Just in from Aprilia is this first official photo of the new head-banging hooligan from Noale, Italy. We have all seen the spy-photos from the factory, but they did not do the new Tuono justice. This is the real thing in new colour Fluo red with chequered flag paint on the petrol tank. The new Tuono 1000R now has the latest generation V60 power plant directly from the RSV-R superbike. The details are as follows: Maximum power: 98 kW (133 HP) at 9,500 rpm. Maximum Torque: 10.4 kgm (102 Nm) at 8,750 rpm. Chassis: NEW FRAME, new swing arm, new usd fork, lower seat height (15mm lower) all directly from the RSV-R.

It's well known around MO that the Tuono is my all-time favorite motorcycle. As soon as I received this information, I started wondering about the suspension wheels and tires on the bike in these photos... After a quick call to our favorite Aprilia insider, we learned that the Dunlop tires just happened to be on this test bike for the photo session, but that it doesn't necessarily mean they'll be on the bikes we receive stateside. I was also informed that the cool blue wheels only look like the way-cool forged OZ wheels from the old Factory model. They are in fact regular cast aluminum wheels, but they do share the same color and pattern as those old ultra-trick OZ hoops. More importantly, I also discovered that the new Tuono will indeed be available in a "Factory" version, with upgraded Ohlins suspension, trick wheels and most likely Pirelli's latest ultra-high performance tires. Joy! -Sean