Aprilia Tuono 457 Special Edition review, first ride: More comfortable, same thrills

Aprilia has listened to the people, softened the Tuono 457's rough edges and added comfort without diluting the twin-cylinder character that makes this streetfighter so entertaining and enjoyable every day.Aprilia Tuono 457 Special Edition reviewAprilia has done something that manufacturers don’t always do well: listen to its customers. The Tuono 457 has always had the ingredients of a brilliant middleweight streetfighter, but feedback pointed towards areas where its everyday usability could be improved. The result is subtle rather than dramatic, which is precisely the point. Aprilia has listened to customer feedback, making subtle changes that improve the Tuono 457’s everyday usability without altering its core character None of these changes fundamentally alter the Tuono’s nature; they simply make the motorcycle less demanding when the road gets rough, the journey gets longer, or the pace becomes more relaxed than before in everyday use. The Aprilia Tuono 457 Special Edition gets revised ergonomics for better comfort The biggest change is to the riding ergonomics. The saddle has been redesigned with new cushioning and contouring, while its height rises by 10mm. The handlebar has also been raised by 10mm via risers, giving the rider a slightly more relaxed stance and taking some weight off the wrists. The Tuono now gets a redesigned seat offering new cushioning and contouring. Its height has also increased by 10mm An adjustable brake lever is another small but welcome addition, allowing riders to set up the controls to suit their hands. Aprilia has also retuned the suspension at both ends. The handlebar is 10mm higher, offering a more relaxed riding position and reducing wrist pressure The front fork and rear shock absorber have been recalibrated, with the primary objective being to reduce the tendency to bottom out. This means a revision to the spring tension as well as compression. The setup is accompanied by a new blacked-out flyscreen, which is there to add to the mass at the front-end. The Special Edition Tuono gets sharper graphics, adding a more aggressive look while retaining the original design The Special Edition also brings enhanced, more aggressive graphics, giving the Tuono a sharper visual identity without disturbing the basic design that already worked. A larger ‘Aprilia’ logo and revised decals freshen up the tank, front and rear cowl There is also a nice visual nod to Aprilia’s history. The Special Edition takes inspiration from the 2006 Tuono 1000R, and the updated graphics give the smaller Tuono a more purposeful look. There’s also a larger ‘Aprilia’ logo on the tank, and updated decals at the front and on the rear cowl. Apart from that, the rims get new coloured strips as well. On the whole, the Tuono looks closer to what its character has always suggested: a mid-capacity motorcycle with a fairly serious attitude. Revised ergonomics and suspension make the bike more settled on long highway rides Out on the road, the changes make themselves felt where it matters. The Tuono 457 now feels a little more comfortable over broken surfaces, with the suspension doing a better job of dealing with bumps without running out of travel. There is a greater sense of composure underneath you. On the highway, the revised ergonomics and suspension combine to make the bike feel more settled, particularly when you are covering distance rather than attacking a corner. The Tuono 457 is more comfortable on rough roads, with improved suspension absorbing bumps better I’m glad to report that has not come at the expense of the Tuono’s handling character. It remains light, agile and eager to change direction, which is a big part of what makes this motorcycle enjoyable. Push hard though, and the front end can still feel light as the chassis transfers weight rearwards. It is not an unfamiliar sensation and does little to dilute the fun. Moreover, it still has that familiar ‘big bike’ feel, thanks to that tasty exhaust note and characterful vibrations, which are felt more in lower gears and higher revs. That neatly brings us to the central character in the Tuono experience. The 457cc parallel-twin remains the highlight, offering smooth delivery, strong response and plenty of low-end torque The real star remains the 457cc parallel-twin. Aprilia has wisely left the character of the engine alone, and that is no bad thing. It is smooth when you want it to be, eager when you open the throttle and packed with usable torque from the bottom end. The strong performance makes the Tuono particularly easy to enjoy on the road because you do not have to chase the redline to make progress constantly. The light clutch adds to that ease, especially in traffic, while the engine’s flexibility means sixth gear is far more useful than you might expect. Flexibility makes the Tuono an ideal everyday bike, combining performance, agility and improved comfort You can roll from around 30kmph all the way to 160kmph without needing to hunt through the gearbox. That flexibility is what makes the Tuono such a convincing everyday motorcycle. It has enough performance to entertain, enough agility to make a back road interesting and now a little more comfort for the mundane parts of riding. Thankfully, Aprilia hasn’t reinvented the Tuono 457. Instead, it has addressed the areas owners felt there is room for improvement, while leaving the parts that made it special largely untouched.The important thing is that these changes do not feel like a checklist exercise. The Tuono 457 remains fundamentally the same motorcycle, but the rough edges have been softened. That is exactly the kind of update a motorcycle like this benefits from. It is still playful when you want it to be, but it is now better equipped to deal with the less glamorous parts of everyday riding.Verdict At Rs 3.99 lakh (ex-showroom), the Tuono 457 Special Edition is Rs 3,000 costlier, but the updates make it worthwhile. Aprilia has improved comfort and suspension while retaining the twin-cylinder engine’s character At Rs 3.99 lakh (ex-showroom), the Tuono 457 Special Edition costs around Rs 3,000 more than before, and the updates justify it. Aprilia has listened to its customers and addressed the Tuono’s comfort and suspension shortcomings without tampering with its twin-cylinder character. We would have liked more colour choices, a quickshifter as standard and more electronics, particularly lean-sensitive cornering ABS like the KTM 390 Duke offers. This is a meaningful update, not a cosmetic exercise, for buyers. The Tuono finally feels like a more complete motorcycle, and that is a positive sign for Aprilia’s approach to India. If this is what customer feedback can bring to the Tuono, we are genuinely excited to see what the Tuareg 457 will bring to the table.Subscribe to Auto Today Magazine - EndsPublished On: Aug 11, 2026 12:00 IST