I have 23000 and am super happy. But I had the following problems -> tank sensor broken, indicators and horn no longer work and the side stand sensor was destroyed by a stone.
@@mrbase111 Thanks for sharing and too bad with the issues, although I don't think that's too bad at all, especially for an adventure bike that I assume have seen some offroad miles as well!
@@JohannesDalenMC@HotRodRV @mrbase111 Have any of you guys made any mods to lower the bike? Im okay with the stock setup and seat but I think for overall use and daily riding it would be much more comfortable to have a solid footing on both feet
This is like when I first heard about The Hobbit, I was counting down the days, excited as a little kid! Do we have a date or do I have to live in this uncertainty?
Hi. Good to see you “back” on UA-cam😊 I’m the one that bought the Tuareg you tested here on your channel, the demo bike, and I absolutely love it! It has about 6500km now and no problems. This summer I rented a Tenere 700 in Lithuania, and drove about 2000km Offroad on all kinds of terrain. Apart from maybe the engine, the Tuareg is just as good or better in every way. The engine on the T7 though feels a bit torqueier and it definitely sounds better. I hope to fix that with a full exhaust at some point😉. So that’s a little status update from a happy Tuareg owner.
Thank you Morten, and I'm very happy to hear the exact one I rode is doing fine (guess it's because of good break-in 😆). Thanks for the update and I'll see you on the road in a few months!
I bought my Toureg 660 on June 8, 2023 (10 months ago) as a gift to ,myself for having made it through a six hour open heart surgery about five months earlier. It was the perfectly sensible thing for a 72 y.o. guy to do. Right? I took advantage of a military veteran's discount they had at the time. I brought it home and haven't even ridden it yet because I was still too weak from surgery. It still has only 2 miles on it. However, in the past 10 months the Tuareg has aquired an adjustable suspension link (Altrider) that lowers the bike 1 3/8", crash protection bars, a beefy aluminum skid plate, tail rack, luggage, etc., and is ready to ride across the country. At the same time I have been in rehab and have gained strength substantially. I also updated and upgraded my riding gear. Spring is just about here and the Tuareg and I are finally ready for some adventure. But why the Tuareg 660? I am coming from last riding a BMW K100RS road bike. I rode dual sports for years before that. The Tuareg 660 takes care of both desires for me. The Tuareg 660 has the heart of a sport bike, and the body of a dirt bike. I haven't ridden mine yet, but the dual nature of the bike is obvious when you see the Tuareg in person. The looks have grown on me. I never liked the insectoid KTM look, or the beak on some bikes. I have come to like the distinctive looks of the Tuareg. Despite some concerns about reliability, and dealership availability - here is what has not been mentioned - Aprilia has a TWO YEAR WARRANTEE; while Honda and Yamaha have only a one year warantee. My Tuareg will have sat in a garage for 10 months and it will still have a longer remaining warantee than a new Honda bought the day I take my Tuareg out of storage. Aprilia backs their product with twice the warantee - that says a lot about their faith in their product. The Tuareg does have to return to the dealership at the 600 mile mark for an initial service, which requires Aprilia to update the bike's computer. After that, warantee service performed by any licensed motorcycle shop will satisfy warantee requirements. The only real drawback is the scarcity of dealerships, but with a new bike with a 2 year warantee I don't see much need for the dealership after the first service. Oil changes, tires, etc. can be done by any shop, if you don't do it yourself. Therefore, I felt fine buying a less common motorcycle - especially since it is most likely best-in-class. I also like the fact that I won't see many other Tuaregs on the road, for a while anyways. I plan on living from the back of my Tuareg 660 for several months at a time as I explore the U.S.A. via the TransAmerica Trail, BDRs, and any other place I care to ride. I hope we make a good traveling team. I also hope the Piaggio Group makes steady growth in the U.S. market.
I have my Aprilia Tuareg since July last year - no problems so far. We have two dealers in Stockholm - more than enough for me:) I plan to put the bike for proper test this year - will see what it brings
Very good and interesting topic! As a Tuareg owner myself, and an avid researcher of everything i buy or want to buy, constantly educating myself with new info about anything surrounding motorcycles my "educated" guess is that Aprilia just lacks popularity with people who are considered target clients for adventure bikes, and they just don't trust Aprilia enough. It's quite the same with chinese manufacturers like Cfmoto or Moto Morini etc. All the mainstream major brands have had decades of offroad bikes manufactured and used so people have pretty good idea what they would get and many dealerships around the world already have them represented also because they are in this business for so long. It will take time and many model generations of proof that a manufacturer can build good reliable bikes.
This is a great question. One of the best adv twins out there. I really rate them. In Australia they aren't penetrating the market, which surprises me. One reason is the relative lack of service centres. Their build quality is excellent, great ergos, engine, suspension, traction control, low centre of gravity, the list goes on.
Hey Dave, nice to see you here, I just finished watching your Tiger 900 video this morning - excellent stuff! Yeah, it's a strange situation. Perhaps the Tuareg 660 winning the Africa Eco race this year might help their reputation?
But Dave, they are priced way too high here in Australia. When, in other countries they are directly priced against the Transalp and the base T7 but here they retail for $22,230 for the base paint job. That's over $8k more than a Transalp.
I owned one in vic. Good luck getting parts, and good luck dealing with the worst dealership experience ever, and not having a choice to go anywhere else. All of that was enough for me to sell it.
I think you've hit the nail on the head - I cant say for the rest of the world but in Australia there are very few Aprilia dealerships and reliability seems to be a very high priority for the ADV community here. My son bought a Toureg 660 around a year ago and has had zero issues, I've riden it and compared to my customised T7 it's a better adventure bike BUT I'm not getting rid of the T7 anytime soon. Keep up the great work and refreshing content!
Thank you Craig, happy to hear both you and your son is enjoying your bikes. If I can share adventures on two wheels with my son when I grow I will be a happy man - enjoy my friend!
When I bought my Tuareg.. I had an idea of what I was getting into. The stigma around Italians bikes is not as bad today as it used to be.. with dealers like AF1 here in the U.S., they normally do a good job about keeping some parts in stock, but there are still some things that you may have to wait a few weeks on. So if you do you own maintenance, then you need to be studying the service manual to see what needs to be ordered and plan those things out a few months before you get to them. I think a lot of the people look at Aprilia and think "high cost of maintenance", and if you're taking the bike to the dealership for every maintenance then that's probably true. I'm on the tail end of doing my 12000 mile valve service on my Tuareg, and I thought it was going to be some super complicated process, but it has wound up being decently easy once you know the special tools that you need (you can buy them, or you can make them if you want to save some money). I went into that job completely blind because NO ONE had made a video on how to do it for the 660 motor yet. So, I think current Tuareg owners can help other owners by sharing videos on how to do maintenance items (brakes, forks, valve checks, shock removal) and get some videos out there to show people, who might be interested in buying these bikes, that they're really not that difficult to work on in your own shop... you don't have to take it to the dealer for every little thing that can go wrong
Reliability is everything when you want ride to remote offroad places. That is why I am still riding my DR650. Not the most powerful, not the most equipped, not the most modern but boy it is reliable as hell.
@@user-qq5kv2oq6x Which is better off road, the whole point of buying this bike. The Yamaha. So Aprilia is prettier but less capable and more unreliable. But stick your head in the sand. I owned an Aprilia Mille for 7 years, fantastic bike, so that makes me a Yamaha fan boy ? Haha.
... the Aprilia is just better and i know because I own a Tenere ... also Tenere owners have a hard time accepting that bullet proof reliability isnt everything in a motorcyclist's life but ... eh, whatever i know i am wasting my time with you @@douglasalexander4348
I respectfully disagree sir. The Tuareg 660 is a better offroad bike than the T7, in almost every measurable aspect. Better suspension, lower center of gravity, more ground clearance and lower seat height. I would argue the CP2 engine is slightly more tractable, but the Tuareg engine is also excellent.
I bought my Tuareg new in November 23, 6100 miles in 7 weeks , from Daytona to Utah… limited highway droning, mostly 2 lane roads to Moab Utah… then the fun began.. off roading with the locals since I am an A Level racer in FTR (Florida Trial Riders, KTM 300XC) aside from the excessive engine heat, the Aprilia was 100% reliable with ZERO mechanical issues…. Have fun on your Mom’s TTR….
Had it for 1year and two months and put 20.000km (12.000miles) on it. Great bike, didn't like the looks, but it handled very well. Offroad too! Traded it in on an AJP PR7 last year. Main reason: Valve check every 20.000km, which is actually pretty good compared to the AJP. But I got quoted a crazy price for the 20k service, and decided to walk away. Apparantly, the valve check on this bike is a very long and technically difficult procedure. Which means I don't feel it's a true adventure bike. Not liking the looks of the bike helped in the decision, I like to look back at my bike after parking it and be happy with how it looks. Reliability was ok, but as said, I didn't test it past 20k. Had some doubts about the hot running engine, quality of engine seals, and the engine running relatively high up in the revs.
In my experience from RTW POV the whole "reliability" and "dealer network" angle is way overblown. For one, every bike breaks, and when it does it would be the parts similar in quality to all: wheel bearings, head bearing, tires, spokes, fuel filters, clutches, battery, brake pads, etc etc.. which can be procured from local auto parts store or bazaar Second, there may be hundreds of Honda dealerships in Mexico or Kazakhstan, but none of them will have the parts for anything over 250cc bike, and if you need something it would be faster to FedEx it from EU or USA.
I think you pretty much nailed it Johannes - a cloud hanging over reliability, and a patchy dealer network. Meanwhile…sending you warm, snow-melting thoughts from Australia, where it’s 40 degrees Celsius. 😊
Well, when PS are the supplier AND the retailer, there’s a problem. Very patchy in terms of the quality of the techs- and you only have one avenue if there’s an issue.
The Tuareg 660 was top of my list when I was looking at new bikes recently. I didn't go for it because of the reliability concerns, the parts delays and poor attitude to customer service from the Piaggio group. Resale value of these bikes is awful too. I'd probably put 10k miles on a bike in a year and I didn't think the Tuareg would survive 2 years and would certainly have been worthless after that period. A travel bike either needs to be super reliable or the manufacturer needs to be able to deal with issues very quickly in the countries you plan to visit. I currently own my 2nd BMW bike. Both BMWs have had minor issues but BMW immediately sorted these out. First time they collected the bike from my house, delivered me a rental car and then delivered the bike back to me a few days later. I had a similar experience when I'd an issue with my 2nd bike too. I feel safe to buy a BMW which is full of tech and hence prone to the odd issue. Aprilia and KTM do not have service like this so I would avoid them as they're both prone to issues. I've spent a lot of time in Italy over the last few years and you don't see many Italian bikes on the streets, it's mostly Honda, Yamaha and BMW. I asked a biker on a BMW in Florence why this is and he told me when he goes riding with his friends they need to make sure there's enough spare passenger seats to carry home all their friends on the Italian bikes as they always break down. It's a shame about the Tuareg as it seems to be an amazing bike. Piaggio need to sort themselves out and instil some confidence in potential buyers.
Thanks for sharing Alex, I think you make a great point here. On a business related podcast I listened to some years back I recall they quoted one of the CEOs of BMW (cars, but still relevant). Whenever you brought your BMW car in for service or repair, you would be treated very well. They would serve you food, coffee, clean your car and do things outside of what's expected, just to make you feel good about it, because that will get you returning customers (according to BMW).
@@JohannesDalenMC my first BMW was a used 750GS so was probably one the cheapest bikes they had in that dealer. I was treated so well. You get a warm fuzzy feeling owning a BMW 😅 They know if they treat you right then you'll always be a customer, the second that level of service goes you could easily convert to other brands
My Guzzi Stelvio ntx has 145000 km on it and the only thing that had to be fixed was the bearing that pivots the front forks (balhoofdlager, don't know the English word) . A buddy has the same bike, the 2nd version with the 34 liter tank, 350000 on it and apart from the same bearing and a clutch plate, still running strong with no hassle. So much for Italian not beeing reliable.
@@janzzen9095 I tell you another sweet story. I know at least several guys who reported that tank capacity is not 17l but way less (3 liters or so). Aprila did... nothing with it.
I`ve been giving this some thought, and there isnt much sense to why you dont see a Tuareg 660 at every corner during the summertime. But, that is only if you take into account what it is and how it performs. Because if you only take those two things into account, there should not really be any other valid competitor on the market. It has a fantastic engine, solid electronic options, it is lightweight, it looks awesome and has some of the best suspension on the "market" taking the cost of the bike into account. It should be the perfect bike. But then you take into account the lack of dealers and somewhat lacking reliability and you have your answer! I want to be able to abuse my bike and still having it run just fine. That statement seems quite odd, but if you think about it a bit you see that adventure-riders really abuse their bikes. You ride them in unforgiving conditions, and sometimes blistering fast. You have to rely on the fact that the bike can take that abuse, and even if it breaks you can just take it to your local dealer or order some parts to have it fixed. With Aprilia, you just cant do that. Of course it will depend on where you live in the world and what type of riding you do. All i know is this: Even the "best" of bikes can be entising, but at the end of the day you have to be safe and trust your bike..... with your life!
I went to look at one, dealer sold the 660 and the T7, I thought the 660 was very ugly, rear lights looked a mess as did the front end. I had no intention of buying a T7 but I did, really fell for the looks. I'd say it's more looks and image with the Tuareg, not really a cool guys bike, I've yet to see one at any of the racing I did last year, loads of T7 and 890s. Your right about parts, that is a big thing with the T7, you name it you can get it easy, better wheels, great suspension, dozens of different exhausts, decal kits galore - on paper the 660 is a better bike, but you make a T7 a way better bike very easily. Maybe the Eco race result might help with promoting the bikes capability
I ride couple of bikes from different categories transalp 750 2024, t7, guzzi v100 mandelo, guzzi v850tt, scooters nothing literally nothing drives better than the tuareg it's pure magic... But not fan of the engine heat
@@twowheeledadventuresuk2739 I am afraid you can't improve the top heavyness of the T7. Agree with the looks but the 660 is an overall better value package. Disclamer I own a modified T7.
@@laurensdedonder24 I don't think a bike can be better if you just think the thing is ugly. If it was all about better we'd all be on an 890 - but bikes are so much than performance and that is my point. Ive ridden and raced enough bikes to know what I like, I love my T7, got it to where I'm very happy with it, take my CRF450 out and it knocks the socks off it, but I feel good when I ride my T7, it makes me very happy. And that is all that matters, bike should make you feel good.
It is 2024 and there really is NO EXCUSE for building unreliable bikes. Without reliability first no manufacturer will ever realize sales numbers that warrant a big dealer network and adequate parts availability. Honda and Yamaha got their reputations the hard way by building reliable bikes first and by building performance later. This is especially true of a bike intended to be taken into the hinterland.
@@iangriffiths9930 Like I stated - hardly a regular problem. Anyway, get some feeler gauges and do it yourself - it ain't rocket science just labour intensive, especially the first time.. compare the desert x where merely doing the much more regular air filter also needs the tank removal.
Unfortunately I’m not able to complete valve checks myself so would have to pay for it, I don’t care how the good the bike is I’m not paying £750 every other year for maintenance
@@iangriffiths9930 that price seems excessive and must be for much more than the valve check - unless bike wrenchers over in pommy land are earning £300+ an hour?!? but meh, I'll be doing my own 😁
Nice one mate! Cheers for the shoutout. The Tuareg is sooo much fun. I can't wait to get on one again and I have been presented no reason to worry about reliability.
Just turned over 3000 miles and have only had the “known issues” of water pump seal and fuel sending unit, but dealer warranty repaired. No other issues to date! Love the bike.
Are you suggesting that the dealer has resolved these two known issues for the long term?? If so, then why the hell doesn’t the dealer fix this crap before sending a hapless customer out the door. Very bad marketing…
I've had both the tuareg 660 and a 2023 890 adventure r. The aprilia was hands down better in every category except power. The ktm ate its cams at 2200 miles and numerous other issues with that bike. The aprilia has been perfect so far and is an absolute blast the ride.
You're spot on, but I think the look it's also a bit controversial, and it matters for a lot of people. To me since i don't expect to do a world tour, i sold my T7 and bought a 890...
You nailed the key reasons, reliability, manufacturer support and availability of spare parts. These are the top issues for an adventure bike, much more so than for a road bike or commuter where you are not too far from home or from getting help. I have heard horror stories from KTM riders too that they can't get replacement parts. There is also some mystique around the CP2, being one of the best mainstream engines with the 270 degree crank, desaxe (offset) cylinders, smooth torquey low revving nature, long service intervals and hilariously reliable. And the comparisons around which bike has the best suspension (the most immediate thing reviewers focus on), longest range or tubeless wheels etc are pretty meaningless when they can be modified to suit the rider.
Hi Johannes, Dealership and Part`s is the key - you´re right. Look at the hype about the Honda`s 250/300 L/R`s, before that many YT-Channel`s find the Enfield was the best ADV for Budget... Marketing and Support i guess is the key. In other Country`s are the very old 650 DR`s the way to go (Australia), in Europe the BMW GS. Thank`s for your effort and ... Cheers
One of the reasons i got little sleep, last night, was i was churning through the dilemma of "if i traded in my CB500X, would i go Transalp, or Tuareg?" Head says Transalp (Honda=known reliability, Dealers and parts available EVERYWHERE, a simple move up from the CB500X to what is, essentially, the "CB750X", Familiarity). Heart says Tuareg (better specs, better ride, Tubeless, air filter you can actually get to). It's causing sleepless nights.... :D
You nailed it @JohannesDalen Last year I was in the market for a midsize ADV bike here in the Midwest of the USA. Coming from many years riding sport bikes on the track and many years of riding off road/dual sport bikes, I wanted something for the BDRs and a bike I can ride to and back from the easy trails. T7, KTM890 and the Tuareg were the finalist. If the T7 had all the features of the 890 or the 660, I know I would have bought the Yamaha. For the last 30 years I have been riding mostly Japanese bikes, but I had a Tiger 800 and at KTM EXC 350 without major issues. It is the dealership support that made me chose the 890 in the end.
When I bought my Tuareg 660 the dealer told me "it is just an inspection" not a valve "adjustment", because no valves have ever needed adjusting at the 12k mile valve inspection.
That maybe true, for a lot of other bikes too but you still have to get it done if you want to maintain warranty, I’ve been told the cost of valve inspection is £750 here in the UK!
I think one thing (Hen & Egg thing) that has made the T7 so popular aswell is that it is so customizable, cheap to buy and make your own. Suspension, different fairings, more skidplates to choice from than dishes on a china buffe, crazy grafics etc. You rarely see a "modded" KTM, and almost never a 690 Tuareg. I think people like the idea of buying a cheaper and reliable bike with tons of aftermarket goodies to sink their money into. So what came first... The interest of the T7 bc it is so customizable? Or all of the aftermarket parts bc the T7 have such high of an interest?
I think almost every major motorcycle manufacturer has a insane rider using their bikes and posting on social media. Yamaha have Pol Tarres riding and doing crazy stuff on the T7, KTM have Chris Birch, Honda has I forget his name who does stuff on the Africa Twin. The Tuareg has almost no presence on social media.
Absolutely love my tuareg 660 only had one issue that required the deal a temp sensor but you are on the money with the lack of dealer network and stories of a couple of bad issues just plague a newly released model the others you mention are well established models that have been around for years so will definitely sell better 👍 just my opinion but i would definitely buy the tuareg again if i had the choice its a great bike and still surprises me what it can do
They dont sell more because we all see aprilia as a second class brand. We see ktm as first class. Guzzi seems second class as well. I have a tuareg, one of the first ones, two times motor light on. Just reset in dealer. They say they have to fix something Next time. 8000 km only. Last bike was a kawa 1000. Zero problems in 35000 km, zero zero. But the tuareg is a perfectly conceived bike, that is why I bought it. I refused to think that italians dont learn. Regards
I own one and i would never go back on my purchase, the only better mid weight adv bike is the KTM 890r. The big compare-er though is the T7 but the 660 has lower center of gravity, better suspension, lower seat, cruse control, complete customization of traction control, abs, engine braking, throttle mapping. the big downside is dealer network and currently a lack of cheaper aftermarket accessory like crash bars, etc
I agree that it's reliability/dealer and part support. I'm in the US, the only dealer in my state is about 3.5hrs away from me. I have a mechanic in my family who I usually work on my bikes with so that isn't a huge deal for me. But if I can't get parts then that is a problem. I think also you need to have a dealer to clear any service codes on the Tuareg and that's something I'd find extremely frustrating as somebody who likes to do their own maintenance. But I hope their network grows cause I think the Tuareg is a super cool bike,
Spot on, as a Tuareg owner myself, the miles have not come to aid yet, to answer reliability/services, to ease minds and build reputation. For me, I don't care, I'm the citizen tester/guinea pig, and I'm enjoying this bike, I have no where near the skill to take it to the limit, and so what. Appreciate your interest in putting forward the conversation here, thanks. Enjoy the journey.......... O yes! I do agree w/ you when you brought up the reliability of for instance KTM - o my, hmmm. I've thought that often, and chuckle.
When I had to replace my crashed Africa Twin CRF1000DCT, that I enjoyed over 45.000km, I tested them all mid-size adv. DesertX came 1st for handling but insanely expensive. T7 came last for weak engine, top heavy. The 1100Africa Twin was too heavy as I'm getting old. Norden901 didn't please me, having some electronic issue on test bike! Tuareg660 was the best for handling, equipement/price ratio. But I didn't like the hard gearbox, the high handle bar, while engine was a joy. I ended buying a 890R . Why ? Engine capacity, and bargain price at Tuareg price. About KTM reliability, I had several, 990adv, 450excf, 701E, 500excf, 890R now with 15.000km: never had an issue. Would the Tuareg be renamed 700 it may sell more, or increasing the capacity : we don't really need it but a usual biker has an ego to satisfy 😂
Funny, I was just having a discussion this morning on Tuareg 660. I might not be an authority but the reasons(and the reasons I don't have one) is Aprilia's reputation for unreliability and boutique motorcycle status. When something happens to this bike its going to be a very long down time and that plain sucks.
In South Africa the Aprilia Tuareg 660 was more expensive than both the KTM 890 Adventure R and Triumph 900 Rally Pro. And way more expensive than the Yamaha T7. In fact, I believe the distributer went belly up because they were greedy and there is currently none available new, you can only get one second hand. So in the end, I think Aprilia themselves are to be blamed for not providing proper distribution channels and customer back up for their bikes.
This is a question I suspect many of us have wondered about, so well done for investigating it, anecdotally or otherwise. I test rode the Aprilia Tuareg before I bought my Transalp last year, for comparison, and agree that it is a very capable bike. Far more capable off-road than the Honda, with much better suspension - no question. But in Australia the Aprilia is very dear. My Honda was $15,740 total, on road. 12 month's registration, plus a few extras. As the first buyer here I 'got a good deal', and don't regret it, now 10,000 kms in. The Honda is very easy to live with, and is not my only bike. The Aprilia is a great bike, but costs about $22,500 on road here. A lot more. Unfortunately the local Aprilia dealer here in South Australia (a friend) has retired, such that there is no dedicated Aprilia dealership in this state, and very few in Australia. The other issue was the hot legs problem, which was noticeable on the Aprilia, but non-existent on the Honda. Also the seat height of the Aprilia makes anyone under 6' (1.8 metres) feel a bit insecure up there! Long travel suspension has its drawbacks. The seat itself less comfortable than the Japanese alternatives. More for standing up... But after a lifetime of Ducatis many were surprised at my choice of the Honda, but I would say that in this country the price and the engine heat of the Aprilia were the two main factors that discourage buyers, followed by the dealer/parts availability. But there is no doubt the Tuareg is a bike that deserves more support, both from buyers, and the factory. Its engine feels more revvy and 'urgent' than the Honda, which has a relaxed feel that suits this 'older rider'. I suspect that the average age of (new) ADV bike buyers may skew the statistics towards the more 'old person's model', whereas the Aprilia probably suits a younger, taller rider. The older ones more able to afford a new bike in the current circumstances.
I traded my R12GSA for a T7 World Raid. I did not go for KTM because of it being too small for me and because of all the reliability issues I read everywhere (also confirmed by my dealer who was a previous KTM dealer). I didn’t go for the Tuareg also because of reliability concerns (I’m still traumatized by Moto Guzzi ownership), because of its tank volume size and because there are so little aftermarket options for it. I’ve modded the hell out of my T7 WR, so much stuff you can get for it to customize it to your liking. Loving it.
Hi Johannes, interestingly enough I own a Tuareg 660 since 2022, and back then I watched your videos about your jerky Husqvarna because my Aprilia jerks around too, never ran smooth with me, exact same behavior as you described. Do you observe similarities between the jerkiness of the Husqvarna and the Aprila you tested? Or is yours running smooth? I always wondered if mine is the only one, or all the Tuaregs do that.
In a perfect world it would be entirely based on performance. But when you look at a map. Where is your nearest Aprilia dealership? If something goes wrong, and sometimes they do. No one wants the hassle.
I see quite a few on the road here in NL. But not nearly as much as T7 or 890s of course… I love mine. And I always prefer a bit of an exclusive bike (or car). btw I do have an Aprilia dealership in the city near me, that does help. Also, even the dealer admits the Aprilia marketing sucks… so that also plays a role I’m afraid.
Interesting point regarding marketing, haven't thought about that. I recall watching a few videos on UA-cam about the Tuareg 660 and the effort behind making it, but not nearly as thorough and serious as the bigger brands. Happy to hear you are enjoying yours!
I never see any in NL personally 😅 Aprilia their marketing is a lot better than it used to be, the bike won the africa eco race! But in the benelux indeed there is no more marketing
T7 rider partly for the lack of modes etc which the 660 has. My nearest dealer , I would not trust with a shopping trolley. 660 won the Africa Eco this year but unless you followed the race you would never know it. Risk & Reward. Why I would never buy the 660 or a KTM. May be brilliant bikes but my money , time and patience are limited so would choose less is more bike that the T7 is. Shame really.
Love my Tuareg - hasn't put one step wrong. Strong, reliable, the very best adventure bike.....could only be improved by utilising a high front fender and losing 20kgs. THEN it would be TRULY AWESOME FOREVER!!
I think the lack of support for parts and service for the most common things like you said is the issue. I can get parts form my chinese dual sport in a week, two at the most. and cost is cheap. Leaves more money and time for the fun riding.
I see the neighbors bike, and after he put 5k on it the bike looks old. Compare with a Honda or Yamaha it feels like his bike is 10 years old. There is nothing broken or not functional, but it just seems like it has aging issues (rust, faded colors etc.)
Another great topic Johannes! If not for the Kove 450, it's very likely I would own a Tuareg right now. Two Aprilia dealers within 50 miles of me. I would actually take a PR7 over the Tuareg, but again, too impractical to get a PR7 in the US. The parts issue is the biggest problem IMO. Not gonna say what company, but I work in an industry that involves many machines and parts and one of our biggest partners is an Italian company. The machines are great, but getting parts is a nightmare. Even China gets parts to us faster. I personally wouldn't be too worried about reliability, more about getting parts. Anyway, the Tuareg won the Africa Eco Race this year, that's a great reflection on the reliability.
Sales here at my local dealer have been very successful , but since the middle weight adv. Market has become wider lately we have more options and maybe more honesty on what bike will serve our needs and our type of riding and experience, plus also a new segment popping up with the smaller displacement bikes, not to mention that bikes are not selling as much as they were selling during the pandemic
Goldilocks bike for me, just what I'm looking for... but 3 dealers quoted me £900 ($1,135 currently) or over for the 12,000 mile service! Not having that, then there's the spares availability. Pass.
Nice video, and honest assessment of the pluses and minuses of the Tuareg 660. Having discussed this bike on ADV forums with other riders, to me it seems like the biggest limitation to 660 sales in the US is the lack of nearby Aprilia dealers. I happen to have a dealer 20 miles away, but there are States in the US with no dealerships. Yamaha dealerships are everywhere, although actually finding a T7 to look at and sit on may not be so easy. Reliability is a tricky issue to consider, most evidence being antidotal, but I don’t see many serious defects being posted on owners FB pages, far fewer than for the KTM 890s. In this era of computer design, automated machining and welding, robust electronics, and bikes being build by multi-national corporations with resources for engineering and modern assembly technique, most MCs are going to be fairly reliable.
The Aprilia is the better bike no doubt but I value reliability and longevity over performance so being able to do double the mileage between valve checks is more important to me. Also I don’t think anyone can say the Yamaha is a bad bike.
@@iangriffiths9930 you are just writing down what you read and heard. There is very low problems with the bike if we are honest. Its not all USA market. In Europe you get your parts as fast as yamaha parts. In the end of the day Italy is my neighbour country and I'm just 350km from Noale.
You are correct I am, that’s what people do, they look at owners reviews and then make the call if that want to buy or not. I’m not making these this up, it’s what owners of the bikes have reported. I’ll say it again it is a good bike and if you don’t mind the odd issue then great, but for me the bike has to be mostly problem free 👍
@@iangriffiths9930 When I bought my Tuareg 660 I asked about the 12k mile valve inspection. The head technician at the dealership said that he has never found the valves out of spec at 12k miles. I don't know why more people don't mention the fact that the Aprilia Tuareg 660 is waranteed for 2 years, but Yamahas (T7) and Hondas (Africa Twin, Transalp) are only waranteed for one year. What does that say about reliability and longevity?
In my country (Romania) there are quite few tuaregs and many teneres. Reason? Tenere has a better look although Tuareg is also italian designed. Tenere runs better on low rews, less electronics which is a problem source in time History also helps - many old Yamahas on the market still running and many Aprilias scrap rusting in garages for many reasons First year of production form tuaregs was a test one - many electric and sealing problems. Now maybe are better but image was created.
There are more factors then reliability, which I see as a minor issue. Looking at Aprilia sales last years it has increased with over 30% most because of Tuareg so it is a sale success for the company. The older RXV and Pegaso models where also good and revolutionary bikes but still KTM, Honda and Yamaha outsold them. The psychological factor that Aprilia is a small brand makes people suspicious. Why is not everyone buying an Alfa Romeo or Lancia car? They are brilliant italian cars probably better than Volkswagen in many ways. Because they are specialized to fit a certain type and not sold for masses. Living in Sweden we had two car brands: SAAB and Volvo. Most owners of SAAB said it was a much better and more modern car than Volvo, still Volvo outsold SAAB by many times. SAAB owners praised the quirky technical solutions and clever features but most people that just want to go from A to B does not care. Same thing with Husaberg and Husqvarna, every owner of Husaberg says it is a much more clever and better Enduro bike then Husqvarna but still Husaberg was sold in few numbers. Conclusion: Aprilia Tuareg does not fit everyone, or not everyone care about all it's technical features. Fully adjustable suspension and complicated rider modes is not always what you want as a beginner. You just want to push start button and ride, like a Honda or Yamaha. If you have problems or need service you send it to your local dealer and they fix it for you. Aprilia Tuareg requires a bit more technical knowledge to maintain and use it's full potential. But if you do it is a brilliant bike!
As a owner of a KTM Norden 901 ;) I can say that reliability is a BIG thing ...But don't forget accessories availability ! - If I want to venture offroad into the unknown, I need accessories to carry all my gear AND protection for my fancy bike... KTM/HUSKY platform is around for a long time (most aftermarket parts will fit all bikes since the 790 came out) Its a very important factor for bike sales in the adventure segment..
I recall a video made by Eric Lange (ride adv?) about that, and I think it was exaggerated to be honest. The down tubes only hold the skid plate and doesn't have any structural function. I would rather have the cheap down tubes break than the frame.
Reliability is one thing, but crappy Piaggio warranty service and months of downtime waiting on parts is something else altogether. Everything breaks, even my trusty DR650. You just fix it and move on. But if you _can’t_ fix it because you can’t get parts, and/or because Piaggio won’t honor their warranty, that’s a deal breaker. The Tuareg is a great bike doomed by lousy manufacturer follow through.
Currently in NZ you can pick up T7's and Africa Twins for half there brand new price. Not many used Touregs, and all bikes to pricey from new. Alot comes down to what you can actually afford, rather than what you love to own. For most average riders that cant wheelie or do sliding brake turns or just ride gravel roads almost any bike will do. Buy what you can afford and get off ya computer and ride. Then change a year later for the next one on the list. Happy days. Yo from NZ
Agree i would love to have a test drive but finding a dealer anywhere close with a demonstrator is impossible plus getting it serviced would be a long drive and over night stay every time. There is at least 3 KTM dealers within 100 miles and one a mile away.
I tend to think it’s also a matter of general appeal. If the Tuareg more broadly were perceived as a more charismatic bike, I think slightly lower reliability would have been more easily accepted, just like with 790/890. Frankly, I don’t think it’s only about reliability and dealer network. I have never regarded the Tuareg 660 a charming bike (very much unlike the T7), but perhaps that’s just me. 😳
Hm, here we had new Tuaregs from 2022 in last december... And also it seems that the "what broke" part is an essential chapter in every Tuareg review :) I am curious that if it will change since Jacopo Cerutti won the Africa Eco race...
Best designed bike for sure, but terrible dealer network and parts availability in the US. My bike is eating quite a bit of oil and has pitted cams and Piaggio/Aprilia says that's normal so no warranty work happened.
I love the design of the tank and airbox, makes for a very well balanced bike! Too bad your having issues with your bike - is it a case of "scorched" cams like I've read about elsewhere too?
@@JohannesDalenMC Dealer told me it was scorched cams, then said no damage, then the tech that worked on my bike said my cams were pitted on a forum. Same dealer said they filed a claim about oil consumption, but they didn't actually file the claim 'till I called Piaggio directly about the issue a month later. Probably won't really know what my cams look like 'till I do the next valve adjustment...
Wow you are a real statistician, there are more T7's sold, and they have been around longer, hence more for sale. Most beginners, newbies, jumped on the bandwagon with the T7, realized it wasn't a beginner bike and best left to stronger skilled riders with off road experience....that is my feeling. Could be that people are spoiled, not happy with perfectly great machines...always chasing the dragon, never getting familiar with one machine.
Your channel is quickly becoming on of my favourite moto channels with these latest uploads :) I think people need to worry less about their bike and just ride it. (And ride bikes first before judging them) The whole reliablility thing is turning into some kind of mass psychosis. 😆 Personally I would also prefer a KTM over other European brands. For now I am still happy on my T7 :) The Aprilia I think has some kind of image problem. Looks + lack of the cool character that "we" want. (Like the T7 rally bike image with Paul Tarres etc.)
That makes me very happy to hear my friend! I agree with you regarding reliability, but I also understand the hysteria. I had that same approach to adventure motorcycling in the beginning - "what if my bike breaks down when I'm riding across Africa?" - How many times have I ridden across Africa since then? Haha 😆 I'm a natural "worryer", but I work on that every day. If something happens, well yes, then it happens and I have to figure it out somehow, just like with every other challenge one faces in life. Happy to hear you're enjoying the T7!
The Victorian / Aussie dealership has a stranglehold on this brand and their service is shit. If that’s not off putting enough, the bike can only be serviced at an approved dealer. If you’re doing any kind of off road ride and need parts or servicing, the wait can be weeks if not months. I had one. Loved it. Sold it. Too much effort
Lovely weather by the way, gonna be 37 here today, I hate the heat. 😂😂 Motorcyclist are a very conservative bunch, I guess that is the reason most will go riding to places they know, bit like the bikes they ride, better the devil you know, the fear of the unknown scares many people. Aprilia is generally an unknown brand to most, Italian exotica, so lots of trepidation about reliability, parts, dealers etc, so how many people will take the chance ? Aprilia has made some amazing motorcycles over the years but if not for their scooters they probably would be out of business, they were the bike to have in 125 and 250 GP road racing back in the 2 stroke days, but that was about it, win on Sunday sell on Monday never worked for them because like many Italian bikes at the time it was the same issues as know. Ducati were the same, dominating world super bike but were sold to mainly collectors or part time riders who knew how good they were but also fragile, a dream bike. Yamaha and Honda still sold thousands of R1s and Fireblades that were not as good as the 916, mainly due to trusting the Japanese brands more, KTM were a bike to stay away from for a long time due to not being trusted. The more things change the more they stay the same. 👍👍👍👍👍
Yep, that's the primary reason I'm not on a Tuareg right now. I love my new Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition, but if I had even one Aprilia dealer within 50 miles (I have 3 to choose from for my Norden), I probably would have bought a Tuareg.
I really wanted to buy a Taureg, but the nearest dealer is a 6 hr drive. I've never even seen one in person. In fact, I think I've only seen two Aprilia's in my lifetime. It also seems like Aprilia has a terrible marketing team. Most motorcyclists have no idea that the Taureg even exists.
At least here in the U.S.: It's one part no dealers, one part wanting premium features the price of Japanese dinosaurs, and one part being scared of European vehicle reliability.
I do like the bike. Three issues for me: - Reliability. Too many reports of issues with the engine (including on the RS660). - Dealers. There are none anywhere near me. - Looks. That front light doesn't do it for me. Trivial and picky, I know. Also I didn't like the T7 (too top heavy), the Desert X (too big/top heavy, but lovely for the street), or any KTM (I owned a 690 enduro, which I loved, but quality control is poor and they need a lot of mods, and are NOT "ready to race"). Would like to test the new F900GS, which seems promising. Otherwise, for off road, may just settle with something like a Fantic Cabellero 500 Rally, which would be fine for my off road abilities anyway.
Before I made this video I thought this was information that was available to everyone. I wasn't able to find any info on sales at all. Would be really cool to compare. All I know is how many GS BMW sold last year and the number is astronomical!
In the USA the real reason so many overlook it is displacement, if it ain’t at least 750, it’s nowhere. Expansive roads that go on forever very few wanna jump on a mini machine that costs as much as a mid to full sized bike and jump on a much smaller machine
Great video, Johannes. I bike I love the look and spec of but went 890 for more grunt and lower centre of gravity. Does your new DJI mic have a bulky receiver on the camera? Thanks, Ian
Thank you Ian! It does not, and that's why I think it's so amazing - it connects wirelessly to my DJI Action 4 without the receiver. I think you can do that with Gopro as well now, I've seen people use the Apple airpods with the latest Gopro.
Haha exactly! As soon as I can ride again I will test it as a motovlog mic inside the helmet. If it can do that as well I'm completely sold. Can put it on my backpack while riding to get exhaust sound, then put it into the helmet for a little talk. The DJI Action 4 is also excellent with its quick release, takes a second to swap from helmet to a tripod and back. It all needs to be simple or else I'll go crazy with all the fiddling.
Awesome bike, but…… I plan road trips to BDRs, little alone nearest dealer is 3 hours from where I live to begin with, how many are along the BDRs? All the new bikes via their electronics need a dealer to even do diagnostics and I don’t want to spend big $$$s in a flatbed tow to a dealer not to mention the lost time and logistics. Unfortunately to me emergency service capabilities figures into the purchase.
I am! I needed some time away from it all which helped a ton. I missed connecting with you guys through my channel, so here I am again. I think the biggest thing I learned being away is how nice it is to be off from all social media (except YT).
Absolutely love the bike. Coming up on 10k miles with zero issues.
Nothing makes me happier to hear man!
I have 23000 and am super happy. But I had the following problems -> tank sensor broken, indicators and horn no longer work and the side stand sensor was destroyed by a stone.
@@mrbase111 Thanks for sharing and too bad with the issues, although I don't think that's too bad at all, especially for an adventure bike that I assume have seen some offroad miles as well!
@@JohannesDalenMC@HotRodRV @mrbase111 Have any of you guys made any mods to lower the bike? Im okay with the stock setup and seat but I think for overall use and daily riding it would be much more comfortable to have a solid footing on both feet
It's coming man. I think you're gonna love it.
This is like when I first heard about The Hobbit, I was counting down the days, excited as a little kid! Do we have a date or do I have to live in this uncertainty?
Hi. Good to see you “back” on UA-cam😊 I’m the one that bought the Tuareg you tested here on your channel, the demo bike, and I absolutely love it! It has about 6500km now and no problems. This summer I rented a Tenere 700 in Lithuania, and drove about 2000km Offroad on all kinds of terrain. Apart from maybe the engine, the Tuareg is just as good or better in every way. The engine on the T7 though feels a bit torqueier and it definitely sounds better. I hope to fix that with a full exhaust at some point😉. So that’s a little status update from a happy Tuareg owner.
Thank you Morten, and I'm very happy to hear the exact one I rode is doing fine (guess it's because of good break-in 😆). Thanks for the update and I'll see you on the road in a few months!
Yes, if I see you around we can swap bikes for some kilometers. I’d be happy to try that PR7 also😉 you actually have a more rare bike than me😎
I bought my Toureg 660 on June 8, 2023 (10 months ago) as a gift to ,myself for having made it through a six hour open heart surgery about five months earlier. It was the perfectly sensible thing for a 72 y.o. guy to do. Right? I took advantage of a military veteran's discount they had at the time. I brought it home and haven't even ridden it yet because I was still too weak from surgery. It still has only 2 miles on it. However, in the past 10 months the Tuareg has aquired an adjustable suspension link (Altrider) that lowers the bike 1 3/8", crash protection bars, a beefy aluminum skid plate, tail rack, luggage, etc., and is ready to ride across the country. At the same time I have been in rehab and have gained strength substantially. I also updated and upgraded my riding gear. Spring is just about here and the Tuareg and I are finally ready for some adventure.
But why the Tuareg 660? I am coming from last riding a BMW K100RS road bike. I rode dual sports for years before that. The Tuareg 660 takes care of both desires for me. The Tuareg 660 has the heart of a sport bike, and the body of a dirt bike. I haven't ridden mine yet, but the dual nature of the bike is obvious when you see the Tuareg in person. The looks have grown on me. I never liked the insectoid KTM look, or the beak on some bikes. I have come to like the distinctive looks of the Tuareg.
Despite some concerns about reliability, and dealership availability - here is what has not been mentioned - Aprilia has a TWO YEAR WARRANTEE; while Honda and Yamaha have only a one year warantee. My Tuareg will have sat in a garage for 10 months and it will still have a longer remaining warantee than a new Honda bought the day I take my Tuareg out of storage. Aprilia backs their product with twice the warantee - that says a lot about their faith in their product. The Tuareg does have to return to the dealership at the 600 mile mark for an initial service, which requires Aprilia to update the bike's computer. After that, warantee service performed by any licensed motorcycle shop will satisfy warantee requirements.
The only real drawback is the scarcity of dealerships, but with a new bike with a 2 year warantee I don't see much need for the dealership after the first service. Oil changes, tires, etc. can be done by any shop, if you don't do it yourself. Therefore, I felt fine buying a less common motorcycle - especially since it is most likely best-in-class. I also like the fact that I won't see many other Tuaregs on the road, for a while anyways. I plan on living from the back of my Tuareg 660 for several months at a time as I explore the U.S.A. via the TransAmerica Trail, BDRs, and any other place I care to ride. I hope we make a good traveling team. I also hope the Piaggio Group makes steady growth in the U.S. market.
I have my Aprilia Tuareg since July last year - no problems so far. We have two dealers in Stockholm - more than enough for me:) I plan to put the bike for proper test this year - will see what it brings
Very good and interesting topic! As a Tuareg owner myself, and an avid researcher of everything i buy or want to buy, constantly educating myself with new info about anything surrounding motorcycles my "educated" guess is that Aprilia just lacks popularity with people who are considered target clients for adventure bikes, and they just don't trust Aprilia enough. It's quite the same with chinese manufacturers like Cfmoto or Moto Morini etc. All the mainstream major brands have had decades of offroad bikes manufactured and used so people have pretty good idea what they would get and many dealerships around the world already have them represented also because they are in this business for so long. It will take time and many model generations of proof that a manufacturer can build good reliable bikes.
This is a great question. One of the best adv twins out there. I really rate them. In Australia they aren't penetrating the market, which surprises me. One reason is the relative lack of service centres. Their build quality is excellent, great ergos, engine, suspension, traction control, low centre of gravity, the list goes on.
Hey Dave, nice to see you here, I just finished watching your Tiger 900 video this morning - excellent stuff!
Yeah, it's a strange situation. Perhaps the Tuareg 660 winning the Africa Eco race this year might help their reputation?
In the UK they could not give them away even with big discounts on list price and it because of the dealer network spares availability
It's sad because the bike is amazing. @@keithkeeble7483
But Dave, they are priced way too high here in Australia. When, in other countries they are directly priced against the Transalp and the base T7 but here they retail for $22,230 for the base paint job. That's over $8k more than a Transalp.
I owned one in vic. Good luck getting parts, and good luck dealing with the worst dealership experience ever, and not having a choice to go anywhere else.
All of that was enough for me to sell it.
I think you've hit the nail on the head - I cant say for the rest of the world but in Australia there are very few Aprilia dealerships and reliability seems to be a very high priority for the ADV community here. My son bought a Toureg 660 around a year ago and has had zero issues, I've riden it and compared to my customised T7 it's a better adventure bike BUT I'm not getting rid of the T7 anytime soon. Keep up the great work and refreshing content!
Thank you Craig, happy to hear both you and your son is enjoying your bikes. If I can share adventures on two wheels with my son when I grow I will be a happy man - enjoy my friend!
When I bought my Tuareg.. I had an idea of what I was getting into. The stigma around Italians bikes is not as bad today as it used to be.. with dealers like AF1 here in the U.S., they normally do a good job about keeping some parts in stock, but there are still some things that you may have to wait a few weeks on. So if you do you own maintenance, then you need to be studying the service manual to see what needs to be ordered and plan those things out a few months before you get to them.
I think a lot of the people look at Aprilia and think "high cost of maintenance", and if you're taking the bike to the dealership for every maintenance then that's probably true. I'm on the tail end of doing my 12000 mile valve service on my Tuareg, and I thought it was going to be some super complicated process, but it has wound up being decently easy once you know the special tools that you need (you can buy them, or you can make them if you want to save some money). I went into that job completely blind because NO ONE had made a video on how to do it for the 660 motor yet.
So, I think current Tuareg owners can help other owners by sharing videos on how to do maintenance items (brakes, forks, valve checks, shock removal) and get some videos out there to show people, who might be interested in buying these bikes, that they're really not that difficult to work on in your own shop... you don't have to take it to the dealer for every little thing that can go wrong
Reliability is everything when you want ride to remote offroad places. That is why I am still riding my DR650. Not the most powerful, not the most equipped, not the most modern but boy it is reliable as hell.
Just bought one in november, absolutely love it! Much nicer than a T7 imo.
I’d rather have an off road bike that’s capable and reliable, commonly known as a T7, than ‘nice’ I’m sure you look very pretty outside a coffee shop.
@@douglasalexander4348you're saying the Aprilia isn't capable? Whatever makes you happy Yamaha fanboys 🤷♂️
@@user-qq5kv2oq6x Which is better off road, the whole point of buying this bike. The Yamaha. So Aprilia is prettier but less capable and more unreliable. But stick your head in the sand. I owned an Aprilia Mille for 7 years, fantastic bike, so that makes me a Yamaha fan boy ? Haha.
... the Aprilia is just better and i know because I own a Tenere ... also Tenere owners have a hard time accepting that bullet proof reliability isnt everything in a motorcyclist's life but ... eh, whatever i know i am wasting my time with you @@douglasalexander4348
I respectfully disagree sir. The Tuareg 660 is a better offroad bike than the T7, in almost every measurable aspect. Better suspension, lower center of gravity, more ground clearance and lower seat height. I would argue the CP2 engine is slightly more tractable, but the Tuareg engine is also excellent.
I bought my Tuareg new in November 23, 6100 miles in 7 weeks , from Daytona to Utah… limited highway droning, mostly 2 lane roads to Moab Utah… then the fun began.. off roading with the locals since I am an A Level racer in FTR (Florida Trial Riders, KTM 300XC) aside from the excessive engine heat, the Aprilia was 100% reliable with ZERO mechanical issues…. Have fun on your Mom’s TTR….
Had it for 1year and two months and put 20.000km (12.000miles) on it. Great bike, didn't like the looks, but it handled very well. Offroad too! Traded it in on an AJP PR7 last year. Main reason: Valve check every 20.000km, which is actually pretty good compared to the AJP. But I got quoted a crazy price for the 20k service, and decided to walk away. Apparantly, the valve check on this bike is a very long and technically difficult procedure. Which means I don't feel it's a true adventure bike. Not liking the looks of the bike helped in the decision, I like to look back at my bike after parking it and be happy with how it looks. Reliability was ok, but as said, I didn't test it past 20k. Had some doubts about the hot running engine, quality of engine seals, and the engine running relatively high up in the revs.
Thanks for sharing!
I have a friend that wants to sell his Tuareg so bad. He's had enough with parts availability and customer service. Really bad.
In my experience from RTW POV the whole "reliability" and "dealer network" angle is way overblown. For one, every bike breaks, and when it does it would be the parts similar in quality to all: wheel bearings, head bearing, tires, spokes, fuel filters, clutches, battery, brake pads, etc etc.. which can be procured from local auto parts store or bazaar
Second, there may be hundreds of Honda dealerships in Mexico or Kazakhstan, but none of them will have the parts for anything over 250cc bike, and if you need something it would be faster to FedEx it from EU or USA.
I think you pretty much nailed it Johannes - a cloud hanging over reliability, and a patchy dealer network. Meanwhile…sending you warm, snow-melting thoughts from Australia, where it’s 40 degrees Celsius. 😊
Well, when PS are the supplier AND the retailer, there’s a problem. Very patchy in terms of the quality of the techs- and you only have one avenue if there’s an issue.
The Tuareg 660 was top of my list when I was looking at new bikes recently. I didn't go for it because of the reliability concerns, the parts delays and poor attitude to customer service from the Piaggio group. Resale value of these bikes is awful too. I'd probably put 10k miles on a bike in a year and I didn't think the Tuareg would survive 2 years and would certainly have been worthless after that period. A travel bike either needs to be super reliable or the manufacturer needs to be able to deal with issues very quickly in the countries you plan to visit.
I currently own my 2nd BMW bike. Both BMWs have had minor issues but BMW immediately sorted these out. First time they collected the bike from my house, delivered me a rental car and then delivered the bike back to me a few days later. I had a similar experience when I'd an issue with my 2nd bike too. I feel safe to buy a BMW which is full of tech and hence prone to the odd issue. Aprilia and KTM do not have service like this so I would avoid them as they're both prone to issues.
I've spent a lot of time in Italy over the last few years and you don't see many Italian bikes on the streets, it's mostly Honda, Yamaha and BMW. I asked a biker on a BMW in Florence why this is and he told me when he goes riding with his friends they need to make sure there's enough spare passenger seats to carry home all their friends on the Italian bikes as they always break down.
It's a shame about the Tuareg as it seems to be an amazing bike. Piaggio need to sort themselves out and instil some confidence in potential buyers.
Thanks for sharing Alex, I think you make a great point here.
On a business related podcast I listened to some years back I recall they quoted one of the CEOs of BMW (cars, but still relevant). Whenever you brought your BMW car in for service or repair, you would be treated very well. They would serve you food, coffee, clean your car and do things outside of what's expected, just to make you feel good about it, because that will get you returning customers (according to BMW).
@@JohannesDalenMC my first BMW was a used 750GS so was probably one the cheapest bikes they had in that dealer. I was treated so well. You get a warm fuzzy feeling owning a BMW 😅 They know if they treat you right then you'll always be a customer, the second that level of service goes you could easily convert to other brands
My Guzzi Stelvio ntx has 145000 km on it and the only thing that had to be fixed was the bearing that pivots the front forks (balhoofdlager, don't know the English word) .
A buddy has the same bike, the 2nd version with the 34 liter tank, 350000 on it and apart from the same bearing and a clutch plate, still running strong with no hassle.
So much for Italian not beeing reliable.
@@janzzen9095 I tell you another sweet story. I know at least several guys who reported that tank capacity is not 17l but way less (3 liters or so). Aprila did... nothing with it.
I`ve been giving this some thought, and there isnt much sense to why you dont see a Tuareg 660 at every corner during the summertime. But, that is only if you take into account what it is and how it performs. Because if you only take those two things into account, there should not really be any other valid competitor on the market. It has a fantastic engine, solid electronic options, it is lightweight, it looks awesome and has some of the best suspension on the "market" taking the cost of the bike into account. It should be the perfect bike.
But then you take into account the lack of dealers and somewhat lacking reliability and you have your answer! I want to be able to abuse my bike and still having it run just fine. That statement seems quite odd, but if you think about it a bit you see that adventure-riders really abuse their bikes. You ride them in unforgiving conditions, and sometimes blistering fast. You have to rely on the fact that the bike can take that abuse, and even if it breaks you can just take it to your local dealer or order some parts to have it fixed.
With Aprilia, you just cant do that. Of course it will depend on where you live in the world and what type of riding you do. All i know is this:
Even the "best" of bikes can be entising, but at the end of the day you have to be safe and trust your bike..... with your life!
I went to look at one, dealer sold the 660 and the T7, I thought the 660 was very ugly, rear lights looked a mess as did the front end. I had no intention of buying a T7 but I did, really fell for the looks. I'd say it's more looks and image with the Tuareg, not really a cool guys bike, I've yet to see one at any of the racing I did last year, loads of T7 and 890s. Your right about parts, that is a big thing with the T7, you name it you can get it easy, better wheels, great suspension, dozens of different exhausts, decal kits galore - on paper the 660 is a better bike, but you make a T7 a way better bike very easily. Maybe the Eco race result might help with promoting the bikes capability
I ride couple of bikes from different categories transalp 750 2024, t7, guzzi v100 mandelo, guzzi v850tt, scooters nothing literally nothing drives better than the tuareg it's pure magic... But not fan of the engine heat
@@twowheeledadventuresuk2739 I am afraid you can't improve the top heavyness of the T7. Agree with the looks but the 660 is an overall better value package. Disclamer I own a modified T7.
@@laurensdedonder24 I don't think a bike can be better if you just think the thing is ugly. If it was all about better we'd all be on an 890 - but bikes are so much than performance and that is my point. Ive ridden and raced enough bikes to know what I like, I love my T7, got it to where I'm very happy with it, take my CRF450 out and it knocks the socks off it, but I feel good when I ride my T7, it makes me very happy. And that is all that matters, bike should make you feel good.
I've only had mine a couple weeks, but I love it so far!
It is 2024 and there really is NO EXCUSE for building unreliable bikes. Without reliability first no manufacturer will ever realize sales numbers that warrant a big dealer network and adequate parts availability. Honda and Yamaha got their reputations the hard way by building reliable bikes first and by building performance later. This is especially true of a bike intended to be taken into the hinterland.
18,000 kms here - mostly off-road.. zero issues..
Easy airbox access, oil changes too.. Valve checks? Smalve checks.. hardly a regular problem.
Happy to hear and thank you for sharing, continue to enjoy your Italian stallion!
Price from dealer for valve check
£750. That’s expensive, in my case that would be every other year.
@@iangriffiths9930 Like I stated - hardly a regular problem. Anyway, get some feeler gauges and do it yourself - it ain't rocket science just labour intensive, especially the first time.. compare the desert x where merely doing the much more regular air filter also needs the tank removal.
Unfortunately I’m not able to complete valve checks myself so would have to pay for it, I don’t care how the good the bike is I’m not paying £750 every other year for maintenance
@@iangriffiths9930 that price seems excessive and must be for much more than the valve check - unless bike wrenchers over in pommy land are earning £300+ an hour?!? but meh, I'll be doing my own 😁
Nice one mate! Cheers for the shoutout. The Tuareg is sooo much fun. I can't wait to get on one again and I have been presented no reason to worry about reliability.
Thank you and the shoutout is well deserved - your videos are excellent!
Just turned over 3000 miles and have only had the “known issues” of water pump seal and fuel sending unit, but dealer warranty repaired. No other issues to date! Love the bike.
Are you suggesting that the dealer has resolved these two known issues for the long term?? If so, then why the hell doesn’t the dealer fix this crap before sending a hapless customer out the door. Very bad marketing…
I love it and mines been great, heavy to pick up in the sand, especially uphill when you dump it!
I've had both the tuareg 660 and a 2023 890 adventure r. The aprilia was hands down better in every category except power. The ktm ate its cams at 2200 miles and numerous other issues with that bike. The aprilia has been perfect so far and is an absolute blast the ride.
You're spot on, but I think the look it's also a bit controversial, and it matters for a lot of people. To me since i don't expect to do a world tour, i sold my T7 and bought a 890...
I'm from Canada, was looking at one last year, really liked it, but with bags added, I almost bought two cb500x for the price on one 660 tuareg.
You nailed the key reasons, reliability, manufacturer support and availability of spare parts. These are the top issues for an adventure bike, much more so than for a road bike or commuter where you are not too far from home or from getting help. I have heard horror stories from KTM riders too that they can't get replacement parts. There is also some mystique around the CP2, being one of the best mainstream engines with the 270 degree crank, desaxe (offset) cylinders, smooth torquey low revving nature, long service intervals and hilariously reliable. And the comparisons around which bike has the best suspension (the most immediate thing reviewers focus on), longest range or tubeless wheels etc are pretty meaningless when they can be modified to suit the rider.
Hi Johannes, Dealership and Part`s is the key - you´re right. Look at the hype about the Honda`s 250/300 L/R`s, before that many YT-Channel`s find the Enfield was the best ADV for Budget... Marketing and Support i guess is the key. In other Country`s are the very old 650 DR`s the way to go (Australia), in Europe the BMW GS. Thank`s for your effort and ...
Cheers
Lack of dealer network here in the US is certainly hurting their sales... it's the middleweight I'd recommend.
One of the reasons i got little sleep, last night, was i was churning through the dilemma of "if i traded in my CB500X, would i go Transalp, or Tuareg?"
Head says Transalp (Honda=known reliability, Dealers and parts available EVERYWHERE, a simple move up from the CB500X to what is, essentially, the "CB750X", Familiarity).
Heart says Tuareg (better specs, better ride, Tubeless, air filter you can actually get to).
It's causing sleepless nights.... :D
When I made the same decision ... I listened to my heart ... and I'm sleeping like a baby.
You nailed it @JohannesDalen Last year I was in the market for a midsize ADV bike here in the Midwest of the USA. Coming from many years riding sport bikes on the track and many years of riding off road/dual sport bikes, I wanted something for the BDRs and a bike I can ride to and back from the easy trails. T7, KTM890 and the Tuareg were the finalist. If the T7 had all the features of the 890 or the 660, I know I would have bought the Yamaha. For the last 30 years I have been riding mostly Japanese bikes, but I had a Tiger 800 and at KTM EXC 350 without major issues. It is the dealership support that made me chose the 890 in the end.
EXACTLY
The valve service intervals are enough to put me off.
100%
When I bought my Tuareg 660 the dealer told me "it is just an inspection" not a valve "adjustment", because no valves have ever needed adjusting at the 12k mile valve inspection.
That maybe true, for a lot of other bikes too but you still have to get it done if you want to maintain warranty, I’ve been told the cost of valve inspection is £750 here in the UK!
I think one thing (Hen & Egg thing) that has made the T7 so popular aswell is that it is so customizable, cheap to buy and make your own.
Suspension, different fairings, more skidplates to choice from than dishes on a china buffe, crazy grafics etc.
You rarely see a "modded" KTM, and almost never a 690 Tuareg.
I think people like the idea of buying a cheaper and reliable bike with tons of aftermarket goodies to sink their money into.
So what came first...
The interest of the T7 bc it is so customizable? Or all of the aftermarket parts bc the T7 have such high of an interest?
A lot of parts are already available for the tuareg and a lot more is in development. Its as easy to mod as the T7
I think almost every major motorcycle manufacturer has a insane rider using their bikes and posting on social media. Yamaha have Pol Tarres riding and doing crazy stuff on the T7, KTM have Chris Birch, Honda has I forget his name who does stuff on the Africa Twin.
The Tuareg has almost no presence on social media.
@@Whatreally123 that's another good point. They won the Eco rally, but this bike surely deserves an ambassador.
Absolutely love my tuareg 660 only had one issue that required the deal a temp sensor but you are on the money with the lack of dealer network and stories of a couple of bad issues just plague a newly released model the others you mention are well established models that have been around for years so will definitely sell better 👍 just my opinion but i would definitely buy the tuareg again if i had the choice its a great bike and still surprises me what it can do
Thanks for sharing - happy to hear your Tuareg is serving you well! The fact that you'd buy it again is the ultimate compliment to the bike 🙂
They dont sell more because we all see aprilia as a second class brand. We see ktm as first class. Guzzi seems second class as well. I have a tuareg, one of the first ones, two times motor light on. Just reset in dealer. They say they have to fix something Next time. 8000 km only. Last bike was a kawa 1000. Zero problems in 35000 km, zero zero. But the tuareg is a perfectly conceived bike, that is why I bought it. I refused to think that italians dont learn. Regards
I own one and i would never go back on my purchase, the only better mid weight adv bike is the KTM 890r.
The big compare-er though is the T7 but the 660 has lower center of gravity, better suspension, lower seat, cruse control, complete customization of traction control, abs, engine braking, throttle mapping. the big downside is dealer network and currently a lack of cheaper aftermarket accessory like crash bars, etc
Lack of dealer support and reliability concerns. I've seen one or two out there but all were press bikes.
I agree that it's reliability/dealer and part support. I'm in the US, the only dealer in my state is about 3.5hrs away from me. I have a mechanic in my family who I usually work on my bikes with so that isn't a huge deal for me. But if I can't get parts then that is a problem. I think also you need to have a dealer to clear any service codes on the Tuareg and that's something I'd find extremely frustrating as somebody who likes to do their own maintenance. But I hope their network grows cause I think the Tuareg is a super cool bike,
Spot on, as a Tuareg owner myself, the miles have not come to aid yet, to answer reliability/services, to ease minds and build reputation. For me, I don't care, I'm the citizen tester/guinea pig, and I'm enjoying this bike, I have no where near the skill to take it to the limit, and so what. Appreciate your interest in putting forward the conversation here, thanks. Enjoy the journey.......... O yes! I do agree w/ you when you brought up the reliability of for instance KTM - o my, hmmm. I've thought that often, and chuckle.
Price, parts availability, dealer network.
Now I can’t wait to get my Tuareg out of winter hibernation.
When I had to replace my crashed Africa Twin CRF1000DCT, that I enjoyed over 45.000km, I tested them all mid-size adv. DesertX came 1st for handling but insanely expensive. T7 came last for weak engine, top heavy. The 1100Africa Twin was too heavy as I'm getting old. Norden901 didn't please me, having some electronic issue on test bike! Tuareg660 was the best for handling, equipement/price ratio. But I didn't like the hard gearbox, the high handle bar, while engine was a joy. I ended buying a 890R . Why ? Engine capacity, and bargain price at Tuareg price. About KTM reliability, I had several, 990adv, 450excf, 701E, 500excf, 890R now with 15.000km: never had an issue. Would the Tuareg be renamed 700 it may sell more, or increasing the capacity : we don't really need it but a usual biker has an ego to satisfy 😂
Funny, I was just having a discussion this morning on Tuareg 660. I might not be an authority but the reasons(and the reasons I don't have one) is Aprilia's reputation for unreliability and boutique motorcycle status. When something happens to this bike its going to be a very long down time and that plain sucks.
In South Africa the Aprilia Tuareg 660 was more expensive than both the KTM 890 Adventure R and Triumph 900 Rally Pro. And way more expensive than the Yamaha T7. In fact, I believe the distributer went belly up because they were greedy and there is currently none available new, you can only get one second hand. So in the end, I think Aprilia themselves are to be blamed for not providing proper distribution channels and customer back up for their bikes.
This is a question I suspect many of us have wondered about, so well done for investigating it, anecdotally or otherwise. I test rode the Aprilia Tuareg before I bought my Transalp last year, for comparison, and agree that it is a very capable bike. Far more capable off-road than the Honda, with much better suspension - no question. But in Australia the Aprilia is very dear. My Honda was $15,740 total, on road. 12 month's registration, plus a few extras. As the first buyer here I 'got a good deal', and don't regret it, now 10,000 kms in. The Honda is very easy to live with, and is not my only bike.
The Aprilia is a great bike, but costs about $22,500 on road here. A lot more. Unfortunately the local Aprilia dealer here in South Australia (a friend) has retired, such that there is no dedicated Aprilia dealership in this state, and very few in Australia. The other issue was the hot legs problem, which was noticeable on the Aprilia, but non-existent on the Honda. Also the seat height of the Aprilia makes anyone under 6' (1.8 metres) feel a bit insecure up there! Long travel suspension has its drawbacks. The seat itself less comfortable than the Japanese alternatives. More for standing up...
But after a lifetime of Ducatis many were surprised at my choice of the Honda, but I would say that in this country the price and the engine heat of the Aprilia were the two main factors that discourage buyers, followed by the dealer/parts availability. But there is no doubt the Tuareg is a bike that deserves more support, both from buyers, and the factory. Its engine feels more revvy and 'urgent' than the Honda, which has a relaxed feel that suits this 'older rider'. I suspect that the average age of (new) ADV bike buyers may skew the statistics towards the more 'old person's model', whereas the Aprilia probably suits a younger, taller rider. The older ones more able to afford a new bike in the current circumstances.
This is exactly why I wanted to buy a Tuareg 660 but ended up with a Triumph
I traded my R12GSA for a T7 World Raid. I did not go for KTM because of it being too small for me and because of all the reliability issues I read everywhere (also confirmed by my dealer who was a previous KTM dealer). I didn’t go for the Tuareg also because of reliability concerns (I’m still traumatized by Moto Guzzi ownership), because of its tank volume size and because there are so little aftermarket options for it. I’ve modded the hell out of my T7 WR, so much stuff you can get for it to customize it to your liking. Loving it.
Great video, Johannes.... and an interesting topic intelligently communicated. Keep it up! 🔥🏍
In my personal experience, I have seen more guys on a Tenere having to be picked up because of a flat tube than KTMs/Aprilias broken down.
Hi Johannes, interestingly enough I own a Tuareg 660 since 2022, and back then I watched your videos about your jerky Husqvarna because my Aprilia jerks around too, never ran smooth with me, exact same behavior as you described. Do you observe similarities between the jerkiness of the Husqvarna and the Aprila you tested? Or is yours running smooth? I always wondered if mine is the only one, or all the Tuaregs do that.
In a perfect world it would be entirely based on performance. But when you look at a map. Where is your nearest Aprilia dealership? If something goes wrong, and sometimes they do. No one wants the hassle.
I see quite a few on the road here in NL. But not nearly as much as T7 or 890s of course… I love mine. And I always prefer a bit of an exclusive bike (or car).
btw I do have an Aprilia dealership in the city near me, that does help. Also, even the dealer admits the Aprilia marketing sucks… so that also plays a role I’m afraid.
Interesting point regarding marketing, haven't thought about that. I recall watching a few videos on UA-cam about the Tuareg 660 and the effort behind making it, but not nearly as thorough and serious as the bigger brands. Happy to hear you are enjoying yours!
I never see any in NL personally 😅 Aprilia their marketing is a lot better than it used to be, the bike won the africa eco race! But in the benelux indeed there is no more marketing
T7 rider partly for the lack of modes etc which the 660 has. My nearest dealer , I would not trust with a shopping trolley. 660 won the Africa Eco this year but unless you followed the race you would never know it. Risk & Reward. Why I would never buy the 660 or a KTM. May be brilliant bikes but my money , time and patience are limited so would choose less is more bike that the T7 is. Shame really.
Love my Tuareg - hasn't put one step wrong. Strong, reliable, the very best adventure bike.....could only be improved by utilising a high front fender and losing 20kgs. THEN it would be TRULY AWESOME FOREVER!!
I think the lack of support for parts and service for the most common things like you said is the issue. I can get parts form my chinese dual sport in a week, two at the most. and cost is cheap. Leaves more money and time for the fun riding.
I see the neighbors bike, and after he put 5k on it the bike looks old. Compare with a Honda or Yamaha it feels like his bike is 10 years old. There is nothing broken or not functional, but it just seems like it has aging issues (rust, faded colors etc.)
Another great topic Johannes! If not for the Kove 450, it's very likely I would own a Tuareg right now. Two Aprilia dealers within 50 miles of me. I would actually take a PR7 over the Tuareg, but again, too impractical to get a PR7 in the US. The parts issue is the biggest problem IMO. Not gonna say what company, but I work in an industry that involves many machines and parts and one of our biggest partners is an Italian company. The machines are great, but getting parts is a nightmare. Even China gets parts to us faster. I personally wouldn't be too worried about reliability, more about getting parts. Anyway, the Tuareg won the Africa Eco Race this year, that's a great reflection on the reliability.
Sales here at my local dealer have been very successful , but since the middle weight adv. Market has become wider lately we have more options and maybe more honesty on what bike will serve our needs and our type of riding and experience, plus also a new segment popping up with the smaller displacement bikes, not to mention that bikes are not selling as much as they were selling during the pandemic
Goldilocks bike for me, just what I'm looking for... but 3 dealers quoted me £900 ($1,135 currently) or over for the 12,000 mile service! Not having that, then there's the spares availability. Pass.
Nice video, and honest assessment of the pluses and minuses of the Tuareg 660. Having discussed this bike on ADV forums with other riders, to me it seems like the biggest limitation to 660 sales in the US is the lack of nearby Aprilia dealers. I happen to have a dealer 20 miles away, but there are States in the US with no dealerships. Yamaha dealerships are everywhere, although actually finding a T7 to look at and sit on may not be so easy. Reliability is a tricky issue to consider, most evidence being antidotal, but I don’t see many serious defects being posted on owners FB pages, far fewer than for the KTM 890s. In this era of computer design, automated machining and welding, robust electronics, and bikes being build by multi-national corporations with resources for engineering and modern assembly technique, most MCs are going to be fairly reliable.
Valve checks at 12 thousand miles when the T7 is at 24 thousand miles!!
So what😂You get a better bike
The Aprilia is the better bike no doubt but I value reliability and longevity over performance so being able to do double the mileage between valve checks is more important to me. Also I don’t think anyone can say the Yamaha is a bad bike.
@@iangriffiths9930 you are just writing down what you read and heard. There is very low problems with the bike if we are honest. Its not all USA market. In Europe you get your parts as fast as yamaha parts. In the end of the day Italy is my neighbour country and I'm just 350km from Noale.
You are correct I am, that’s what people do, they look at owners reviews and then make the call if that want to buy or not. I’m not making these this up, it’s what owners of the bikes have reported. I’ll say it again it is a good bike and if you don’t mind the odd issue then great, but for me the bike has to be mostly problem free 👍
@@iangriffiths9930 When I bought my Tuareg 660 I asked about the 12k mile valve inspection. The head technician at the dealership said that he has never found the valves out of spec at 12k miles. I don't know why more people don't mention the fact that the Aprilia Tuareg 660 is waranteed for 2 years, but Yamahas (T7) and Hondas (Africa Twin, Transalp) are only waranteed for one year. What does that say about reliability and longevity?
I'm pretty sure it's more popular in comment sections than in reality
In my country (Romania) there are quite few tuaregs and many teneres. Reason?
Tenere has a better look although Tuareg is also italian designed.
Tenere runs better on low rews, less electronics which is a problem source in time
History also helps - many old Yamahas on the market still running and many Aprilias scrap rusting in garages for many reasons
First year of production form tuaregs was a test one - many electric and sealing problems. Now maybe are better but image was created.
Great bike,awesome experience,no.problem yet.
There are more factors then reliability, which I see as a minor issue. Looking at Aprilia sales last years it has increased with over 30% most because of Tuareg so it is a sale success for the company. The older RXV and Pegaso models where also good and revolutionary bikes but still KTM, Honda and Yamaha outsold them. The psychological factor that Aprilia is a small brand makes people suspicious. Why is not everyone buying an Alfa Romeo or Lancia car? They are brilliant italian cars probably better than Volkswagen in many ways. Because they are specialized to fit a certain type and not sold for masses.
Living in Sweden we had two car brands: SAAB and Volvo. Most owners of SAAB said it was a much better and more modern car than Volvo, still Volvo outsold SAAB by many times. SAAB owners praised the quirky technical solutions and clever features but most people that just want to go from A to B does not care. Same thing with Husaberg and Husqvarna, every owner of Husaberg says it is a much more clever and better Enduro bike then Husqvarna but still Husaberg was sold in few numbers.
Conclusion: Aprilia Tuareg does not fit everyone, or not everyone care about all it's technical features. Fully adjustable suspension and complicated rider modes is not always what you want as a beginner. You just want to push start button and ride, like a Honda or Yamaha. If you have problems or need service you send it to your local dealer and they fix it for you. Aprilia Tuareg requires a bit more technical knowledge to maintain and use it's full potential. But if you do it is a brilliant bike!
Great fun to ride in the off road scene of the Yucatan Peninsula! Parts & service need serious strengthening.
As a owner of a KTM Norden 901 ;) I can say that reliability is a BIG thing ...But don't forget accessories availability ! - If I want to venture offroad into the unknown, I need accessories to carry all my gear AND protection for my fancy bike... KTM/HUSKY platform is around for a long time (most aftermarket parts will fit all bikes since the 790 came out) Its a very important factor for bike sales in the adventure segment..
Looks fantastic but my closest dealer is an 8 hour drive, with the next closest being 10 hours. T7 takes the win with Yamaha's dealer network.
Why? The same reason why UA-cam is full of annoyed or disappointed Aprilia 660 owners... Just do a simple search. ;)
I ask the same question about my Norden. Both bikes are great, don’t understand why both aren’t more popular
I loved the Tuareg, almost bought one. I think what you're saying is spot on at least for me.
Interesting that you touch on the T7 reliability. I have read numerous comments on the failure of the frame down tubes on the Yamaha..
I recall a video made by Eric Lange (ride adv?) about that, and I think it was exaggerated to be honest. The down tubes only hold the skid plate and doesn't have any structural function. I would rather have the cheap down tubes break than the frame.
Reliability is one thing, but crappy Piaggio warranty service and months of downtime waiting on parts is something else altogether. Everything breaks, even my trusty DR650. You just fix it and move on. But if you _can’t_ fix it because you can’t get parts, and/or because Piaggio won’t honor their warranty, that’s a deal breaker. The Tuareg is a great bike doomed by lousy manufacturer follow through.
Currently in NZ you can pick up T7's and Africa Twins for half there brand new price. Not many used Touregs, and all bikes to pricey from new. Alot comes down to what you can actually afford, rather than what you love to own. For most average riders that cant wheelie or do sliding brake turns or just ride gravel roads almost any bike will do. Buy what you can afford and get off ya computer and ride. Then change a year later for the next one on the list. Happy days. Yo from NZ
Agree i would love to have a test drive but finding a dealer anywhere close with a demonstrator is impossible plus getting it serviced would be a long drive and over night stay every time. There is at least 3 KTM dealers within 100 miles and one a mile away.
I tend to think it’s also a matter of general appeal. If the Tuareg more broadly were perceived as a more charismatic bike, I think slightly lower reliability would have been more easily accepted, just like with 790/890. Frankly, I don’t think it’s only about reliability and dealer network. I have never regarded the Tuareg 660 a charming bike (very much unlike the T7), but perhaps that’s just me. 😳
I have one. I love it.
Hm, here we had new Tuaregs from 2022 in last december... And also it seems that the "what broke" part is an essential chapter in every Tuareg review :)
I am curious that if it will change since Jacopo Cerutti won the Africa Eco race...
That's information I should have included, that's so cool to hear - thanks for sharing! I'm sure it wasn't a stock Tuareg, but still..
@@JohannesDalenMC Pol Tarres finished 3rd but that was also not stock Tenere :)
Best designed bike for sure, but terrible dealer network and parts availability in the US. My bike is eating quite a bit of oil and has pitted cams and Piaggio/Aprilia says that's normal so no warranty work happened.
I love the design of the tank and airbox, makes for a very well balanced bike! Too bad your having issues with your bike - is it a case of "scorched" cams like I've read about elsewhere too?
@@JohannesDalenMC Dealer told me it was scorched cams, then said no damage, then the tech that worked on my bike said my cams were pitted on a forum. Same dealer said they filed a claim about oil consumption, but they didn't actually file the claim 'till I called Piaggio directly about the issue a month later. Probably won't really know what my cams look like 'till I do the next valve adjustment...
Not only reliability but also the availability of oem and aftermarket parts. And…., looks. It just reminds me of Sid from Ice Age.
I saw a test of the bike, where the rider dropped it one time in terrain and the shift lever broke off. Also don’t like the look of the front.
6:03 I did a quick research on polish auction site. There is 20 Tuaregs vs 66 T7s so it is more like 1:3 ratio.
PS both new and used ones
Wow you are a real statistician, there are more T7's sold, and they have been around longer, hence more for sale. Most beginners, newbies, jumped on the bandwagon with the T7, realized it wasn't a beginner bike and best left to stronger skilled riders with off road experience....that is my feeling. Could be that people are spoiled, not happy with perfectly great machines...always chasing the dragon, never getting familiar with one machine.
Your channel is quickly becoming on of my favourite moto channels with these latest uploads :)
I think people need to worry less about their bike and just ride it. (And ride bikes first before judging them)
The whole reliablility thing is turning into some kind of mass psychosis. 😆
Personally I would also prefer a KTM over other European brands. For now I am still happy on my T7 :)
The Aprilia I think has some kind of image problem.
Looks + lack of the cool character that "we" want. (Like the T7 rally bike image with Paul Tarres etc.)
That makes me very happy to hear my friend!
I agree with you regarding reliability, but I also understand the hysteria. I had that same approach to adventure motorcycling in the beginning - "what if my bike breaks down when I'm riding across Africa?" - How many times have I ridden across Africa since then? Haha 😆 I'm a natural "worryer", but I work on that every day. If something happens, well yes, then it happens and I have to figure it out somehow, just like with every other challenge one faces in life.
Happy to hear you're enjoying the T7!
The Victorian / Aussie dealership has a stranglehold on this brand and their service is shit. If that’s not off putting enough, the bike can only be serviced at an approved dealer.
If you’re doing any kind of off road ride and need parts or servicing, the wait can be weeks if not months.
I had one. Loved it. Sold it. Too much effort
Lovely weather by the way, gonna be 37 here today, I hate the heat. 😂😂
Motorcyclist are a very conservative bunch, I guess that is the reason most will go riding to places they know, bit like the bikes they ride, better the devil you know, the fear of the unknown scares many people.
Aprilia is generally an unknown brand to most, Italian exotica, so lots of trepidation about reliability, parts, dealers etc, so how many people will take the chance ? Aprilia has made some amazing motorcycles over the years but if not for their scooters they probably would be out of business, they were the bike to have in 125 and 250 GP road racing back in the 2 stroke days, but that was about it, win on Sunday sell on Monday never worked for them because like many Italian bikes at the time it was the same issues as know.
Ducati were the same, dominating world super bike but were sold to mainly collectors or part time riders who knew how good they were but also fragile, a dream bike.
Yamaha and Honda still sold thousands of R1s and Fireblades that were not as good as the 916, mainly due to trusting the Japanese brands more, KTM were a bike to stay away from for a long time due to not being trusted.
The more things change the more they stay the same.
👍👍👍👍👍
Yep, that's the primary reason I'm not on a Tuareg right now. I love my new Husqvarna Norden 901 Expedition, but if I had even one Aprilia dealer within 50 miles (I have 3 to choose from for my Norden), I probably would have bought a Tuareg.
Great bike...in the US not enough dealerships....nice job...
I really wanted to buy a Taureg, but the nearest dealer is a 6 hr drive. I've never even seen one in person. In fact, I think I've only seen two Aprilia's in my lifetime. It also seems like Aprilia has a terrible marketing team. Most motorcyclists have no idea that the Taureg even exists.
At least here in the U.S.: It's one part no dealers, one part wanting premium features the price of Japanese dinosaurs, and one part being scared of European vehicle reliability.
My worry for a big like this is parts and mechanics being scared of it, in remote locations, Africa, Asia etc? Any views?
I bought the T7 for the looks mostly. But Tuareg is probably the beter bike as a package!
I do like the bike. Three issues for me:
- Reliability. Too many reports of issues with the engine (including on the RS660).
- Dealers. There are none anywhere near me.
- Looks. That front light doesn't do it for me. Trivial and picky, I know.
Also I didn't like the T7 (too top heavy), the Desert X (too big/top heavy, but lovely for the street), or any KTM (I owned a 690 enduro, which I loved, but quality control is poor and they need a lot of mods, and are NOT "ready to race").
Would like to test the new F900GS, which seems promising.
Otherwise, for off road, may just settle with something like a Fantic Cabellero 500 Rally, which would be fine for my off road abilities anyway.
Man on the moon, if you believe… From a 2023 Tuareg 660 owner.
Be good to see sales data and see how many T7s sold last year globally, compared to the 660 and others like 890. Cheers
Before I made this video I thought this was information that was available to everyone. I wasn't able to find any info on sales at all. Would be really cool to compare. All I know is how many GS BMW sold last year and the number is astronomical!
You will go down in history as the Plato motorcycle philosopher.
I take that as a compliment. I don't know Plato's thinking all that well, but at least it sounds like a compliment!
In the USA the real reason so many overlook it is displacement, if it ain’t at least 750, it’s nowhere. Expansive roads that go on forever very few wanna jump on a mini machine that costs as much as a mid to full sized bike and jump on a much smaller machine
Great video, Johannes. I bike I love the look and spec of but went 890 for more grunt and lower centre of gravity. Does your new DJI mic have a bulky receiver on the camera? Thanks, Ian
Thank you Ian!
It does not, and that's why I think it's so amazing - it connects wirelessly to my DJI Action 4 without the receiver. I think you can do that with Gopro as well now, I've seen people use the Apple airpods with the latest Gopro.
@@JohannesDalenMC Thanks!!Wow. I’ll check it out. Exactly what I want for my US trip in May. I can talk crap endlessly!
Haha exactly! As soon as I can ride again I will test it as a motovlog mic inside the helmet. If it can do that as well I'm completely sold. Can put it on my backpack while riding to get exhaust sound, then put it into the helmet for a little talk. The DJI Action 4 is also excellent with its quick release, takes a second to swap from helmet to a tripod and back. It all needs to be simple or else I'll go crazy with all the fiddling.
Awesome bike, but…… I plan road trips to BDRs, little alone nearest dealer is 3 hours from where I live to begin with, how many are along the BDRs? All the new bikes via their electronics need a dealer to even do diagnostics and I don’t want to spend big $$$s in a flatbed tow to a dealer not to mention the lost time and logistics. Unfortunately to me emergency service capabilities figures into the purchase.
You're back!
I am! I needed some time away from it all which helped a ton. I missed connecting with you guys through my channel, so here I am again. I think the biggest thing I learned being away is how nice it is to be off from all social media (except YT).
@JohannesDalen I'm happy to see you. You're right, social media, for the most part, is very toxic. YT is all I do too.
Appreciate that Jim, it's good to be here again!