Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

First Ride • Aprilia's SMV 750 Dorsoduro

Motorcycle TourMagazine

Bill Heald

IThe fascinating mutation of the dirt bike/dual sport into the Adventure Tourer (on the touring side) and into the Supermoto (on the street performance side) is a phenomena that has been with us for a few years now, and things continue to get more and more competitive in this evolving family of motorcycles. I had the good fortune of spending a couple of weeks with Aprilia’s latest permutation of the street-focused dirt bike, now officially known (class-wise) as their Supermoto and likewise officially known (name-wise) as the Dorsoduro. There are so many things about this bike that I found really entertaining that I almost don’t know where to start, and despite some minor shortcomings Aprilia continues to impress with excellent engineering and build quality. Once more, the bike and the brand have really carved out their own niche personality-wise that makes them truly unique among European motorcycle manufacturers.

We shall begin with the engine, which turned out to be more powerful and refined than I expected and a perfect fit in this application. The mill in question is a liquid-cooled, 90-degree 749.9cc V-Twin that Aprilia claims belts out 92 horsepower and 61 ft.-lbs. of torque. I am of the belief that every pony in this power figure is in fact present, and low and midrange torque are stout indeed. This is a very sophisticated engine both internally and electronically, including “mixed gear” cam chain drive and a profound lack of any nasty vibration (especially on a unit which really wasn’t even completely broken in yet) that was truly impressive. Throttle response is crisp, crisper and crispest (I’ll explain this in a moment), and Aprilia claims that this bike is the first in the segment to use “ride-by-wire” technology. They explain the black box thusly: “The latest generation engine control unit (ECU) manages all engine parameters, with a CAN network carrying signals to the diagnostic center integrated in the Dorsoduro’s instrument cluster. The CAN uses just two wires to handle all data, dramatically simplifying the electrical system and reducing the overall weight of the motorcycle.”

Quite amazing, this two-wire computer magic. All this fuel-spark delivery tech ultimately gets expressed through the Tri-Map electronic throttle, which has three rider-selectable Performance

Modes. These include Sport, Touring and Rain, or what I call Crispest, Crisper and Crisp. Touring is the mode you use most of the time, for it is a nice balance between response and smoothness; Sport is a bit abrupt but no doubt a lot of you will love it and Rain (which I actually used, ironically enough, in the rain) tames power delivery even more to suit potentially slippery conditions. You change modes while the engine is running with the starter switch (yikes!), and you can only alter the settings with the throttle closed. It’s actually a bit of a pain to master the right touch to switch modes easily, but you’ll likely just leave it in Touring and be happy because it’s the best all-round mode. The 6-speed transmission shifted with buttery smoothness, although Neutral was a touch difficult to find occasionally. The hydraulic clutch has an adjustable lever and is very easy to modulate.

The chassis is likewise state of the art from stem to stern, with a mixed steel trellis/aluminum beam frame design that is stout, narrow and light. High-travel 43mm male slider forks combine with a monoshock rear damper to deliver excellent adjustable compliance on all kinds of road surfaces. Speaking of the road surface, when you’re on this bike terra firma is very, very far away. A lofty 34-inch seat height and decidedly upright riding position puts your head in the clouds. Those short of inseam will only be able to get one boot down at lights, but the excellent balance and 410-lb. (dry) weight make the stiltish Dorsoduro quite manageable. I mentioned the riding position a moment ago and I have to say I found it really comfy, even at highway speeds where you can lean in the breeze a bit (and the cool, stylish cafe fairing helps a tad here). Brakes are superb, with radially mounted calipers and floating petal-style front discs with stainless steel brake lines.

The wide bar (with hand guards, of course) allows for very quick steering and excellent

maneuverability. The seat is a bit on the firm side and there is no passenger grip rail or luggage rack, and underseat storage is pretty nonexistent. But the overall comfort of the bike means you could easily strap on some soft luggage and tour, although with my average of 44 MPG you can get only 140 miles out of this mount before you run dry. Clearly, this is more of an urban assault unit as opposed to cruise ship.

That said, you must remember that this is a Supermoto after all, and an unusually fun, sophisticated one at that. With an MSRP of $9,599 and Aprilia’s typically outstanding style and build quality, this is a really attractive machine that offers excellent performance at a very fair price. Oh, and with the latest in engine tuning management you can choose your mode and ride your ride, altering response to suit your mood or road and weather conditions. This alone makes the Dorsoduro in a class of its own. ww.aprilia.com