlins than other brands. I know that gap has closed over the years, as I had a 390 Adventure that I loved, but it had the low speed stall that I'm not sure was ever sorted. The 790 seems like a sweet bike. I will say, if you like all the creature comforts, the Aprilia is loaded with them. The customizable ride modes and TFT were top notch. I was really happy with the seat as well. Seemed they went above the norm on that as most bikes need a new seat for comfort but the Tuareg seat was so plush and comfy. If I had it to do over again, I'd still choose the Aprilia. I wish I could've kept it. Needing a dual sport bike though for the technical stuff. I don't want to beat up something so nice like the Aprilia, but it is definitely capable of taking a beating and keeping on.

[@carlosmurgelcddr.1418]

Thanks for the video, we don't have this bike in Brasil.

[@advryan1]

@@carlosmurgelcddr.1418 Thank you for stopping by! I appreciate your engagement. Hopefully Aprilia will offer the bike there in the near future. It's a great platform for adventure!

[@davidrosen5137]

Really enjoyed this review, Ryan. My '24 is on order. The test ride made me feel like a kid again. The wait is excruciating! I'm coming from two shaft drive bikes in a row starting with an '07 BMW to a '14 Super Tenere I parted with a few days ago. Never toured with a chain drive. What do you recommend carrying on trips?

[@advryan1]

@@davidrosen5137 Thank you for stopping by David! I'm excited for you brother! The Tuareg is definitely something to be excited about for sure. Things like this are what I love to hear. So glad you enjoyed the review. I've had a few shaft driven cruisers, and can definitely relate to switching over to chain. Always a good practice to clean and lube the chain when coming off a multi day ride or when it gets real dirty. As far as what to "absolutely" carry on trips, in terms of being prepared, my best advice is tire spoons, a small travel size bottle of dish soap, tools to take off both of the wheels(rear axle nut is 22mm which is an odd size/which can be upgraded to a more common size), and tools to access the air filter. I also suggest a rotopax for remote rides. Never hurts to have extra fuel, and being stranded is no fun. Also a great idea to carry an air pump and a tire plug/patch kit. The Aprilia tires are tubeless, which is nice, but I also recommend carrying a tube for an emergency. I'd carry two tubes if I were going solo in the bush, and you'd need a pair of pliers to pull the tubeless stem fyi. From there on is totally up to you! I will say, a solar powered mini fan was worth it's weight in gold blowing on me in the tent in New Mexico at night. 😉 That's IF you plan to camp. One bonus, if you want to carry luggage, Mosko Moto 80 liter reckless is the best in the biz. Hassle free luggage is priceless at camp and when riding knowing it's all secure. If you have any other specific questions feel free to ask! I'd love to help. 😎

[@davidrosen5137]

@@advryan1 Thanks man! This is the way!

[@advryan1]

@@davidrosen5137 Anytime David! This is the way! 🚀😎🙏

[@lj1177]

Thanks for sharing this review. My Tuareg has so far been flawless. It turns out to be a great versatile and comfortable touring bike that can handle dirt better than its competition while easily keeping up with larger adventure bikes in real comfort on open roads at any speed. However, I also ride BDRs and the Pirelli STR tires (while great on road whether wet or dry) are a bit too sketchy for my taste on loose dirt. Any tire advice? Also, I'm about the same weight as you and I've been fiddling with the suspension settings. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[@advryan1]

@@lj1177 Hey LJ, the Tuareg is such an awesome machine no doubt! And I would agree on the Pirellis. If you are wanting more tire for offroad, but still want to commute, I highly suggest the Shinko 804/805's. If I commuted, that would be the tire setup I'd choose everytime. Folks usually turn to the TKC80's, and they aren't a bad tire, but they are overpriced for how quickly they wear, and the front tends to want to dive into corners too aggressively. However, the Shinko 804/805's are the best I've found. Smoother on the highway than the TKC80's, and last a lot longer as well. Another plus! They are cheap! I actually finished the Continental Divide with the Shinko rear tire and it did great, even on single track. We hit hard pack, gravel, and pavement and it was quiet. Can't recommend that setup enough! As for the suspension setup, Unloaded, I went 4 clicks in stiffer on the front and 6 clicks stiffer on the rear. Fully loaded I left the front alone and went to 10 clicks stiffer on the rear. I felt that was a decent setup for me. I didn't get a chance to properly set the sag. If you can do that, I'd say that's your best bet fully loaded. Thank you for stopping by LJ! Happy to answer any questions you have anytime!😎

[@lj1177]

@@advryan1 Thank you for the info! That sounds like a good balanced setting. I'll try it.

[@advryan1]

@@lj1177 awesome! Thank you again for stopping by. I hope you'll come back for more content. A lot of exciting stuff on the horizon for the channel. Ride safe brother!

[@lj1177]

@@advryan1 Thank you for a very useful answer!

[@petterbudt]

The next sentence is In reference to the rear brake bolt breaking, My nut fell off while riding! I was just on a nice familiar road in the countryside and the display said i either was using the back brake to much or something like that. I had about 100Km on it and had not been using the back brake much(Who does?) (Se short video on my profile, you can tell its real since there is no like or subscribe on it 😛)

[@advryan1]

@@petterbudt oh no!!! I tell you what, I can completely believe that. My spokes were loose from the floor and I didn't catch it. So I'll be checking hardware like a hawk on my next bike you better believe it! Unfortunate for you on the trail to have that happen! Glad it wasn't any worse! And thanks for stopping by the channel!

[@stevec3936]

Looks like a blast! Why did you get rid of the Tuareg and what did you end up getting? I just bought a 24 and really lovin' it.

[@advryan1]

@@stevec3936 Hey Steve! The Tuareg is/was a treat. If I could have two bikes I'd have kept it for sure. So my brother and my friend Brad both got 500's. I wrestled with that, as I don't want to have to do oil changes constantly, nor do I care to do regular top end jobs down the road so I went back to the dual sport class. I ordered a Gold AJP PR7 Limited Edition due to arrive at the end of the month. Super excited for it! Comes with the Ohlins suspension, and will be a much lighter attack vehicle for the Gnarly stuff. I do miss the Tuareg, and will definitely miss the creature comforts that it provided. The only part I won't miss is the weight. At some point I may return to a mid size. Time will tell! Hoping the AJP is solid!

[@petegrimshaw530]

Great review thanks. 1 small point, I think Aprilia would like it if you called it an April(ee)a !

[@advryan1]

@@petegrimshaw530 thank you for stopping by and watching Pete! And yes, my country accent tends to cut corners at times. 😂 The Aprileeeuhhh is #1!!!

[@petegrimshaw530]

@@advryan1 Have you ridden the MT Moto 450 Mt yet ? It looks like a good middleweight.

[@advryan1]

@@petegrimshaw530 I haven't given it a serious look yet honestly. I've seen a few posts about it, I'm just not sure about the quality. Being so new, and knowing where it's made gives me a pause. It looks polished though. And even though it's from China, it might help the market prices come down a bit. Competition is always good, but I'd give a bike like that a year on the trail before I made a decision to buy personally. See what all the issues are. The Aprilia was also a bit of a risk, but I knew Aprilia had been around, and the engine used on the Aprilia is in their Sportbike platform so it was an educated risk at least. Only time will tell!

[@fixxfixx]

The T7 extreme got the KYB as well 👍

[@advryan1]

@@fixxfixx good to know! I hadn't heard that. Is that a newer model T7?

[@fixxfixx]

@@advryan1 Yeah, its a '24 model with high front fender and more travel in susp.

[@advryan1]

@@fixxfixx very nice! I did see the T7 got a digital upgrade in electronics. I'm all for competition! The more brands compete the better it is for the consumer! Thanks for dropping by and sharing the info man! 🤘

[@GLHS592]

Great review! I'm looking to upgrade my Kawasaki Versys-x 300 next year. I was considering the Yamaha T7, Honda Transalp, Suzuki Vstrom 800 DE, and the Aprilia Tuareg. I'm looking for something that can eat up highway miles as well as run the chert roads where I live. I've decided to cross the T7 off the list since I have a Suzuki DRZ 400. The Tuareg seems like the best bang for the buck, but the other two have Japanese reliability. I've ridden a Transalp and it was a fine machine. Air filter location and a low hanging exhaust/oil sump kinda bother me. I need to ride the Vstrom 800 DE. Sloan's in Murfreesboro, TN had a deeply discounted Tuareg 660, but I wasn't ready to buy. They told me they are dropping Aprilia and I think the closest dealer is in Jackson, TN about 95 miles from me. It may just boil donw to what I can get the best deal on, but that Aprilia is such a sweet motorcycle.

[@advryan1]

@@GLHS592 Thank you for stopping by! My wife had a Versys 300x that we just sold about 6 months ago. Fun bike! I hate to hear that about Sloans!? That's where I bought my Tuareg! 😂 The Tuareg can most definitely chew up the highway miles. The cruise control is insane. I've never had a bike with it, and it made commutes to work a breeze. I'd hop on the highway, set it, and before I know it I'm getting off the exit wishing I had more time to ride ha! The Aprilia is definitely the most versatile of the bikes you listed. The V-Strom is sweet, but heavy, and no cruise. The Transalp would be my 2nd choice if I didn't get the Tuareg, but I think you still lose some creature comforts. The ease of service is also definitely a big plus for the Tuareg! It definitely sounds like you've done your homework. If you get a chance to test ride one I bet you bring it home. Such a smooth platform on the street for a bike that handles offroad SO well.

[@GLHS592]

@@advryan1 Oh, so you're in TN. I live just outside Centerville. I can be on a chert road in 5 minutes. The salesman at Sloan's told me that Aprilias were slow sellers and they were dropping them. They had a red/white/blue Tuareg 660. It was gorgeous. He told me he could do $10k that day. I wish I had the cash. The Tuareg seems like the best choice amongst the competition since it has tubeless tires, cruise, and a better TFT from what I've seen online. I'd just like to be closer to a dealer incase of warranty issues. I guess the Transalp would be a great bike for me. I'm not planning to take it places I take the DRZ400. I could put a skid plate on it and quit worrying. I did enjoy the test ride. The salesman at Columbia Powersports wore me out for 3 weeks. I was close to buying it.

[@GLHS592]

@@advryan1 BTW, the Versys-x 300 is a great little bike and it's excellent for beginners. It is my first motorcycle. I waited until I was 49 to start riding and this bike really helped me learn fast. It's cheap to buy used, gets 70 mpg, has adequate power, cheap to operate, and handles well. You can outgrow it pretty fast and the engine is super buzzy.

[@advryan1]

@@GLHS592 Yes Sir! I live in Columbia, TN myself, so I'm very familiar with Columbia Powersports. That's where I bought my 390 Adventure from! Love the countryside out that way. The Ribfest is a good test loop for knocking the dust off. Hoping to hit that trail some time in the next couple months when I get my new bike setup. 😎

[@advryan1]

@@GLHS592 I agree! I zipped the Versys around here and there and seemed a very capable bike. Perfect to learn on, and also continue to ride if you can keep the temptation to get another bike at bay! (I have trouble with that 😂) I absolutely loved my 390 Adventure. So much fun to ride. There's something about riding an underdog motorcycle that just brings the fun out and you can ride loose. You'll have to let me know what you choose in the end. Who knows, maybe we can hook up and ride one of these days!

[@richardhretczak536]

Many riders complain about heat on the right hand of the engine. What’s your opinion about it?

[@advryan1]

@@richardhretczak536 Hey Richard, thanks for stopping by! So there is some amount of heat that emits from the right front where the exhaust is, but I only ever felt it when commuting to work in jeans and regular boots. When I was wearing full gear, riding pants, and riding boots, I never really noticed it. I rarely ever ride outside of full gear other than an occasional Friday commute to work so it never bothered me that much. There have been reports on the forums that changing the exhaust does away with the heat, and heat wrapping the exhaust also takes it away as well. For me, I never really thought it was bad enough to warrant either. 👍

[@NaMinesClarence]

What's an Aprilah?

[@advryan1]

@@NaMinesClarence A pretty awesome Mid-Size Adventure Bike that you will love if you like to ride offroad and cruise the highway getting there. 😎 AKA, the country name for an Italian Brand bike a long ways from home 😂

[@tylersoap1010]

@@advryan1 I think he is asking why you call it Aprilah and no Aprilia!Great review btw!

[@advryan1]

@@tylersoap1010lol oh yea, I totally get it. 😂 I think my southern accent is trying to creep in haha. And thank you for watching Tyler!! I'm glad you enjoyed it brother. 👊😎

[@TerrenceLP]

450lbs 😂 I'm out. Picture getting stuck on a hot day alone in the trail 😁 good luck

[@advryan1]

@@TerrenceLPThanks for stopping by Terrence! It's definitely a bit heavy for what I want to do, but when you are unloaded it truly doesnt feel 450 pounds. It's wild. However, when I was in New Mexico at elevation, in the gnarly stuff it worked me. It was tough wrestling the bike in that heat no doubt. Which is why I made the decision to ultimately make the move back to a dualsport platform. If we didn't ride the hard stuff I'd have kept it though. Best Mid-Size bike on the market!

[@redrideradventures]

KTM 890 adv R, is a level above the Tuareg.

[@advryan1]

@@redrideradventures The 890r is an awesome machine no doubt. Definitely a bike I considered. But the price....The specs go to the 890r for sure, but the price point vs. the amount of bike you get, goes to the Tuareg in my opinion.

[@redrideradventures]

@@advryan1 I was just kidding by the way..lol. I too considered the Aprilia, and it's probably more comfortable than the KTM. Parts and dealer network swayed my vote towards the orange side. Great review my friend and I enjoyed your CDT videos!

[@advryan1]

@@redrideradventures oh no, I agree with you in several aspects! I think a lot of people would. The 890r is an awesome bike. It bests the Tuareg in every performance category. If it were cheaper, there is a great chance I would've bought one. I came off a KTM 390 and loved that little bike. My brother had a 690 and I rode it. He now has a 500, so I'm definitely keen to KTM, and the awesomeness they churn out. Better suspension, lower slung fuel tank, more power. The 890r out performs the Tuareg for sure. My decision was narrowed down to getting the most bike for the money, so that's why I called it King! But I love the banter. I think it's great! If everyone had the same opinions the world would be a boring place. 😂 Too many people out there get there feelings hurt these days if you disagree with them. I'm not that type. I love and have owned a variety of bikes and brands so I'm not a brand loyalist by any means. And thank you for watching! I need to get better about editing and telling my story. I wished I had bought better camera equipment for the Divide, but the first time we went I could barely rub two nickles together. 😂 And the second trip I had a better camera, but only one viewpoint. I've now got 3 cameras and a drone so I'm hoping my story is more entertaining going forward. Can't wait to go get my new bike and go ride! Ride safe out there man. I see you've got some videos of your own. I'll subscribe! 👊😎

[@WinifredMulvey]

In order to have any credibility ..learn how to pronounce Aprilia the correct way.. its not Aprilla...

[@advryan1]

@@WinifredMulvey Hey I got it right the first few times...😂. Noted Winifred! My accent tends to get the best of me sometimes. My apologies. Thanks for stopping by and watching! 🙏