Aprili SMV 750 Dorsoduro

Riding on the coattails of the championship-winning 450 and 550cc V-Twin-powered SXV racers, the Dorsoduro is Aprilia's latest interpretation of a mid-sized supermoto streetbike. It proves that the freshly capitalized company is serious about expanding market share.

Basically, it's a Shiver with supermoto styling, but it's different enough to have a personality of its own.

This new model is based around the Federico Martini-designed, 750cc, 90-degree V-Twin that was developed at parent company Piaggio's headquarters in Pontedera and first used in the Shiver 750 that went on sale this past spring. It was anticipated that the Dorsoduro would be introduced with a 1200cc version of that engine but preproduction problems delayed the release and a 750cc version was green-lighted instead.

Sharing the same frame, fuel tank and engine as the Shiver, the Dorsoduro has a strong family resemblance, but a few well-placed styling touches give it a personality of its own. Aprilia designers have always blessed their models with a certain elegant creativity, and this 750 is no exception. The mini-fairing wraps partially around a Shiver headlight and features an integrated front fender; the fuel tank includes MX-style radiator shrouds for a lean and mean supermoto appearance.

Stance is tall, with a 34.2-inch seat height; benefits are footpegs offering ample lean angle and legroom. Out back is the same side-mounted, cantilevered monoshock as found on the Shiver. The 43mm inverted fork has a mellower 26-degree rake and 4.3 inches of trail. Wheelbase is a long 59.2 inches.

Not just a pretty face: Italian rider Andrea Padovani finished fifth in the 2008 Pikes Peak Hillclimb on this stock Dorsoduro.

Engine tuning on the ultra-short-stroke, dohc, four-valve-per-cylinder Twin has been altered from Shiver specs, with slightly less peak horsepower (92 at 8750 rpm), but making 61 foot-pounds of torque at only 4500 rpm. On the road, this proved to be a very good compromise. Throttle response on the smooth-running engine is very gratifying, delivering a solid punch at just about any rpm. An adjustable ECU allows three different levels of throttle response optimized for standard, sport and rain riding.

A claimed dry weight of 409 pounds helps the bike feel light and lively. Ample suspension travel (6.3 inches front and rear) allowed the Dorsoduro to digest bumps in the hills surrounding Rome in impeccable fashion. It's very stable, permitting a quick pace on rough roads in tricky conditions. A fat 180/55ZR-17 rear tire mounted on a 6-inch rim looks positively huge and may take away a bit of agility but is very stylish; a 120/70ZR-17 rolls up front. Radial-mount four-piston calipers squeeze 320mm wave-style discs with a single-piston caliper and 240mm rotor out back.

Aprilia's interpretation of the maxi-moto category combines an upright riding posture, lively engine, long-travel suspension and nice styling.

A latest generation ECU manages all engine parameters, with a CAN network carrying all signals to an instrument cluster that incorporates a self-diagnostic terminal. The CAN line uses only two wires to handle all data, dramatically simplifying the electrical system and reducing the overall weight of the motorcycle.

The exhaust is made entirely from stainless steel. The collector pipes meet in a single silencer under the seat before splitting again into two tail pipes. The large volume of the exhaust system also aids engine breathing and boosts efficiency.

 Source Cycle World