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Aprilia Dorsoduro

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Hello from Ventura, California where today I will be riding the two bikes from Noale’s street lineup, the Aprilia Dorsoduro 900 and the Aprilia Shiver 900.

More evolution than revolution, for the 2017 model year Aprilia has revised the Dorsoduro and Shiver them with a 896cc engine – increasing the stroke from the previously 750cc 90° v-twin lump.

This gives both models a modest power bump and torque gain, while bringing the two street bikes into compliance with Euro4 emission standards. While at it, Aprilia has also updated both machines, leaving no stone unturned in the process in making them better motorcycles.

As such, virtually every aspect of the Aprilia Dorsoduro and Aprilia Shiver have been updated, most notably the electronics, which now include a traction control system, along with new ABS and ride-by-wire hardware and software pieces.

Hopefully, this means that these two rather bland machines from Aprilia have become the potent weapons we always hoped they would be.

To test that thought, we will be riding one of my favorite roads in the world, Highway 33, which stretches from Ventura to Ojai, and into Lockwood Valley – ending at Interstate 5. A good set of twisties, it should be the happy hunting ground for these two motorcycles.

Per our new review format, we will be giving you a live assessment of the Dorsoduro 900 and Shiver 900 models right here in this article (down in the comments section), and there we will try to answer any questions you might have.

So, here is your chance to learn what it’s like to ride these affordable street shredders, before even my own proper reviews are posted. As always, if I don’t know an answer, I will try to get a response from the Aprilia personnel. So, pepper away.

You can follow our thoughts on the bike live via FacebookTwitter, and Instagram

Launched at Piaggio’s dealer meeting in Monte Carlo, the Aprilia Caponord 1200 (AKA the Aprilia Tuareg 1200) has shown its face to the public, and a recognizable face it is. Clearly based on the Dorsoduro 1200 platform, the new Caponord 1200 draws its design cues from the Aprilia RSV4, which like the punch-drunk frat boy that it is, has spread its seed into the likes of the RS4 50, RS4 125, and SRV850 maxi-scooter, making for a budding family of bikes that look suspiciously similar. Strong brand marketing across the model line, or incestuous ideas at the drawing board? You make the call.

After first making the 2011 Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200’s owner’s manual available to Aprilia owners, then showing a photo of the Dorsoduro 1200 during Piaggio’s HQ launch in Milan, along with a subsequent video, Aprilia is now ready to officially tell us about its 2011 Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200. Available with Aprilia Traction Control (ATC) and anti-lock brakes (ABS) as an option, the Dorsoduro 1200 makes 130hp and 83 lbs•ft of torque with its 492lbs curb weight (a figure Aprilia conveniently leaves out of its press release). The maximoto to the Shiver’s street-naked, the Aprilia’s 1197cc liquid-cooled platform is under-powered and over-weight when compared to the other bikes in the 1200cc category.

While Aprilia positions the Dorsoduro as a maximotard, we’re not sure how the lack of umpf and extra heft will go over with the sporty crowd. With rumors of a Shiver 1200 still circling about, and an early glimpse of the Tuono V4R already showing a 162hp machine, we’re still not sure how this 1200cc street-only motard fits into Aprilia’s model line-up, and how it will differentiate itself to potential buyers.

The 2011 Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200 got an early preview today (no, another service manual was not leaked ahead of schedule), as a model of the bike was on-hand for the Piaggio Group’s grand opening of its new office in Milan. Releasing the first official image of the Dorsoduro 1200, Aprilia hasn’t dropped too many surprises on us. Noticeable in the shot is the optional ABS package, and we get news that the 2010 Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200 will use a different traction control system that will be found on the 2011 Aprilia RSV4 Factory.

In what must be a case of an over-anxious webmaster, Aprilia’s dealer portal and service manual section now has links to manuals for Dorsoduro 1200 and Dorsoduro 1200 ABS models. Rumored to be in the works since the Dorsoduro 750 came out, the new 1200 will feature an 1197cc v-twin motor, and weigh 492lbs at the curb.

Power figures haven’t been quoted yet, but with the added displacement and increased compression, the Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200 should be able to handle that heft a bit better, but still would seem to pale in comparison to its rivals.

The fine folks of Noale have finally added the 2010 Aprilia Dorsoduro Factory to their official line-up and removed any doubts that the good Factory name means less today than it used to in the good ol’days. Tacking on a €900 premium for the “upgraded” Dorsoduro Factory model, riders will see an increase in carbon fiber, but only a limited change to the performance of the street tard. Despite this, the 2010 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 Factory makes a strong rival for the Ducati Hypermotard 796. See why after the jump, along with a bevy of photos and a video.

Well it didn’t take long for the rumors about the 2010 Aprilia Dorsoduro Factory edition to come true, as we now have photos of the new bike leaked ahead of next week’s EICMA motorcycle show in Milan. It’s a little disappointing what Aprilia has done to the bike to make it stand-out from its base model, with the obvious differences between the two being just the Factory’s carbon body panels and red trellis frame. Continue on for more details and photos.