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| 2011 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 |
2011 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 is a concentration of pure technology enhanced by stunning lines and an aggressive look that comes not only from power and torque but from amazing agility too. Everything about this new Aprilia has been designed to be as light and effective as possible. The 2011 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 is a motorcycle built to stimulate the senses of its rider.
The minimal and aggressive bodywork of the 2011 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 adds the perfect finishing touches to the advanced motorcycle technology that forms the basis of its design. The Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 is built around the rider to deliver maximum riding thrills.
That is why this radical, daring and sporting machine shuns everything that does not contribute effectively to maximum riding pleasure. Plastic body panels have been reduced to a minimum for this very reason. As with top competition machines, anything that does not improve performance has been eliminated. Only the place for a number has been left to emphasis the bike’s close ties with the world of racing. The middle of the bike, the area most important to rider movement under competitive riding conditions, shows just how compact this design really is. The 2011 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 is incredibly slender and agile and enters into instant symbiosis with its rider. Only a few metres on this amazing machine are enough to feel completely at one with it. Aprilia’s design team have achieved this impressive result by giving the Dorsoduro a long, flat seat, derived directly from the world of racing, allowing the rider to find the most effective position at all times.
The sleek, compact tail houses a twinned exhaust, a solution that not only gives the bike a mean, aggressive look but also achieves perfect symmetry and ideal weight distribution. The hand guards are derived from those of the SXV supermotard and, despite their streamlined look, offer effective protection against accidental impacts with the control levers.
SUSPENSION: EFFECTIVE ON ALL SURFACES
Optimum suspension setup has always been one of the strong points of the Aprilia design and testing team. The 43 mm upside down fork features shell-cast bottom outers with radial calipers mountings, and offers adjustments for spring preload and rebound damping. This sophisticated fork offers a superb sliding action and a wheel travel of 160 mm in line with the latest trends in supermotard racing. Both yokes are forged, and the top yoke is also anodised to match the Dorsoduro’s high level of finish.
The laterally offset monoshock pivots directly on the swingarm in a cantilever configuration, and is also adjustable in spring preload and rebound damping. Rear wheel travel is 160 mm, again in keeping the requirements of a top level supermotard, on which effective, controlled long stroke suspension is a must.
BRAKES: RACING TECHNOLOGY
The Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 is equipped with the best braking technology currently available. The front brakes feature 4-piston radial calipers, state-of-the-art for the motard market. The lightweight, 320 mm wave discs ensure shorter than ever stopping distances. The bike’s aggressive stopping power is emphasised by the mean look of the braking system, in keeping with the Dorsoduro’s overall styling.
The rear brakes incorporate another wave disc, 240 mm in diameter this time, plus a single piston caliper. Both the front and rear brakes are fitted with aeronautical type metal braided brake lines to eliminate the sponginess associated with conventional rubber hoses and to deliver maximum braking precision.
COMPONENTS
Supermotards are always no-frills machines, and sometimes quite spartan. This, however, does not mean having to do without top quality components and attention to detail. Here too Aprilia stands apart from the competition by adopting a level of equipment worthy of a true market leader:
- Matrix instrumentation. The mixed analog/digital instrument cluster receives data over a CAN line and incorporates a memory that forms an integral part of the diagnostics system. The ultra-compact instruments feature a modern design and are extremely light in weight. All functions can be accessed and controlled from the handlebars. The LED backlighting is white in the analog area and red in the digital area, and can be adjusted to three levels of brightness.
- Dual taper anodised aluminium handlebars exactly like those fitted to Aprilia’s racing supermotards. This super-lightweight component is specially designed for optimum dynamic control.
- Hydraulically operated clutch for a consistently precise action and exceptional smoothness. The clutch is also self-adjusting and completely maintenance free.
