Several years ago, I finally realized why the big established motorcycle manufacturers have consistently ignored our pleas for an ADV bike that's light enough to be good off road and powerful enough for comfortable highway miles... because who would buy their heavy and expensive mid and full size ADV bikes? They've functioned as a cartel but Aprilia, Kove and CF Moto are all challenging them by trying to sell us the unicorn bikes we want.
I definitely think so and hats off to Aprillia on the Tuareg, I was mighty impressed. The established brands are letting the competition eat their lunch, they either need to join in or lose market share.
I'm an experienced rider, but an absolute moron regarding suspension settings. You've given me really good insight about taking a methodical approach to dialing in my new Tuareg! Thank you from Texas, USA.
Blake, delighted you got something out of that, those small adjustments make a considerable difference, have fun playing. I am a moron in other areas, I have a mind like a sieve when it comes to Navigation, I have zero sense of direction!
@mrkwnklr I'm in San Antonio and we have a fairly new dealer here. However, AF1 in Austin is an exceptional dealer and they previously earned my business.
Subbed after introduction, lol. '99 Harley Ultra here and ran recommended tire pressures for 15 years. Was inspired by a vid on racing setups, started experimenting and came up with 2 less in front and 3 less in back. Made a big difference. Testing was fun too. At 67 ready for a lighter bike and just keep coming back to the Tuareg. Thanks from Texas.
Thank you sir! Yes, attention to detail can make such a difference, great you have that side of it sussed. This bike is probably in my future too, at 62 my bikes are slowly getting lighter. Cheers!
I was JUST THINKING about this. BMW can not make a good bike in this weight category without stealing sales from more expensive bikes in their range. You are spot on and it is so funny that I was just thinking about this before I sat down to watch your video. Thanks!
Ich habe mir schon viele videos über die Tuareg angesehen, und gewundert das kaum auf die Federung eingegangen wurde. Sie haben das hervorragend erklärt. vielen dank dafür
I agree, it might have a bit more flair too. I was going to make a video on the new road based V-Strom too looking at a specific element of it. It should sell well in Europe.
You freaked me out with the ear bit at the beginning haha. I like how you gave it a multi titled 'type of bike' categorisation, because these days most bikes are 'a great scrambler, that gets stated as a fantastic road bike, intended to be a race track bike for off road mountains... ???? huh? wtf is wrong with the motorcycle industry they keep making hybrid mutant turtles and tuaregs and scramblers for the street, and street bikes for off roading in the quest to deny Abraham Lincoln's truth (you can't please all the people with one bike). I mean we got people commuting in the city on adventure bikes, and in Thailand people climbing up mountain trails on a honda fino. People do not buy bikes for intended purpose anymore, they worry about what others think of their bike and buy what they think others will like and forget what they needed it for in the first place. I mean what do you want a Tuareg for if your on the road? Get a cb 1300.. I mean what yo using a transalpine mountain bike for to commute to work with hahahahah i can't handle this
Yes, everything is about image, but I think that is because manufacturers know most of us are weak and shallow. :-0 You only have to look back at Ted Simon's adventure on a road bike to realise any bike can almost go anywhere if you want it too, it's just the level of competency and comfort. But, you have to admit the choice is great to have, even if it is the wrong tool for the job. I love my CB1100EX for the road but it's no long distance tourer for my old bones. Cheers and Ride Safe.
I bought Yamanha T7 just 2 months ... and i m in love with this bike....it s so good on road ...i live in a island....with some good dirt roads... it do dirt roads so well... Aprillia look s a very good bike... it was one of the bike i was on doubt if to buy!! Aprillia have always good road bikes ..let s see if the future they enter this segment of advs with a very good bike!
Brilliant review builder brilliant review. Hey thanks for going over the shocks and the rebound. It’s always good to know that there are people out there that love the Aprilia ride in a KTM but I’m looking at that baby.
I would have bought a 660 but the dealer had none in stock and couldn’t get one for months. I ended up buying a year mint T7 with 1000 miles for a complete bargain. Oh and I love it…
Here in Australia, the Transalp is about $15,500 and the Tuareg is $22,500 so not in the same league here unfortunately. I'm about the same 'vintage' as your good self, and looking for a road focused bike with that goldilocks seat to peg height, and adjustable suspension, obviously. 😎. I've just discovered your channel a few days ago and loving the info and insight you deliver.
I was checking out Tenere and Transalpine in Sydney yesterday- then discovered the Aprilia so need to take a look at this bike next week- hard to go past price of the Transalp
Proper bike Tubeless tyres just as good off road. Easier to to blow back up with hand pump than change a punctured tube. Not to mention much safer in blow out. Surprised it's not mandatory in law.
Trail de Couvert Suzuki DE800...been on a diet and looks gorgeous with the paint sorted out...classic late '70's yellow! Under 300 Tauregs sold in the UK(better than only 17 Caponords still OTR?). Selling it 2nd hand is a problem!
Another good one by Mr Okeefe straight to the point with loads of fun on the journey! Do you think the manufacturers pay attention to our opinions or carry on regardless !
Came to the Tuareg from KTM SMCR and absolutely love mine (except for the high beam switch, but hoping that fitting the heated grips may resolve...or I’ll be filing it shorter💯), hoping it will be as good on the green lanes as it is on the back roads
I'm looking at swapping my 701 SM for a Tuareg also. I need a bike that will not destroy my rear end and have me screaming to get off the bike after just 1 hour.
You make some some good points but why would anyone want tubed wheels over tubeless? I ride a lot of on and off-road miles and I'll always want tubeless.
No, that was my point, I'll take tubeless all day long. I understand a hard core off roader might prefer tubed as a dented rim won't necessarily deflate a tyre but that's not most people.
@@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff We’re of the same mind then. I’ve only got the tube tires on my smaller dual sports, and I’m thinking about changing one of them. I get that some riders want to deflate their tires in sand/rock and such.
I think its the bike to get because it comes equipped better than everything. The thing that bothers me is lack of dealer support in the local area and the fact that the engine is 13:5:1 compression ratio.
I have a garage full of bikes including 3 KTMs. I really like the features of the Tuareg and I’ve considered buying one. The only thing I don’t like is the looks of the front end. Kind of incomplete. They do sell a beak kit that makes it more pleasing for me but it’s not a total fix.
Yea, that sort of design is why I cant like the Africa Twin, the T7 and Desert X. They all that rearing seal look, unlike KTM and BMW that look more like a hawk or something.
@simulacrae IMO, the Africa Twin, Transalp, and Desert X are the only good looking ADV bikes. The Tuareg is passable. All the others look like overgrown dirt bikes. IMO, all KTMs look like they are designed to be as ugly as possible. The 890 Adventure in all black was okay, but they only did that color one year and they just discontinued the model in America.
@@rightwingsafetysquad9872 like I said, I dislike the slab look of the bikes you mention, I want my bikes to show a direction, look purposeful. Not be a blob with a tail and two wheels. I would say that the bikes you mention are some of the ugliest bikes ever as they seem to want to look like Dakar bikes.
@@simulacrae I'm not sure what you mean. Every picture of a Dakar racer in the past 10 years I've seen looks almost identical to either a KTM 890 or a generic enduro. I've never seen someone compete on anything that looks like a Tuareg or Desert X except as a marketing stunt by the manufacturer. Yea, Transalps used to race Dakar, but not for the past 20+ years.
All motorcycles require counter-steer for high speed turns. But it should be a very small amount, if you weren't the one doing it it should be imperceptible. No counter-steer, no lean-in. But if you're doing more than a couple degrees of counter-steer, Mr. O'Keeffe is correct, your suspension probably needs adjusting (or you need to stop treating public roads like a race track).
What is the aprilia like compared to the husqvarna norden 901 expedition? They have similar suspension travel, the aprilia is lighter, but the Husqvarna has the low center of gravity fuel tank. Which one feels more agile, and how do they perform under high payload ?
I have not ridden the 901 so cannot talk with authority. Even though the weight is low on the 901 I can only feel it is still going to feel a lot heavier than the 660. I have ridden the 660 a fair bit, love it, it has a superb load capacity too. I'm not sure of the financial stability of the Norden brand owner group either, lots of negative press about them recently.
One advantage of tubed tires: you can air them down for more traction. I went with Tubes and rim locks as low as 1 bar instead of 2.3. But this was a lighter bike. But probably it is easier to put a tube into a tubeless than the opposite :)
I think the main advantage of tubeless tires is, that you can lower the pressure without the danger of getting a puncture, or so called snake bites, when the tube just gets ripped when hitting an obstacle. At least that´s why I changed to tubeless on a mountainbike and did the same with buying a Tuareg instead of a T7. Maybe I am wrong, but many others confirmed that this is the main advantage.
Totally agree with you there for your off-road application. But as a road rider it's got to be tubeless for easy puncture repair. I got one 4 weeks ago and had it fixed on the roadside in 10 minutes.
Is that a factory windshield or custom? It looks a little higher than OEM. Excellent review you did, I liked the countryside you rode through, You made me want this bike more!
Hey Terry It was obvious that you were impressed by the 660 I was wondering would you add it to the O Keeffe fleet for solo riding or would you buy the Tiger 900 ? I enjoyed your video, like your friend Vincent, I’ve never made any adjustment to my preload, I have the bike since last September The manual will be read today as soon as I find my glasses
Now that is a tough question as I think the Tiger 900 Rally is one of my favourite bikes. I’m not sure I would be popular at home adding a fourth though so the choice is neither! 😀. The Tiger suspension is superb as well but is a step up in price due to a higher specification overall, e.g. 6-axis IMU. Hope all goes well with your adjustments 👍.
I'm no off-road expert but believe the Tuareg will trounce the Guzzi with that extra suspension travel and much lighter weight. Guzzi are motoring with the 850cc range at the moment though, I'd have one too.
Stock settings isn't whwre it "should" be. All adv bikes have so out of whack suspension tune those stock settings aren't worth much. I set in all advs damping to minimum and it still doesn't make much difference, its still too much compression damping, always. And im avg weight dude so its not that
I’m saying set to stock to start with so you know your datum point. I’m not saying stock is the ideal position for your weight or style. I easily felt the difference in the fork compression additions and rebound on the rear settled the rear end so well. That’s for me and road going.
What do you mean by the counter-steering comments? Like you "never had to counter-steer". Counter-steering is just initiating any lean i.e. steering. That's to say, it is what steering is. Do you mean that you didn't have to put much conscious effort into correcting the lean once initiated?
Yes, exactly as you say there. We all counter steer but on a well setup bike it takes little conscious effort. When I first picked up my CB1100EX with the suspension in the stock position you really had to make that effort to get round the corners.
Save the money for the comfort seat. In my opinion it brings no benefits besides the fact that the shiny yellow seat remains shiny yellow. But why are always driving in Urban mode (or did I see that wrong?) I own this bike after many years with a GS and I really love it 😍
I did try the other rider modes, liked those options and the simplicity of choices👍. The suspension on the Tuareg performs much better than my 2023 R1250GS 😥.
I haven’t had tube wheels on any of my mountain bike or gravel bicycles over 15 years, I still don’t get it how come there are motorcycles with tube wheels still today. Back in the day could have bough the Africa Twin and decided to purchase something else only based on the fact they come with tube wheels (finally fixed for 2024).
Yes, I understand why some will want it for heavier off-road trails but that's not where most people ride these bikes. Now Suzuki have released the "roady" version of the V-Strom 800 with alloy wheels and tubeless tyres I reckon they will sell a load more.
I would say it is just waiting for the oil pressure to build up around the engine. Try an older 90's Triumph 900/1200's, they sound like a bag of bolts in a tumble dryer at idle.
it's all well and good on paper and specs, however i wouldnt touch one given the reliability record of Aprilia, and dealership network - or the lack of. T7 for me. Oh and a quick google, Valve service at 12k miles is around £800.
Buying a Yamaha T7 is of course an extremely safe prospect and one does expect and get a bullet proof machine. I think the T7 offers something a lot of people want, true simplicity, no gimmicks and a competent bike. I didn't compare the Tuareg to the T7 for this very reason, I think they are addressing two different types of rider. I would want a local dealer too. 👍 Thanks for the valve service info.
I just picked up my brand new Tuareg, with 2 years warranty here, for €1000 under the Transalp RRP. At that price, even my paranoia about Aprilia couldn't stop me.
You're comment about this bike not being taken this off road is a huge turn off, this bike has suspension for fairly serious off road adventurea, not sure why anyone would buy a bike like this with no intent to hit the trails. Iys a disservice to say this bike isnt for offroad
It very much depends on where you live. Access to decent off-road trails etc can be extremely difficult, it is in my part of the world. And I would argue that the greater majority ADV style bikes never see so much as a muddy lane in their entire life so there is an audience for a road based assessment. It is why I mentioned it at the start so anyone who wanted that content could skip. But thanks randomgirl 👍
@@andrewsoldan6050 No, I don't think so. I had a lot of damping adjustment free. The spring rate does have to be lower of course otherwise it will never get to use that 240mm but I would be very confident in its damping adjustment. I have a little short up showing the rear shock action on a bad section of that road, that is stock compression damping and rebound is up from stock position of 1.5 turns to 1 and 1/8th, it controlled this chassis brilliantly and gave me a good ride. Better, considerably better controlled than my 2023 R1250GS.
honda screwed up and went cheap again with transalp, tubed tyres, weak suspension plus ugly front lamp from CB500X? come on honda. Toureg660, T7 all the way.
Yes, I think they completely panicked at Chinese bike pricing and cut as much as they could off this bike. It’s a good looking bike, that’s the shame of it.
To be honest the front lamp on Transalp is maybe a little bit boring, but still much better looking than the front of Tuareg. I don't understand what was Aprilia thinking when designing that weird front part.
Terry Great Video! I was at the Colorado Motorcycle Adventures Desert Rally in April. Ian of Big Rock Moto was there on his 660. (I'm the Idiot in the beginning setting up my GPS. LOL) th-cam.com/video/JVZOIt2rfu0/w-d-xo.html Ian is a serious rider and Loves his. It is superior to the Tenere I was on there. The only problem with Aprilia here in the states is they have basically been given the boot because of the way they treat dealers. The closest one to me is at least a half day ride and they are just a 2 man shop. Not buying from them any time soon! The 660 is a beautiful bike but unobtainable/serviced here. Too Bad. Ride SAFE and BE safe Sir! 👍👍
Ah ha, so that’s what you look like 😀! I shall have a watch of that full video, I do like Ian’s content. That’s a shame about your dealer situation but I would understand buyers shying away from an unsupported brand alright regardless of it’s capabilities. Take care!
If I had one complaint it would be the high compression ratio which mandates high test gasoline. I’d much rather have another 50cc of displacement with 2 points less compression that allows standard unleaded gas. Otherwise, you’ll get no complaints from this old turd.
Yes, it is a high compression engine alright. Round these parts we only get one unleaded gas type which is high quality, there is no other choice at all so it’s not an issue for us. When I was a teenager we used to have what was called 2-star, 3-star and 4-star gas but that is long gone. Enjoy the old turf! 😁
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat ? ! KTM890/Norden have a lot of extra, 6-Axis etc so I am surprised they are cheaper? I was using the newer Tuareg pricing which seems to of come down a fair bit from it's original price, at least in the Ireland & the UK. Given your pricing though it would have to be the 890 🤪
This bike has serious problems for hard off road riding. If you like to ride the city and occasionally a groomed dirt road or easy trail, you'll be ok. But if you like hard, rocky, rooted, rutted trails, and you'll have some hard dismounts, sh!ts going to come apart in a big way. Both the shifter and brake pedals break way too easy. The bottom footpeg trangle bracket is large / bulky, held in place by a decent upper bolt at the top and one super low diameter bolt down low in the front and the rest of the triangle is unsupported and easily leveraged to the rear when the footpeg hits the ground which bends the lower thin bolt. Its absolute crap design
Weirdly for a very off-road focused "look" this bike is superb on the road and I would be happy to have this bike as my daily and a back roads tourer, with as you say some groomed dirt roads thrown in. I'll take a little 250cc if I want to go off-road. Thanks for watching and detailing some features of the Tuareg.
Ever looked closely at Aprilia's wiring looms and connectors?? Honda fit higher quality ones to the made in India CB125F. LOL. Rule #1 Avoid anything of Italian or German manufacture. Cheers.
I have a British made, German made and Japanese made bike, all doing just fine. But the Honda has the poorest engine paint out of the lot of them. My 2016 Africa Twin also had rotting spokes as did many owners. Japanese are under cost pressures too from China of course and the quality isn’t what it used to be I feel.
@@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff "Some" Japanese models are special. Made in special factories with special staff. However this now applies to a tiny % of their full model range.
Probably the most thorough Touareg I have ever seen. Good job indeed
Thankyou, a bit long I know but I was really enthused on this bike.
Several years ago, I finally realized why the big established motorcycle manufacturers have consistently ignored our pleas for an ADV bike that's light enough to be good off road and powerful enough for comfortable highway miles... because who would buy their heavy and expensive mid and full size ADV bikes? They've functioned as a cartel but Aprilia, Kove and CF Moto are all challenging them by trying to sell us the unicorn bikes we want.
I definitely think so and hats off to Aprillia on the Tuareg, I was mighty impressed. The established brands are letting the competition eat their lunch, they either need to join in or lose market share.
I'm an experienced rider, but an absolute moron regarding suspension settings. You've given me really good insight about taking a methodical approach to dialing in my new Tuareg! Thank you from Texas, USA.
Blake, delighted you got something out of that, those small adjustments make a considerable difference, have fun playing. I am a moron in other areas, I have a mind like a sieve when it comes to Navigation, I have zero sense of direction!
How's the Tuareg performed for you? Who do you use for service, Plano or Austin?
@mrkwnklr I'm in San Antonio and we have a fairly new dealer here. However, AF1 in Austin is an exceptional dealer and they previously earned my business.
@@blakeberlin6295 Thanks, Pine Mills Tx. here.
Always set compression to minimum and go from there. If u bottom out too easily then increase it.
Subbed after introduction, lol. '99 Harley Ultra here and ran recommended tire pressures for 15 years. Was inspired by a vid on racing setups, started experimenting and came up with 2 less in front and 3 less in back. Made a big difference. Testing was fun too. At 67 ready for a lighter bike and just keep coming back to the Tuareg. Thanks from Texas.
Thank you sir! Yes, attention to detail can make such a difference, great you have that side of it sussed. This bike is probably in my future too, at 62 my bikes are slowly getting lighter. Cheers!
I have an Aprilia Caponord my first ever Aprilia and it is a great bike. I now look at Aprilia's fondly and keen on the Tuareg
I’m mighty impressed with it.
Excellent, fun presentation !
I was JUST THINKING about this. BMW can not make a good bike in this weight category without stealing sales from more expensive bikes in their range. You are spot on and it is so funny that I was just thinking about this before I sat down to watch your video. Thanks!
And then your brain waves brought up my video :-)
@@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff I blame the youtube algorith. My Alexa is spying on me and telling youtube.
Ich habe mir schon viele videos über die Tuareg angesehen, und gewundert das kaum auf die Federung eingegangen wurde. Sie haben das hervorragend erklärt. vielen dank dafür
@@dmdm0153 Sie sind sehr freundlich, dass Sie das sagen, danke. Ich bin froh, dass Sie daraus einen gewissen Wert gezogen haben. Prost!
Great video, really informative thanks. Im test riding one next week and can't wait ! Enjoyed your sense of humour too :)
If they brought out a road oriented version (19" front etc) like Suzuki have just done with the new 2024 V-Strom Touring , I think it would sell well
I agree, it might have a bit more flair too. I was going to make a video on the new road based V-Strom too looking at a specific element of it. It should sell well in Europe.
You freaked me out with the ear bit at the beginning haha. I like how you gave it a multi titled 'type of bike' categorisation, because these days most bikes are 'a great scrambler, that gets stated as a fantastic road bike, intended to be a race track bike for off road mountains... ???? huh? wtf is wrong with the motorcycle industry they keep making hybrid mutant turtles and tuaregs and scramblers for the street, and street bikes for off roading in the quest to deny Abraham Lincoln's truth (you can't please all the people with one bike). I mean we got people commuting in the city on adventure bikes, and in Thailand people climbing up mountain trails on a honda fino. People do not buy bikes for intended purpose anymore, they worry about what others think of their bike and buy what they think others will like and forget what they needed it for in the first place. I mean what do you want a Tuareg for if your on the road? Get a cb 1300.. I mean what yo using a transalpine mountain bike for to commute to work with hahahahah i can't handle this
Yes, everything is about image, but I think that is because manufacturers know most of us are weak and shallow. :-0 You only have to look back at Ted Simon's adventure on a road bike to realise any bike can almost go anywhere if you want it too, it's just the level of competency and comfort. But, you have to admit the choice is great to have, even if it is the wrong tool for the job. I love my CB1100EX for the road but it's no long distance tourer for my old bones. Cheers and Ride Safe.
I bought Yamanha T7 just 2 months ... and i m in love with this bike....it s so good on road ...i live in a island....with some good dirt roads... it do dirt roads so well... Aprillia look s a very good bike... it was one of the bike i was on doubt if to buy!! Aprillia have always good road bikes ..let s see if the future they enter this segment of advs with a very good bike!
The T7 is a fine bike with quite a different approach which appeals to many people. Can’t go wrong, enjoy! 👍
Brilliant review builder brilliant review. Hey thanks for going over the shocks and the rebound. It’s always good to know that there are people out there that love the Aprilia ride in a KTM but I’m looking at that baby.
Much appreciated! Get a test ride if you can, its a very addictive bike with such a nice ride out on the road too. Cheers
Great review Tom, I've subscribed, appreciate your knowledge and enjoy your humor. I'm getting the Tuareg soon.
Thanks for the kind words. Oh, you won’t be disappointed with your new purchase, cracking bikes these, congratulations.
Great review! You covered a lot of ground and made some great comparisons.
Cheers, yes it was a superb machine for the money I thought.
I would have bought a 660 but the dealer had none in stock and couldn’t get one for months. I ended up buying a year mint T7 with 1000 miles for a complete bargain. Oh and I love it…
T7 is a fine bike, congratulations.
@@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff thank you sir 👍🏻
…… you go to. Another dealer ?
Here in Australia, the Transalp is about $15,500 and the Tuareg is $22,500 so not in the same league here unfortunately. I'm about the same 'vintage' as your good self, and looking for a road focused bike with that goldilocks seat to peg height, and adjustable suspension, obviously. 😎. I've just discovered your channel a few days ago and loving the info and insight you deliver.
I was checking out Tenere and Transalpine in Sydney yesterday- then discovered the Aprilia so need to take a look at this bike next week- hard to go past price of the Transalp
When you install a RapidBike Evo and decat/Akra - do another video.
Proper bike
Tubeless tyres just as good off road. Easier to to blow back up with hand pump than change a punctured tube. Not to mention much safer in blow out. Surprised it's not mandatory in law.
I would like to see the owner speak about the proper fork and shock adjustment.
Great review.
Cheers.
I can tell you he was delighted when he got his bike back and now feels much more in control of the bike. Cheers 👍.
I love the words ably the Aprillia. Well said
I bought the Suzuki because is less offroad oriented, a little more affordable and more comfortable. But the Aprilia stayed like a nail into my brain.
The Suzuki has got the reputation for longevity too which is a draw. Cheers
@@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff agree
Trail de Couvert Suzuki DE800...been on a diet and looks gorgeous with the paint sorted out...classic late '70's yellow! Under 300 Tauregs sold in the UK(better than only 17 Caponords still OTR?). Selling it 2nd hand is a problem!
I couldn’t live with the tubed tyres on the 800DE but I’ll take the 800 RE alright. 👍
@@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff£130 each end for tubeless, on any bike...Central Wheel Components, Coleshill
Another good one by Mr Okeefe straight to the point with loads of fun on the journey!
Do you think the manufacturers pay attention to our opinions or carry on regardless !
Awesome review sir👍🏼
Thanks very much 👍.
Came to the Tuareg from KTM SMCR and absolutely love mine (except for the high beam switch, but hoping that fitting the heated grips may resolve...or I’ll be filing it shorter💯), hoping it will be as good on the green lanes as it is on the back roads
Congratulations, awesome bike, stunning suspension to my mind. Enjoy!
I'm looking at swapping my 701 SM for a Tuareg also. I need a bike that will not destroy my rear end and have me screaming to get off the bike after just 1 hour.
You make some some good points but why would anyone want tubed wheels over tubeless? I ride a lot of on and off-road miles and I'll always want tubeless.
No, that was my point, I'll take tubeless all day long. I understand a hard core off roader might prefer tubed as a dented rim won't necessarily deflate a tyre but that's not most people.
@@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff We’re of the same mind then. I’ve only got the tube tires on my smaller dual sports, and I’m thinking about changing one of them.
I get that some riders want to deflate their tires in sand/rock and such.
Tubeless for sure
I think its the bike to get because it comes equipped better than everything. The thing that bothers me is lack of dealer support in the local area and the fact that the engine is 13:5:1 compression ratio.
I would want local dealer support too, luckily it is around here.
Lovely bike might have to get to the dealers and take a closer look
Superb ride on this bike. The manual suspension is better than my all singing and dancing 2023 GS! I really mean that.
Tubed tyres at the begining, then tubeless tyres.. confusing? did I miss something ?
A slip of the tongue me thinks. Tubeless of course. 👍
Have you had the ECU update done?... fueling has improved by a lot for me after
I shall check with the owner, is this an official factory update?
@@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff Yes, and it makes a world of difference...no more jerkiness.
@@billboardprint I shall tell the owner, cheers 👍
I have a garage full of bikes including 3 KTMs. I really like the features of the Tuareg and I’ve considered buying one. The only thing I don’t like is the looks of the front end. Kind of incomplete. They do sell a beak kit that makes it more pleasing for me but it’s not a total fix.
Yea, that sort of design is why I cant like the Africa Twin, the T7 and Desert X. They all that rearing seal look, unlike KTM and BMW that look more like a hawk or something.
A lot of people share your sentiment, it is a bit marmite.
@simulacrae IMO, the Africa Twin, Transalp, and Desert X are the only good looking ADV bikes. The Tuareg is passable. All the others look like overgrown dirt bikes. IMO, all KTMs look like they are designed to be as ugly as possible. The 890 Adventure in all black was okay, but they only did that color one year and they just discontinued the model in America.
@@rightwingsafetysquad9872 like I said, I dislike the slab look of the bikes you mention, I want my bikes to show a direction, look purposeful. Not be a blob with a tail and two wheels.
I would say that the bikes you mention are some of the ugliest bikes ever as they seem to want to look like Dakar bikes.
@@simulacrae I'm not sure what you mean. Every picture of a Dakar racer in the past 10 years I've seen looks almost identical to either a KTM 890 or a generic enduro. I've never seen someone compete on anything that looks like a Tuareg or Desert X except as a marketing stunt by the manufacturer. Yea, Transalps used to race Dakar, but not for the past 20+ years.
All motorcycles require counter-steer for high speed turns. But it should be a very small amount, if you weren't the one doing it it should be imperceptible. No counter-steer, no lean-in. But if you're doing more than a couple degrees of counter-steer, Mr. O'Keeffe is correct, your suspension probably needs adjusting (or you need to stop treating public roads like a race track).
All well said 👏. spot on.
What is the aprilia like compared to the husqvarna norden 901 expedition? They have similar suspension travel, the aprilia is lighter, but the Husqvarna has the low center of gravity fuel tank. Which one feels more agile, and how do they perform under high payload ?
I have not ridden the 901 so cannot talk with authority. Even though the weight is low on the 901 I can only feel it is still going to feel a lot heavier than the 660. I have ridden the 660 a fair bit, love it, it has a superb load capacity too. I'm not sure of the financial stability of the Norden brand owner group either, lots of negative press about them recently.
One advantage of tubed tires: you can air them down for more traction. I went with Tubes and rim locks as low as 1 bar instead of 2.3. But this was a lighter bike. But probably it is easier to put a tube into a tubeless than the opposite :)
I think the main advantage of tubeless tires is, that you can lower the pressure without the danger of getting a puncture, or so called snake bites, when the tube just gets ripped when hitting an obstacle.
At least that´s why I changed to tubeless on a mountainbike and did the same with buying a Tuareg instead of a T7.
Maybe I am wrong, but many others confirmed that this is the main advantage.
@@Kai-ze2rb I think we speak about 2 different things :) But thanks for the info! However I will keep my dual sport tubed.
Totally agree with you there for your off-road application. But as a road rider it's got to be tubeless for easy puncture repair. I got one 4 weeks ago and had it fixed on the roadside in 10 minutes.
Being able to run low pressures without pinching a tube is one of the main benefits of tubeless.
Is that a factory windshield or custom? It looks a little higher than OEM. Excellent review you did, I liked the countryside you rode through, You made me want this bike more!
Thankyou for the kind words. No, that is the PUIG Touring windscreen which is a nice size, not overly big but enough to make a difference. Cheers!
I think not existing and being merely imaginary is way worse than being fired. My heart is with them. 🙂
Hey Terry
It was obvious that you were impressed by the 660
I was wondering would you add it to the O Keeffe fleet for solo riding or would you buy the Tiger 900 ?
I enjoyed your video, like your friend Vincent, I’ve never made any adjustment to my preload, I have the bike since last September
The manual will be read today as soon as I find my glasses
Now that is a tough question as I think the Tiger 900 Rally is one of my favourite bikes. I’m not sure I would be popular at home adding a fourth though so the choice is neither! 😀. The Tiger suspension is superb as well but is a step up in price due to a higher specification overall, e.g. 6-axis IMU. Hope all goes well with your adjustments 👍.
Moto Guzzi v85 has all the same features plus includes bars/luggage. The off road capability really that different?
I'm no off-road expert but believe the Tuareg will trounce the Guzzi with that extra suspension travel and much lighter weight. Guzzi are motoring with the 850cc range at the moment though, I'd have one too.
Stock settings isn't whwre it "should" be.
All adv bikes have so out of whack suspension tune those stock settings aren't worth much.
I set in all advs damping to minimum and it still doesn't make much difference, its still too much compression damping, always.
And im avg weight dude so its not that
I’m saying set to stock to start with so you know your datum point. I’m not saying stock is the ideal position for your weight or style. I easily felt the difference in the fork compression additions and rebound on the rear settled the rear end so well. That’s for me and road going.
What do you mean by the counter-steering comments? Like you "never had to counter-steer". Counter-steering is just initiating any lean i.e. steering. That's to say, it is what steering is. Do you mean that you didn't have to put much conscious effort into correcting the lean once initiated?
Yes, exactly as you say there. We all counter steer but on a well setup bike it takes little conscious effort. When I first picked up my CB1100EX with the suspension in the stock position you really had to make that effort to get round the corners.
Save the money for the comfort seat. In my opinion it brings no benefits besides the fact that the shiny yellow seat remains shiny yellow. But why are always driving in Urban mode (or did I see that wrong?)
I own this bike after many years with a GS and I really love it 😍
I did try the other rider modes, liked those options and the simplicity of choices👍. The suspension on the Tuareg performs much better than my 2023 R1250GS 😥.
Its closest competitors would definitely be yamaha T700 . But the toureg does have features the yamaha doesnt , for not much more money.
Yes, the T7 is a very popular choice and now with a range of offerings making it a tempting choice 👍
What kind of luggage carrier do you use for your soft topcase?
sorry, missed this, it is a Touratech.
I haven’t had tube wheels on any of my mountain bike or gravel bicycles over 15 years, I still don’t get it how come there are motorcycles with tube wheels still today. Back in the day could have bough the Africa Twin and decided to purchase something else only based on the fact they come with tube wheels (finally fixed for 2024).
Yes, I understand why some will want it for heavier off-road trails but that's not where most people ride these bikes. Now Suzuki have released the "roady" version of the V-Strom 800 with alloy wheels and tubeless tyres I reckon they will sell a load more.
I miss Honda XR650R
Apples & oranges…
When you start Tuareg in cold engine I have noking sound for 2 sek. Not sure if they all dose this .?
I would say it is just waiting for the oil pressure to build up around the engine. Try an older 90's Triumph 900/1200's, they sound like a bag of bolts in a tumble dryer at idle.
it's all well and good on paper and specs, however i wouldnt touch one given the reliability record of Aprilia, and dealership network - or the lack of. T7 for me. Oh and a quick google, Valve service at 12k miles is around £800.
Buying a Yamaha T7 is of course an extremely safe prospect and one does expect and get a bullet proof machine. I think the T7 offers something a lot of people want, true simplicity, no gimmicks and a competent bike. I didn't compare the Tuareg to the T7 for this very reason, I think they are addressing two different types of rider. I would want a local dealer too. 👍 Thanks for the valve service info.
I just picked up my brand new Tuareg, with 2 years warranty here, for €1000 under the Transalp RRP. At that price, even my paranoia about Aprilia couldn't stop me.
DEAL! Excellent news, that really is a great deal, one I would make myself. My buddy who owns this one has been trouble free all the way, enjoy!
Your bike has ‘tubeless’ tyres mate not ‘tubed’ 2:32😁
Yes, slip of the tongue if I said that.
@@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuffthat’s ok…
You're comment about this bike not being taken this off road is a huge turn off, this bike has suspension for fairly serious off road adventurea, not sure why anyone would buy a bike like this with no intent to hit the trails. Iys a disservice to say this bike isnt for offroad
It very much depends on where you live. Access to decent off-road trails etc can be extremely difficult, it is in my part of the world. And I would argue that the greater majority ADV style bikes never see so much as a muddy lane in their entire life so there is an audience for a road based assessment. It is why I mentioned it at the start so anyone who wanted that content could skip. But thanks randomgirl 👍
isnt it 12 000 miles not km for valve check?
Yep yep, it is 👍👍. I did say 20,000km which is the nearest equivalent to 12,000 miles.
wonder if you'd bottom out toureg suspension on some bumpy unpaved roads....
If it were to keep happening you would add more compression damping to the affected end. One screwdriver and 30 seconds later you are good to go.
@@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff yeah, but question is if the springs are not too soft for your weight, I weigh similar BTW
@@andrewsoldan6050 No, I don't think so. I had a lot of damping adjustment free. The spring rate does have to be lower of course otherwise it will never get to use that 240mm but I would be very confident in its damping adjustment. I have a little short up showing the rear shock action on a bad section of that road, that is stock compression damping and rebound is up from stock position of 1.5 turns to 1 and 1/8th, it controlled this chassis brilliantly and gave me a good ride. Better, considerably better controlled than my 2023 R1250GS.
Aprilia: the marque with few xealers in the US of A !
And that’s the rub. Dealer support is essential 👍.
In Finland Transalp is 16k and Tuareg 15.5k e...
Result! Why the difference though, Japanese import duty Vs no EU import duty?
@@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff Honda price. Tenere is about 14k
honda screwed up and went cheap again with transalp, tubed tyres, weak suspension plus ugly front lamp from CB500X? come on honda. Toureg660, T7 all the way.
Yes, I think they completely panicked at Chinese bike pricing and cut as much as they could off this bike. It’s a good looking bike, that’s the shame of it.
To be honest the front lamp on Transalp is maybe a little bit boring, but still much better looking than the front of Tuareg. I don't understand what was Aprilia thinking when designing that weird front part.
@@1000gib it’s not to everyone’s taste I’ll grant you 👍.
Terry
Great Video! I was at the Colorado Motorcycle Adventures Desert Rally in April. Ian of Big Rock Moto was there on his 660. (I'm the Idiot in the beginning setting up my GPS. LOL)
th-cam.com/video/JVZOIt2rfu0/w-d-xo.html
Ian is a serious rider and Loves his. It is superior to the Tenere I was on there. The only problem with Aprilia here in the states is they have basically been given the boot because of the way they treat dealers. The closest one to me is at least a half day ride and they are just a 2 man shop. Not buying from them any time soon! The 660 is a beautiful bike but unobtainable/serviced here. Too Bad.
Ride SAFE and BE safe Sir! 👍👍
Ah ha, so that’s what you look like 😀! I shall have a watch of that full video, I do like Ian’s content. That’s a shame about
your dealer situation but I would understand buyers shying away from an unsupported brand alright regardless of it’s capabilities. Take care!
AF1 in Austin, TX is my dealer. They've been a God in the Aprilia world for years. I feel fortunate to have them relatively close to me.
@@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff Somehow I was blocked from commenting on your latest video?? Great visit to Triumph!
@@ttrguy9952 that’s odd, maybe it hadn’t loaded on TH-cam properly then or some sort of other glitch ? Cheers though 👍
If I had one complaint it would be the high compression ratio which mandates high test gasoline. I’d much rather have another 50cc of displacement with 2 points less compression that allows standard unleaded gas. Otherwise, you’ll get no complaints from this old turd.
Yes, it is a high compression engine alright. Round these parts we only get one unleaded gas type which is high quality, there is no other choice at all so it’s not an issue for us. When I was a teenager we used to have what was called 2-star, 3-star and 4-star gas but that is long gone. Enjoy the old turf! 😁
In Sweden Transalp is more expensive than Tuareg so it makes no sense. Tuareg is still not as good as KTM 890/Norden 901 except being lower priced.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat ? ! KTM890/Norden have a lot of extra, 6-Axis etc so I am surprised they are cheaper? I was using the newer Tuareg pricing which seems to of come down a fair bit from it's original price, at least in the Ireland & the UK. Given your pricing though it would have to be the 890 🤪
Thi sis a good point of why the Transalp came out so MEH...
Exactly, you can strip so much off a bike.
Is it Japanese reliable?
Only a long time ownership will tell. One suspects not but the owner of this particular bike has not had a single problem and he uses it all the time.
Norden expedition 902
.....is a very nice bike 😃
KTM dare to make it,has already bike with the same camschaft issues
oooohhh!
This bike has serious problems for hard off road riding. If you like to ride the city and occasionally a groomed dirt road or easy trail, you'll be ok. But if you like hard, rocky, rooted, rutted trails, and you'll have some hard dismounts, sh!ts going to come apart in a big way. Both the shifter and brake pedals break way too easy. The bottom footpeg trangle bracket is large / bulky, held in place by a decent upper bolt at the top and one super low diameter bolt down low in the front and the rest of the triangle is unsupported and easily leveraged to the rear when the footpeg hits the ground which bends the lower thin bolt. Its absolute crap design
Weirdly for a very off-road focused "look" this bike is superb on the road and I would be happy to have this bike as my daily and a back roads tourer, with as you say some groomed dirt roads thrown in. I'll take a little 250cc if I want to go off-road. Thanks for watching and detailing some features of the Tuareg.
Ever looked closely at Aprilia's wiring looms and connectors?? Honda fit higher quality ones to the made in India CB125F. LOL. Rule #1 Avoid anything of Italian or German manufacture. Cheers.
I have a British made, German made and Japanese made bike, all doing just fine. But the Honda has the poorest engine paint out of the lot of them. My 2016 Africa Twin also had rotting spokes as did many owners. Japanese are under cost pressures too from China of course and the quality isn’t what it used to be I feel.
@@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff "Some" Japanese models are special. Made in special factories with special staff. However this now applies to a tiny % of their full model range.
TLDW
That’s fine, we all. Have different time pressures 👍
Playback speed 1.5