So, I finally got to ride the new Tuono V4R. Thunder is not a proper description for this bike. Lunatic is a better descriptor.

I guess the place to begin is with the engine. The sound is intoxicating. Even with the stock cans, the bike, eh hem, draws attention. While winding the throttle out to "test" the speed shifter and merge onto the freeway, the exhaust note drew the attention of one of CA's finest. He stopped writing the ticket to his latest victim, and both of them locked their gaze upon me as I rolled through. So, yes, the V4R definitely turns heads.

The dealer had the beast set up with the nanny's mostly off. The wheelie control was off. The TC was set at 2 of 8, 1 being the least intervention. The throttle response was set at the track mode, for fastest throttle response. Simply put, this was wayyyy to fooking much.

The bike is an unleashed wild animal at those settings. Maybe crazy Max can ride the beast with all the nannies backed down, but I'm not him. A millimeter of throttle twist translated into about 10 mph. And, make no mistake about it, the bike straightens your arms when you make that 1 mm bobble. (I think that is where the bike gets its reputation for having a surging throttle. If this bike has a surging throttle, I didn't experience it. Unlike the SD, it did not hunt around for the speed it wanted below 45 mph, but you had to have an absolutely steady throttle hand. If you were not surgeon smooth, you were rewarded with a jerky ride.)

Frankly, this bike will take some getting used to to ride fast. Unlike the SD, you can't just yank the throttle open and hang on, well, at least I couldn't. Even while feeding in throttle judiciously, the front wanted to lift at 90 mph in second gear. I shifted to third before it lifted and never did get to experience the full power this monster had in the upper rev range. Wind blast was about the same for the Tuono as the SD, maybe a bit more than my SD with its Puig screen.

Although I eluded to it above, I really didn't discuss how quickly this bike builds speed. It pulls hard through the middle revs then explodes on top. Its quick. Its really quick.

The V4R has some engine braking, not as much as the SD, but more than a typical I4. I down shifted twice in rapid succession to test the slipper, and was rewarded with exactly the same amount of engine braking. Pretty cool.

The bike was about the perfect size for me. I suspect that people with longer legs may feel a bit cramped on the V4R. The pegs are high (my stubby knees fit squarely in the tank recesses) so, I think it might be an issue for those over 6' tall. Riding position is more sportbikish than the SD: feet back and more weight on the wrists. Still more comfortable than a true SBK though.

The bike felt light and was very nimble. The steering was precise, but not telepathic like the BMW. It seemed to work better when I pushed it a little harder as I became more comfortable with it. I tested the front end by charging a marked 25 mph turn at 60 mph. The front felt planted and tracked perfectly.

The stock suspension worked well for me at 210 lbs. It was not too soft or too taught. The rear did tend to squat on acceleration, so, it probably could be improved. A stiffer spring might also tend to reduce the bike's propensity to wheelie.

The brakes were typical Brembos. Both the front and rear had more power than my SD's stockers, but less than my bike has with the CL pads.

Speaking of wheelies, I may be a puss, but I had no confidence that I could control a wheelie the way this bike was set up. I'm certain it would wheelie off throttle with very little effort in first and certainly second, probably third.

Great write up, thanks for taking the time to do that. It's got a great spec sheet and I'm sure it's a blast to ride but to me its styling is a killer. It doesn't photograph well at all, but looks ok in person. I'm kinda waiting to see if they have a mid cycle refresh, to see if they change that front end.

Awesome!

Solid notes - thanks for sharing that.

I have only one significant question: Was it fun for you?

Officially a "puss", its probably not for me. Can't afford to be without a license, and I would surely lose it. Just too easy. Then there's the hideous aspect of this particular dance partner. What was your impression of it "in the flesh"?

If you think about it some, a stiffer rear spring is more likely to increase its propensity to wheelie. And I'm guessing you could sky the thing in 4th, at some really stupid velocity. As for control while wheelie-ing (sp?), I understand that you don't think it could be modulated easily at the throttle (unless you have the skills of Mad Max - the Italian version, or Mr. R. Xaus), but not via the rear brake either - ?

The V4 does sound insanely good fun. If only it wasn't so fooking fugly

I did not know what the 2012 Tuono looked like so i googled it.
And the first pic i saw was a view from the side, and i said well the headlight does protrude a bit but it's not so ugly,
and then I looked at the front view and then i ate my previous words, ooooooh i sad ok I see that is Fugly...LOL
It was alright up to that point.

Whine not about it's looks, if you're on a superduke it will will out of sight pretty sharpish.





(I've seen some pics of them looking pretty good, but apart from removing the mirrors I'm not sure what;s been done to them.)

It's not a problem if I'mm on a SD Pete. It's if I was sat on the V4 that I would have a problem. As amazing as the bike may be to ride I would never find myself just standing there gazing at it like I do my SD. Unless of course I was thinking "fooking hell you are amazing to ride but have a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp" Maybe it shouldn't matter but to me it does.

Awesome!

I can't wait to sit on it

Nice write up, wont lie it does sound lovely.

Is the V4R the one with the ohlins?

Factory would come with Ohlins wouldn't it?

So while your down there did you give the Mv Agusta Brutale 1090RR a go?165 hp and really sexy!

yeah no desire to ride one because i cant get past the looks either.
what i am looking forward to is the new SD because its gotta be close to if not more in the HP dept... and its a KTM.
they have to know what they are up against so im sure the new SD is gonna be great. cant believe there havent been more spy shots yet.... it has to be pretty far along in development by now.....

I just can't get over its looks... At the moment if I had no choice but to buy another bike that was not an sd it would be a superduke styled rc8, a 1090r brutale or the BMW k1300r... All great fun with only the last one being practical for all situations. I know some can't stand the styling of the k1300r but it was never meant to be pretty... Just angry looking.

That and I want a 200exc really badly.

But I have no want to get rid of the SD... Just miles of fun, super exclusive, light, piss easy to work on and get BIG gains over stock outputs and totally obnoxious... Plus it reminds me of bumble bee out of transformers. How many other bikes out there that are not Harleys have so many people coming up with performance solutions themselves. Ducati, its all about ticking boxes to upgrade... The SD is so easy to work with that even people without a background in mechanics are giving it a good go with great results.

Look at Klink... Stripped it down for the and pieced it back together.... That being said, SD ownership would be painful without this website as apart from the initially cool bike, there is no support from ktm. Even the "trained" stealers know less about these bikes than the people on here

To summarise... Tuono although good is ugly as sin... I think the design team should have been fired... It doesn't even look angry... Just a mongulated insect. The only bike that meets the badass criteria at the moment is the 1090r... Mcns words 'too hardcore and too powerful'

yeah its got that hideous front end treatment, then there are the stupid little side panels that make it look like a full on sports bike that you took the fairings off, threw em in the dryer, and shrunk them.
looks so out of proportion to the rest of the bike. its too bad because as ugly as it is, the RSV4 is fantastic.

Ya I had that same thought. Looks like a sports bike the way it's set up. Not even the word hooligan come to mind when looking at it.

hi
that bike sounds awesome . great machine for sure .don't think i would of left my camera on the side or the road without a person attached to it though.
i would imagine that spares for them are through the roof. i binned my old rsv in a corner ,(GRAVEL). from a truck 5 mins earlier .the spares parts for the bike were out the roof and the waiting time was 6 to 10 weeks in the uk.
r