Zero SR/F vs Aprilia Tuono 660: Electric vs Petrol Naked

This is not a fair fight, and that is exactly why it fascinates. On one side, the Zero SR/F — a fully electric naked bike that answers the throttle with instant, silent, savage torque. On the other, the Aprilia Tuono 660 — a jewel of a petrol twin that revs, snarls and demands you play with its gearbox. They cost roughly similar money in some markets, yet they represent entirely different visions of what a motorcycle should be in the years ahead.

For riders weighing the leap to electric, this is the comparison that matters most: does the future's clean convenience outweigh the present's raw charisma? We rode both hard, on the same roads, to separate the hype from the reality.

Powertrain and performance

The Zero SR/F's motor delivers around 110 hp but a staggering 190 Nm of torque — and crucially, all of it is available from a standstill. There is no clutch, no gears, no waiting for revs to build; twist the throttle and the SR/F simply hurls itself forward with a smoothness no combustion engine can replicate. The Aprilia's 659cc twin makes a comparable 95 hp and a modest 67 Nm, but you must work for every bit of it, chasing the tacho and banging through the slick gearbox.

The Zero feels quicker in a straight sprint away from the lights; the Aprilia feels more alive at every other moment of the ride. One rewards the wrist alone; the other rewards the whole body, the ears and the imagination. Which thrill you prefer says a great deal about the kind of rider you are, and there is genuinely no wrong answer here.

Range, refuelling and weight

Here the petrol bike strikes back hard. The Aprilia will comfortably travel 300 km or more on a tank and refuel in three minutes anywhere on earth, no planning required. The Zero, depending on riding style and battery options, manages a real-world highway range closer to 160 km before needing a charge that takes far longer than any fuel stop. The SR/F is also heavier, at around 208 kg against the featherweight Tuono's 183 kg, and you feel that extra mass keenly at low speed and in tight corners.

For city commuting and short weekend blasts, the Zero's range is a complete non-issue and its refuelling happens quietly overnight at home. For touring, spontaneous long rides or anyone without convenient charging at home or work, the Aprilia's petrol convenience remains utterly decisive and probably always will be for now.

Technology and running costs

The Zero is the more futuristic machine by some distance, with a connected app, over-the-air software updates, selectable power modes and near-zero routine maintenance — no oil changes, no clutch to wear, no valve checks to schedule. Its running and energy costs are a small fraction of the Aprilia's fuel bills. The Tuono counters with a superb six-axis IMU electronics package, cornering aids and a quickshifter, plus the reassurance of a global dealer and parts network that electric bikes cannot yet match on distant journeys.

Price and value

The Aprilia wins the sticker war handily; the Zero typically costs considerably more to buy outright, reflecting the sheer expense of its large battery pack. Over years of ownership the electric bike claws some of that back through cheap home energy and minimal servicing, but the upfront gap is large and cannot be ignored. Value therefore depends entirely on how far you ride, how and where you charge, and how many years you intend to keep the bike.

Charging life and the ownership maths

Living with an electric bike reshapes your routine in ways a single test ride never reveals. The Zero SR/F is at its best for the rider who can plug in at home overnight, waking each morning to a full charge and never visiting a petrol station again. Public rapid charging exists but remains patchier for bikes than for cars, so range anxiety is a real companion on longer trips. The Aprilia, of course, refuels anywhere in three minutes, an advantage no amount of clever software can yet erase.

The ownership maths is more nuanced than the sticker price suggests. The Zero costs more to buy, but its energy is cheap and its servicing minimal — no oil, no filters, no valve clearances — so running costs are a small fraction of the petrol bike's. Battery longevity is strong on modern Zeros, warrantied for years and designed to outlast many combustion engines, though eventual replacement remains the great unknown of electric ownership and a figure well worth researching before you buy.

For the right rider, the sums add up handsomely. A high-mileage urban commuter with home charging could recoup much of the price premium over several years while enjoying silent, effortless torque every single day. A low-mileage weekend rider who tours occasionally will struggle to justify the maths, and will miss the Aprilia's sound and range keenly. As so often with electric bikes, the honest answer depends less on the machine than on the precise shape of your life.

The Zero shows you the future and it is genuinely thrilling. The Aprilia reminds you why we fell in love with motorcycles in the first place.— Priya Anand, Technology Editor

• Buy the Zero SR/F if you commute in a city, can charge at home and crave silent, instant, maintenance-free torque.
• Buy the Tuono 660 if you tour, ride spontaneously and value engine character, long range and a lower purchase price.
• Your charging situation, not the spec sheet, will ultimately decide which of these bikes fits your life.

The Zero SR/F is for the tech-forward urban rider who values convenience, silence and low running costs, and whose daily distances sit comfortably within its range. The Aprilia Tuono 660 is for the enthusiast who lives for the sound, the gearshift and the freedom to ride anywhere without a moment's thought for charging points. The electric future is coming, and it is genuinely exciting — but for now, the choice remains gloriously, refreshingly personal. Ride the Zero and you glimpse where two wheels are undeniably heading; ride the Aprilia and you remember, vividly, everything that made you fall for motorcycles in the first place. For now, both futures can happily share the same road.