ADV Pulse

NEWSLETTER
Get ADV Pulse delivered by email
Sign up for ADV Pulse Weekly

Newsletter

Get ADV Pulse delivered by email
Sign up for ADV Pulse Weekly

Connect With Us

Follow On Facebook:

ADV NewsAprilia To Return To Off-Road Racing With Rally Version of Tuareg 660

Aprilia To Return To Off-Road Racing With Rally Version of Tuareg 660

The Italian brand goes back to its roots with new project “Back to Africa”.

Published on 02.02.2023

Aprilia opens a new chapter in its storied history as it prepares to compete in the world’s top Rally Raids in 2024. This might sound strange for a brand that is mostly known today for their sport bikes but this is not Aprilia’s first rodeo racing off-road. In 1978, the Italian company won its first Cross World Championship and made its Paris-Dakar debut in 1989 with the Tuareg. Aprilia went on to win third place at Dakar in 2010 with their RXV 450 Rally machine that participated in three consecutive editions of the race, until 2012.

Now the Noale-based manufacturer wants to go back to its off-road racing roots with the Tuareg 660 at the center of the project they call “Back to Africa.” The racing version of the bike will be developed with the technical collaboration of GCorse’s Gianfranco and Vittoriano Guareschi, who previously prepped the new Tuareg for competition in the 2022 Italian Motorally Championship. 

“We are picking up the baton of a great success story,” says Aprilia Racing Technical Director, Romano Albesiano. “Aprilia is the last Italian brand to have won a stage in the Dakar and the last podium in the general classification dates back to 2010.” 


ADVERTISEMENT

Marking the beginning stages of the racing project, 2023 will see two Tuareg 660’s at the Italian Motorally piloted by Dakar vet Jacopo Cerutti and pro enduro rider Francesco Montanari. Cerutti will also be in charge of development of the rally bike this year. “Now we are only taking the first steps of a totally new project and the 2023 season will serve precisely to start the path that will have to take us back to the great races in the desert,” added Albesiano.

Dakar vet Jacopo Cerutti and pro enduro rider Francesco Montanari.

In addition to competing in this year’s Italian Motorally, Aprilia Racing will also be present providing support to all those who will participate on the saddle of the Tuareg 660 in the newly created “entry level” GPX class.

With the Dakar Rally only accepting 450 enduro bikes, Aprilia’s only option is to compete in other Rally venues with the Tuareg 660 platform – at least for now. Nonetheless, their return to the world of off-road competition is a great thing and we are excited to see what they have in store to conquer the desert.

Photos by Guareschi Moto and Aprilia

Author: ADV Pulse Staff
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Stories

Related Stories

Comments
 7

Leave a Reply

7 thoughts on “Aprilia To Return To Off-Road Racing With Rally Version of Tuareg 660

  1. I understand it’s cool to have these big twins but honestly, aren’t you better off with like a lighter 690 or 701 thumper when you’re racing? Just wondering.

ADVERTISEMENT

New Film: Extreme Adventure In Mongolia On Norden 901 Expedition

In recent years we’ve been gifted with a slew of exciting, inspirational vi...

Baja Bound: First Ride On Our Rescued KTM 990 Adventure

I’m supposed to be writing an adventure story and bike review, but all I can ...

BDCW's Husqvarna Norden 901 Build: Ready For The Back of Beyond

With the release of the Husqvarna Norden 901 roughly a year ago, the mi...