#dorsoduro

It’s rare that a manufacturer debuts two new models at the same time unless there are multiple trims such as the Aprilia RSV4 RR and Factory versions. When MO found out we would be riding both Aprilia’s new Dorsoduro and its Shiver 900, I was actually looking forward to the novel opportunity. It would be interesting to see how different the motorcycles would feel while sharing many of the same components, most notably, the same 896cc 90-degree V-Twin engine.

I asked around at the launch of the Dorsoduro (and Shiver) 900, why was this bike named “Dorsoduro”? I know what the Dorsoduro is and have visited the district in the Italian city of Venice on two separate occasions, but I was looking for an answer full of emotion and history which I have come to expect from Italian manufacturers (and their marketing departments). To my surprise, everyone began to tell me what the name was rather than why it was named as such. Well, after having ridden the 2018 Aprilia Dorsoduro 900, it is clear to me why the Italian manufacturer would look to one of Italy’s most iconic cities and why they would choose the sestieri of Dorsoduro as its namesake.

Just announced at EICMA 2016 is this, the Aprilia Dorsoduro 900. For 2017, Aprilia’s maxi-motard will enter the new year packed with even more muscle thanks to a generous displacement bump of its V-Twin engine from 750cc to 900cc (well, 896cc to be exact). Aprilia’s goal was to provide the Dorso with a healthy increase in bottom-end and midrange power, doing so by taking the old 750cc engine and increasing the stroke from 56.4mm to 67.4mm while keeping the bore the same at 92mm.