APRILIA

A "Maximotard" of good temperament

The "Dorsoduro" designation that Aprilia chose for its model makes us immediately think of a motorcycle with an indomitable temperament, rebellious and something dangerous, which challenges us all the time by its aggressive behavior. This was the perspective we carried with us when we moved to the Moto Workshop in Marvila, a brightly decorated space, where Aprilias, Guzzis and Vespas transport us to another dimension, loaded with nostalgia and history of Italian motorcycles.
After a brief briefing on some of its "features" we started for the first contact with the beautiful Dorsoduro. Its styling and aesthetics have remained practically unchanged since Aprilia launched Dorsoduro in 2007, aesthetics that in our opinion is really an attribute of this model's outstanding personality and that the Aprilia was able to maintain for a decade with only minor subliminal touches.

First Contact
The first sensation when we started is full control and contrary to what we expected Dorsoduro reveals a huge progressivity and smoothness in its driving, with an extraordinary torque at low and medium speed that make the experience of facing urban traffic a real pleasure .The driving position is not too aggressive, nor does it get to the front like a real "supermotard", more comfortable and natural, where the seat also seemed very ergonomic and narrow at the front, to even reach with the feet easily . The flow through the middle of the traffic was facilitated by the high position of the handles that allowed to pass over the mirrors of the automobiles and it was with great agility and rapidity that we crossed the city of Lisbon from one end to the other.

The reading of the information TFT panel was perfect, with great contrast and with all the information available at the touch of a button on the left wrist. We just missed the fuel level gauge that inexplicably Aprilia does not include.

The new Motor is the soul of Dorsoduro
Compared to the previous Dorsoduro model the new 900 version of 2018 now includes a 891cc twin engine with about 95CV ​​of power and Ride by Wire, the same as the RV4, with 3 engine modes, Sport, Touring and Rain. The new engine 900 has as main attribute the strong torque that develops in the low and medium rotations, providing a vigorous but progressive acceleration, conveying an enormous sense of security and control.An engine that pleased us very much in its performance, round and with power always available from low rotations and that definitely contributes to the pleasant sensation of ease and comfort in its pilotagem.We almost always used the Touring mode in town and then we went to Sport from the moment we felt familiar with Dorsoduro. On motorways and at speeds of over 150 km the protection is relative and at 180 km we feel the direction to get something "loose" which made us think that a steering damper might solve this problem. Dorsoduro passes the 200 Kmh with ease, but let's say that turning at this speed will not be your "beach", even because it is prohibited.

We liked the feel of the clutch and the precision of the gearbox, which is however somewhat hard and sometimes encountering the neutral requires some sensitivity and habituation. The Ride-by-wire accelerator seemed to be somewhat inaccurate at some stages of acceleration, especially at a lower level of spin in Rain mode.

The brakes are at Dorsoduro's performance level, with a strong and precise, controllable bite to allow braking vigorously without major intrusion of ABS that can even be turned off. The traction control also includes 3 different levels, otherwise the electronics is something basic however sufficient for the type of motorcycle and driving that provides Dorsoduro.

Dorsoduro's semi-adjustable suspensions are also another of its strengths, including reverse 41mm Kayaba suspensions at the front and Sachs damper at the rear, both adjustable in all but hydraulic compression. If we consider the irregularities and the bad floor that usually give us the Portuguese roads, the suspensions of the Dorsoduro seem to have been directly thought for the same, providing a perfect reading and an irreproachable surpassing of all type of imperfections. I even think something mild in their original setup and will certainly need some adjustment on the rear shock for more aggressive pilotage. However for the day to day a commitment that contemplates giving the Dorsoduro of greater comfort is always welcome, a reality that in this case was one of the attributes that most surprised us.

The driving of Dorsoduro is exhilarating, constantly giving us a pleasant feeling of freedom, a feeling we normally feel in the all-terrain. Driving, little by little, begins to resemble a blend of "urban enduro", where all the obstacles are overcome with great ease, combined with a posture sometimes more sporty on the asphalt, where the attraction is that we can attacking the curves as if it were an R.Dorsoduro is not, in our view, a pure "supermotard", although it obviously invokes the style, and is perhaps more between a Ducati 939 Hypermotard and a Yamaha MT-09 or even a Kawasaki Z900.The work developed by the engineers of the Corse of the Aprilia in the twin-cylinder of Dorsoduro is in fact of note since they were able to tame the usual gross power of a motor of 2 cylinders at 90º and give it an enormous progressiveness that, with the introduction of the new electronics , completely transform the behavior and handling of Dorsoduro 900.
The capacity of only 12 liters of the fuel tank can, however, limit the system of its use and autonomy since the consumption is between 6 and 7 liters of petrol at 100. In any case, the stops of 200 in 200 Kms will be certainly welcome and an opportunity to relax and enjoy the scenery, whenever we intend to make weekend trips with Dorsoduro. Because of its ease of driving, agility and sensations provided by its fantastic engine, Dorsoduro is above all an urban princess with a cyclist capable of hitting the best sports on winding mountain paths ... the people of Cabo da Roca on Sunday who say so.

Motor
90 ° V twin-cylinder, liquid cooled, 4 valves per cylinder, overhead, Ride By Wire Accelerator and 3 engine modes (Sport, Touring and Rain).
Displacement 896.1 cc
Maximum power 95,2 / 70 hp at 8750 rpm
Maximum torque 90Nm at 6,500 rpm
Compression Ratio 11: 1
Digital Electronics Ignition
Lubrication Crankcase
Escape 2 in 1 with 2 tips
6 speed gearbox
Multidisc Clutch Hydraulic Actuation Oil Bath
Transmission 38/71 per chain

Pedro Rocha, de Portugal