This is the adventure motorcycle the Tenere 700 should have been...

🏍 - Llel Pavey
🎥 - Llel Pavey
🎬 - Llel Pavey

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Dear Aprilia.

Thank you.

Thank you for making this bike. A bike that many people will never understand, will not buy and will give four stars in a review. A bike that will make people comment about reliability, and dealer networks whilst drooling over CF MOTO's. KOVE's and obscure bikes from niche brands.

Thank you for being a challenger with the ability to build quality; for putting good suspension in a bike, good electronics and not charging the earth for it. Thank you for not compromising the bike in the name of a bottom line.

Thank you for this week of riding I won't forget. Please keep doing this until it sticks and then do it some more. I hope we meet again someday.

Keep making great bikes.

Llewelyn Pavey

[PisgahGravelProject]

#1/#2 determing factors on an adv bike purchase
Reliability. Why buy an adv bike if you're not going into the backcountry?
Dealer network.

2 things that the Aprilia lacks.
Several documented over heating problems on the 660, both reddit and youtube. Ive also talked to two owners who've had terrible experiences with their dealers in the US.

I was in the market for a new bike. I spent a year evaluating and test riding/borrowing adv bikes, and the T660 was super high on the list.

Ultimately, i wemt a different direction on this one, and not the t660. Im not giving up on the Aprilia though, i am just going to wait for more dealers to pop up, and for Aprilia to polish some of the quirks out the model. Probably will wait for a second year of the second generation.

When that happens, ill pay cash for it, and be done. I trust myself wrenching on my bikes, more than i do a dealership. I worked at one for 2years when i was younger, and i dont trust my life in the hands of a business industry that follows this model:: fast fast fast, go go go, get em in get em no thanks, ill take my time and ensure my bike doesnt fail when it matters

[BigRockMoto]

It's the bike I'd still be riding today if I didn't need to buy other bikes for content. Truly phenomenal motorcycle. Great review.

[MrPmyche]

I spent a lot of my life making the safe choice. All my early bikes were Hondas and Yamahas because they weren't just great bikes but they were mechanically safe, with a dealer on every corner. When it came time to get into adventure riding the Tuareg had everything I wanted and reviews were praising what Aprilia had done. But people kept shouting "limited dealerships!" and "what if?!" So, to play it safe, I sat on a Tenere 700 waitlist for a year. The T7 didn't have everything I wanted, but it was the safe choice. Then I started to get antsy, and a Tuareg presented itself. It was a tough decision for me but, feeling relatively confident in my mechanical skills, I took an uncharacteristic risk and bought what I really wanted. I'm coming up on two years with my Tuareg and I've never once regretted it. It is hands down the most fun and best all around bike I've ever owned. Have I had problems? Yes. A tiny oil leak that I fixed with a $10 gasket that showed up in days (not the months the "what if" crowd would have had me believe). Could my ownership experience have been a nightmare? Sure, but that can happen with anything. Would I have made the same decision if I had limited to no mechanical skills? Probably not. But I'm just here to throw out one person's real life experience against a mountain of hypothetical scenarios from non-owners. As Llel said, it's a shame these aren't flying off showroom floors.

[jetsen]

Here's a reliability anecdote on Aprilia's side. I rode 1200 miles of dirt roads and trails through the Southwest desert of the United States, in 2023. About a quarter of the way through the journey I crashed very hard and sheared off the bolt holding the shift lever in place and put a very significant bend in my radiator. It wasn't until I reached home that I learned I had completely destroyed one of the cooling fans. And through it all, the Tuareg purred. I watched it like a hawk but I never saw the temperature gauge raise above normal. When I finally got back to pavement, two days later, I had to shift by pulling on the shift lever with my hand. It was a nuisance, but the bike still performed brilliantly. Oh, and if anyone suggests you replace the factory's steel shift bolt with a titanium bolt, don't bother. Titanium only helped in the sense that I now had a spare bolt. The Tuareg and I will be doing another 1500 miles of off-road through the Pacific Northwest this year. Maybe I'll carry spare bolt again, a steel one, just in case.

[asamacres]

2022 was coming to a close and after nearly a year on waiting lists for the AT and T7. Than one day I stopped in a dealer to look at a KLR when the mechanic rolled a freshly assemble Tuareg in Martian red and started it up. My god the sound of that stock bike. I knew nothing about it so I watched every review I could. A week later I called the dealer for a test ride. My father and I showed up. I am 6’2” and 220 lbs and my father 5’8” and 180 lbs. we both fit perfectly. I bought the blue color same as this video. Sold on sound, fit and initial ride impressions. Fast forward 2 years and my father has had his KLR and TransAmerica in the shop more times than I’ve changed my own oil with 16, 000 miles on it. Zero shop time riding in winter snow and summer storms. I am unbelievably happy with the bike.

[chukku]

I am that guy in the pub that can't stop talking. Just instead of actually going to the pub I leave at least 3 comments in every Youtube video on the Tuareg 😂

Thank you so much for this video! It is awesome to see that my baby gets the recognition it deserves 🎉

[axamitidynamit]

I gotta say I really appreciate and admire your engagement in the comments section. The vast majority of content creators don’t give a single fcuk about people who watch their videos, like, comment, i.e. allow them to do what they do. You actually respond and with more than a single word or a short sentence. This is how a good channel should be run. Good work, mate. Keep it going!

[JohannesDalenMC]

Llel, you know how long I've been waiting for this review and I couldn't be happier with what I saw. You confirmed my thoughts about this bike with your knowledge and skill, and you packaged it in a video that I sat glued to the screen watching. Excellent work mate, the smile on my face is real!

[NovWisk]

So glad you liked this bike. You are saying what owners have been saying for around 18 months. I love my Tuareg and I cannot envisage any other bike meeting my needs quite so well. I went from a CRF300 to the T660 and, to a point, it was like someone had given my (significantly upgraded) CRF steroids and let it loose. Stability, power, smoothness, agility, flexibility and most important of all, grin-inducing.

[jconli]

When it was announced, the Tuareg sounded like the bike I'd been waiting 25 years for (even with 10 of those years having been spent working at BMW shops). Almost too good to be true, honestly. I picked one up shortly after they started showing up in the US, and I have no regrets in the least. I'm lucky to live close to exceptional off-road riding, as well as some decent twisty pavement, but it's also happy to take longer freeway trips as needed - very comfortable and the simple cruise control makes it easy to pack on miles. I've had it almost two years now and I still can't believe how good this bike is at everything - easily my favorite over 20+ bikes owned.

The forums are full of "...but the dealer network!" comments - in this day and age you can have parts overnighted almost anywhere... and sadly most Big 4 dealers (especially those taken over by big conglomerates or private equity vampires) don't stock parts anyway. I understand that "security blanket" feeling, but to have that ultimately be the reason you compromise on enjoyment is a shame. (This coming from someone who has owned 4 V-Stroms) :)

[MotorDanko]

I tested this bike in a motocross track like a year ago enough to love it immediately, this is by far the best bike I have ever riden and I had a 790 adventure with tuned suspension that was a blast to drive, I tested the vstrom 800de (second best), the tuareg, and I own an f800gs with tuned suspension... God I would love my f800gs to ride close of what the tuareg ride... the geometry and the suspension combination with the very easy engine is amazing... I just love it...

[jasgsxr]

I was buying my Tenere when I saw the Toureg first came out. I went to speak to the dealer about the Toureg and he said they're all pre-sold and blew me off, wouldn't even speak to me. Every Yamaha dealer I have been to has been awesome and there are dealers every where here in OZ, parts are in stock and reasonable prices, no brainer for me !

[greglenoir]

This review earned my subscription, your voice, pacing and well rehearsed delivery are superb. The Tuareg 660 wasn’t on my radar but now my antenna are up.

[HippoDrones]

A great review @BrakeMagazine 🙂
I absolutely love my Toe-Rag, had it 2 years now and trail rode it from the day I collected it from my dealership. Not had a single issue worth complaining about other than needing to replace a spoke in the front wheel and the front brake needing bleeding.
All in all, it is an amazing ADV motorcycle, the only thing I dislike really is the seat height being a bit tall for me, and the road manors are not great when running proper knobby tyres... which would be the case on any ADV bike.

[-Tme]

I love my Tuareg.
Pre-ordered it with heated grips and a quick shifter, added crash bars with highway pegs to stretch my legs on the freeway and have not looked back, what a fantastic machine!

[envivomedia]

I currently own it's predecessor, the Aprilia Pegaso 650. Also a wonderful old hog to ride. I met two Germans riding this Touareg and was blown away by the sound.

[jostego]

The quality of your vids, not to mention your writing, is really getting up there. Can't really think of other motorcycle chanels that match up, even the bigger ones.... Thanks!

[Ivver]

I've got one for a year now, drove TET Croatia and Slovenia (10k km passed). I agree with everything you've said. At the beginning is like with every new bike, there will be "children's diseased" with loose screws on clutch cover (leaking oil if you don't tighten it up), water pump gasket replacement, stock clutch switch sensor will brake (2eur repair), that little bolt that holds your kickstand will definitely brake within a few kilometers of macadam and leave you hanging unless you do kickstand switch bypass and/or you replace spring screw with M8.
Display is amazing, you can see it under direct sunlight. Front brake is also very powerful.
A lot of people is arguing about heat from the cat, but if you have proper gear and driving, it is really not that bad. Also, it's really nice feature now through the winter, it keeps your ankles warm! Overheating issue - no issues, it's the reason why it has such a big grill on front so unless you're not reving it up some hill going 2km/h, you're okay. Amazing bike overall.

[natebeard]

From a Tuareg owner, the bike is actually amazing and no issues so far. Seems like only those who have problems or don't actually own the bike are heard.

[TwoWheeledBooBear]

Easily the best bargain in motorcycling. I picked mine up the day it become available here in the states. 14, 700 miles in and it has been nothing short of pure bliss. It picks through rock gardens effortlessly, lofts the front on demand, has such a beautifully balanced chasses that it makes right maneuvers practically afterthoughts - on the whole, the Tuareg just makes you a better rider than your skill level would otherwise allow for.

They truly outdid themselves with this machine.

Sure the LC8c is more powerful, but it's also more buzzy, and famed for atypical KTM issues (I used to own a 990, and I loved the damn thing, but I too got to experience the "fun" of long-term KTM ownership). The KTM 890R definitely has better suspension, but it also sells for $3000+ more - and that's not to say "The 890R has good suspension and the Tuareg doesn't." The 890R has exceptionally good suspension for riding offroad - like, it is plainly unparalleled as to how good it is. The Tuareg is also damn good - it just isn't "as" good as the KTM or Norden 901 Expedition which now runs the same kit.

If you bought a Tuareg and threw even 2k at the suspension, there'd really be no arguing even that last point. The Ape cruises quite happily at 75-80mph all day, can handle thousands of miles of hard, off-road abuse, and remain among the best handling ADVs on pavement, too. It is easily the benchmark the rest of the industry should be looking at when designing their newest entries to the segment as it will only serve to get better, more capable machines that make us all better riders.