I love the brakes on most supermotards, and the Dorsoduro mega motard is no exception. That travel at the front and the Dunlop Qualifiers allows extreme usage here, too. Despite being somewhat heavier than your usual motard (186 kilo dry weight) the brakes do the business.
I expect Aprilia will suffer some criticism when the Dorsoduro is compared to the Ducati Hypermotard that weighs only 179 kilos dry. The Dorsoduro may have a water coat around the engine, but it is also almost 350cc short of the Hypermotard in terms of engine displacement.
Sitting on the suitably tall seat (870mm) riding through the countryside about 50 kilometres (31 miles) north of Rome, I didn't feel that the Dorso was too heavy. About 60 kilos (132 lbs.) heavier than the race-spec supermotards, of course, but as a roadbike it works fine. Getting close to 200km/h (124 mph) a couple of places the Dorsoduro is stable enough for motorway riding, too, and much more so than the singles. Compared to a single-cylinder motorcycle, there is hardly any vibration, and this allows for a clear view in the mirrors and the ability to hold a cup of coffee with steady hands after a ride. It's also worth mentioning that the seat is not of the extreme race-type, as I was riding with a cracked sacrum (tailbone)! I didn't have to top up on painkillers until after lunch, which gets the stock seat my stamp of approval.
Riding in and out of small towns, I got the chance to check the fuel injection at very low rpms. In the S mode, it was a little disturbing at times as the engine does prefer 2,000+ rpm. But everything above 2 grand provided smooth acceleration, with a kick around 4,000 rpm when the torque curve is near its peak. A pleasing V-twin rumble accompanied me the whole day.
Conclusion
Do I love this type of motorcycle or what? It's the most pleasing niche to arise since the streetfighter, and might turn out to be the dominant category in a few years time. Aprilia have created a great motorcycle from its 750cc V-twin platform. Despite the fact it is based on an existing platform, the Dorsoduro is all-new in so many areas, such as the chassis, exhaust, styling and more. It's so much more than just a Shiver with supermoto design. I prefer it strongly over the Shiver, as the Dorsoduro is pure fun made easy. Is it better than the Ducati Hypermotard? That's difficult to judge without riding both side-by-side. All in all, the Dorsoduro is the most enjoyable new Aprilia I have ridden since the SXV. Highly recommended.
+
Styling and Aprilia supermoto racing pedigree
Handling and chassis details
Reliable V-twin engine that should suit everyone
-
Takes too long to change engine modes (R, T or S)
Is it enough to beat Ducati and KTM?
<< Previous Page | 1 | 2
