Magazine / Comparison
Honda CBR650R vs Aprilia Tuono 660: The Accessible Sport Debate
Honda's sweet-revving inline-four CBR650R meets Aprilia's light, electronics-rich Tuono 660 twin in a battle over what accessible sport really means — reliable everyday charm or premium, sharp-edged performance thrills.
· Jan 25, 2026
Not everyone wants two hundred horsepower and a licence-shredding top speed. For a huge swathe of riders, the sweet spot is a bike with around ninety-something horses — quick enough to thrill, gentle enough to enjoy, and friendly enough to ride every single day without drama. Two very different machines chase that fertile middle ground: the Honda CBR650R and the Aprilia Tuono 660.
The Honda represents the traditional, dependable path — a jewel-like inline-four in a comfortable sporty package with a badge you can trust for a decade. The Aprilia takes the modern route — a light, torquey parallel twin drenched in the kind of electronics normally reserved for full-blown superbikes. Which philosophy wins depends entirely on what you want from your riding.
Engine and performance
The CBR650R’s 649cc inline-four is a throwback in the best possible sense. Making 94 hp and 63 Nm, it is smooth, revvy and rewards a rider who loves to chase the redline, singing a delicious four-cylinder wail on the way to its power peak. The Tuono 660’s 659cc parallel twin makes a similar 95 hp but a healthier 67 Nm, and delivers it with a punchier, torquier mid-range that feels quicker in real-world riding. The twin is faster point to point; the four is more soulful at full stretch.
The Tuono is also dramatically lighter, at around 183 kg against the Honda’s 208 kg. That 25-kilo gulf transforms the character completely: the Aprilia feels like a proper sports bike, eager and flickable and always ready to attack, while the CBR feels more like a relaxed sports tourer that happens to look racy in the showroom.
Chassis and handling
The Aprilia is the sharper instrument by a clear margin. Its light weight, aggressive geometry and quality suspension make it a joy on a twisty road, far closer in spirit to the firm’s RS 660 sportbike than its upright bars might suggest. The Honda is competent and stable, with a planted, forgiving feel that inspires confidence, but it never begs to be hurled at an apex the way the Tuono does. For outright cornering fun and involvement, the Aprilia wins comfortably.
