Following a remarkable sporting journey that saw it triumph on its debut in the Africa Eco Race — the grueling rally-raid that retraces the routes of the legendary African Dakar — Aprilia presented at EICMA 2024 the Tuareg Rally, an adventure bike dedicated to peak off-road performance and, in many respects, very close to the competition version that, with Jacopo Cerutti in the seat, was crowned Queen of Africa.
The Aprilia Tuareg Rally was developed based on the invaluable experience gained by Aprilia Racing in creating the Tuareg racing bike in technical collaboration with the Guareschi brothers’ GCorse. Building on the already excellent off-road capabilities of the standard Tuareg, this bike quickly became the new benchmark for twin-cylinder adventure bikes. It clinched the 2023 Italian Motorally Championship with Jacopo Cerutti — who retained the title this year — before astonishing everyone on its debut in the desert dunes, dominating the Africa Eco Race from the first stage to the legendary finish line at Dakar’s Lac Rose.
An Aprilia Racing official rider, Jacopo Cerutti also contributed to the development of the Aprilia Tuareg Rally. “It was fascinating to be involved in developing a production model like the new Tuareg Rally,” commented the rider from Como. “The goal was to make it as similar as possible to the bike with which we won the Africa Eco Race, and I can say we succeeded. The Tuareg was already an excellent starting point for problem-free off-road riding, but with the Rally version, we’ve taken it a step further, coming very close to a full rally-raid bike. With the right tires, it can easily take you over the desert dunes. My experience has been particularly useful in providing feedback on the electronics, leading to the creation of a new engine map that delivers quicker and more decisive throttle response, and in the chassis adjustments, with a fork that offers better support and a shock absorber that absorbs potholes at speed more effectively, improving the bike’s overall stability.”
A Production Motorbike With a Racing Soul
The distinctly off-road character of the Tuareg Rally is immediately evident, with its high mudguard and a new, thicker aluminum skid plate, designed with a more protective shape and a deliberately rugged finish for better mechanical impact resistance. Additional protections include sturdy hand guards with metal cores. A new chain guide also comes as standard, ensuring better safety even in the most extreme off-road conditions. To improve off-road control, special attention went to the rider’s ergonomics, with a seat that is 20 millimeters higher to make transitions between seated and standing positions easier and a taller handlebar with a redesigned shape for better handling.
The heavy-duty spoked wheels with Ergal narrow rims come with treaded tires that use inner tubes, while the Kayaba suspension — offering an impressive 240 millimeters of travel — remains the same as the standard model but now features springs with a linear elastic constant K instead of a progressive one. Although this slightly compromises comfort, it significantly improves off-road riding feel and gives the rider greater control over rough terrain. The stiffer suspension also reduces static sag, making the Tuareg Rally taller and effectively increasing its actual suspension travel. The stand has a support foot with an enlarged surface, so the motorbike tilts less when parked. It also offers stable support even on rough or soft surfaces.
The Tuareg Rally (and the entire new Tuareg 2025 range) has its own specifically developed engine mapping to ensure quick and responsive throttle action. This allows the rider to overcome obstacles more easily with a twist of the throttle in the most challenging off-road sections – a crucial advantage in off-road riding.
The Tuareg Rally has a dedicated SC Project exhaust system, complete with a fully titanium silencer, and features an aggressive, racing-style end cap with a generous 60 mm outlet.
The wheel assembly and exhaust system contribute to reducing the Aprilia Tuareg Rally’s overall weight from 204 kilograms to 199 kilograms in running order.
The Aprilia Tuareg Rally comes in the unmistakable Rally race replica color scheme, closely resembling the design of the victorious Tuareg that crossed the legendary Dakar finish line. Visually, the Tuareg Rally stands out with its sporty gold-anodized forks, wheel rims, and handlebars.
New Look for the Tuareg 2025 Range
The updates to the Aprilia Tuareg at EICMA 2024 are not limited to the debut of the Rally version; all models benefit from new styling and technical features introduced alongside compliance with Euro 5+ regulations.
To improve overall efficiency, the 660 twin-cylinder engine now boasts 52-millimeter throttle bodies, up from the previous 48 millimeters. In addition, the new rare-earth generator reduces inertia, enhancing acceleration performance.
While still retaining its distinctive appearance, including the iconic horizontally arranged triple headlamp, the Tuareg’s functional design has been revised, particularly around the headlamp cluster, which now features a sleeker superstructure without the lower lip. This design solution gives the front view a more dynamic and streamlined appearance towards the top.
The Aprilia Tuareg is also available in two new liveries, both featuring a red-painted frame: Tornado Green and Hailstorm White.
The extensive range of original accessories for the Aprilia Tuareg has been further augmented. Tuareg Rally-specific items, such as heavy-duty spoked wheels, a reinforced skid plate and a chain guide are now available as accessories for the standard Tuareg.
The extensive catalogue also includes a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor. The comfort seat — available in three different heights (standard, raised by 2 centimeters and lowered by 2 centimeters) — now incorporates heating elements and can be easily controlled via the handlebar once the Aprilia MIA multimedia platform accessory is installed.
The successful partnership between Aprilia and Alpinestars, which began in 2024, has resulted in the creation of the Aprilia Experience adventure gear, designed to perfectly complement the Tuareg and support riders in all weather conditions and on any terrain. The outfit includes the Aprilia Experience Jacket and Pants. These two-layer garments feature a waterproof membrane and a removable thermal lining. The Aprilia Experience Gloves, made of leather and fabric with knuckle protection, are waterproof and provide excellent thermal insulation, completing the outfit.
For head protection, riders can choose between two types of off-road helmets: the new Aprilia Wheelie, made of thermoplastic resin with an adjustable visor, and the Aprilia Tuareg Helmet, with a carbon fibre shell and optimized air vents, for more demanding riders. Both helmets are compatible with the new Aprilia Wheelie Goggles off-road mask.
