The Aprilia Dorsoduro is a line of V-twin, supermotard-class motorcycles built by Aprilia, a subsidiary of Piaggio. It comprises three models, the 750, the 1200 and the final 900, and is named after the Dorsoduro district of Venice, whose name means “hard ridge”.
Aprilia Dorsoduro at a glance
| Production | 2008–2020 (Italian Wikipedia); shown at EICMA in 2007 |
|---|---|
| Dorsoduro 750 | 750 cc V-twin, 92 hp at 8,750 rpm (claimed), 186 kg dry |
| Dorsoduro 1200 | introduced in 2010; V-twin of 1,200 cc, 130 hp at 8,700 rpm and 115 Nm at 7,200 rpm; 223.8 kg curb weight |
| Dorsoduro 900 | model years 2017–2020; stroked 750 engine, 67.4 mm stroke instead of 56.4 mm |
| Electronics | ride-by-wire with three maps (Sport, Touring, Rain); ABS; traction control on the 1200 |
| Brakes (1200) | Brembo four-piston radial calipers on dual 320 mm front discs |
Both Wikipedia pages describe the 750 and 1200; the 900 is described only in English Wikipedia.
History of the Aprilia Dorsoduro
Aprilia revealed the Dorsoduro in 2007 at the EICMA show in Milan as the SMV 750 Dorsoduro. It was based on the Shiver 750, sharing its engine and frame, but with different suspension and tuning. It was first available for the 2008 model year and was Aprilia’s first foray into the “maxi-moto” class; unlike Aprilia’s supermoto designs it had features more common to standard and touring bikes, such as optional ABS and adjustable throttle mapping.
Dorsoduro 1200
The 1200 was presented at the end of October 2010. Despite the common name, the 750 and the 1200 share few parts; the 1200 has more in common with the Caponord 1200. Its engine was designed by Federico Martini, head of powertrain at Piaggio, and modelled after the Ducati 1198: both motors have the same bore and stroke, 106 mm by 67.8 mm. It has two independently timed spark plugs per cylinder, a 2-1-2 exhaust with the catalytic converters in the silencers, an adjustable 43 mm fork and a three-way adjustable Sachs shock. The 1200 became the only Dorsoduro in the 2016 model year.
Dorsoduro 900
The 900 was made for the 2017 to 2020 model years. It uses a stroked version of the 2007 Shiver 749 cc engine to meet Euro 4 emission rules, and it brought a ride-by-wire system to the Dorsoduro line; its three-spoke wheels saved over 2.4 kg.
Competition
In 2008 a production Dorsoduro ridden by Andrea Padovani finished fifth at the 86th Pikes Peak International Hillclimb in Colorado; the winner was another Aprilia, the SXV 5.5 of the American Davey Durelle. In 2009 the Dorsoduro RR, a racing version of 138 kg and 100 hp, ran in the European SuperMoto Championship in the new HyperMoto category against KTM, BMW and Ducati.
Design and features
- Ride by Wire: electronic throttle with three maps selected at the handlebar, Sport, Touring and Rain.
- Chassis: 43 mm inverted fork and wavy (petal) disc brakes on the 750.
- Factory version (750): fully adjustable Sachs suspension, Brembo front calipers and some carbon-fibre parts.
- Fuel tank (1200): 15 L.
Aprilia Dorsoduro versions
- Dorsoduro 750 (2008): without ABS, with ABS, and the Factory version.
- Dorsoduro 1200 (2010): with ride-by-wire, ABS and added traction control.
- Dorsoduro 900 (2017–2020): the last version, with a Euro 4 engine.
- Dorsoduro RR (2009): the racing version for the HyperMoto class.
More Aprilia motorcycles are in our Aprilia collection, for example the Shiver 750, on which the first Dorsoduro was based, and the Caponord.
Aprilia Dorsoduro questions and answers
What does Dorsoduro mean?
The name comes from the Dorsoduro district of Venice, whose name translates to “hard ridge”.
Which engines did the Dorsoduro have?
A 750 cc V-twin, a 1,200 cc V-twin from 2010 and a 900 cc version for 2017–2020.
How much power does the Dorsoduro 1200 make?
Italian Wikipedia gives 130 hp at 8,700 rpm and 115 Nm at 7,200 rpm.
Is the Dorsoduro based on another Aprilia?
The 750 shared its engine and frame with the Shiver 750.
Did the Dorsoduro race?
Yes: it finished fifth at Pikes Peak in 2008 and ran in the 2009 European SuperMoto Championship as the Dorsoduro RR.
Video: Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200. Official Video.
Video by Aprilia Official on YouTube.
Sources
- Aprilia Dorsoduro, English Wikipedia: versions, 1200 and 900 engines
- Aprilia Dorsoduro, Italian Wikipedia: 750 and 1200 figures, competitions
