If you thought Aprilia mostly made scooters, with a few motorcycle models making it out of the Noale factory, this bike might change your mind. It’s called the Shiver 750, and it marks a radical change of pace that could boost Aprilia out of its present boutique niche to that of a major motorcycle manufacturer. It’s conceived as a relatively low-priced roadster to be mass produced using Aprilia’s formula of state-of-the-art tooling and assembly processes under tight quality-control criteria.
It uses a new 90-degree V-Twin engine that will eventually be sold in a range of models from 750 to 1200cc. This version is performance-oriented, with a compact combustion chamber that produces an 11.2:1 compression ratio using flat-topped pistons. The engine breathes freely thru 52mm throttle bodies to produce a claimed 95 horsepower at 9000 rpm at the crankshaft and 59.7 ft.-lbs. of torque at 7000 rpm. An electronic “ride-by-wire” system—no cable—connects the throttle to the butterfly valves.
Aprilia developed a neat-looking modular frame for the Shiver that uses two cast-aluminum rear sections and a steel-tube trellis front. The swingarm pivots in the aluminum sections, with the right unit carrying the front mount for the laterally mounted single shock. The chassis spans a wheelbase of 56.7 inches, compact while still offering 50/50 weight distribution and enough room to comfortably carry a passenger. Claimed dry weight is 417 pounds.
To try it out, Aprilia sent me to twisty Franciacorta racetrack for a thorough, no-holds-barred first ride, in addition to a more-relaxed 80-mile cruise on nicely deserted backroads in the area. The engine proved smooth and responsive from as low as 2500 rpm. In fact, response was so fluid that I had to check my instruments to realize how strong the motor was, as even near the 9500-rpm redline there was little perceptible secondary vibration.
The chassis was beyond my expectations. The non-adjustable 43mm inverted Showa fork is set right, even for hard racetrack riding, and the Sachs rear shock is impeccable. The latest Dunlop Sportmax Qualifiers (in 120/70-17 front and 180/55-17 rear sizes) share a lot of credit for the very quick, precise steering response and solid lean angles. The chassis is solid, precise, and surefooted both on fast bends and tight hairpins.
The only weak link is the brakes, Taiwanese-made clones of Brembo radial-mount calipers teamed with 320mm stainless-steel rotors in front. They’re spongy, and hard braking takes a lot of squeezing. Best I can say, at sensible speeds on public roads they get the job done.
The Shiver 750 is expected to come to the States by the end of the year. U.S. pricing hasn’t been announced, but in Italy it will sell at a competitive price of 8000 euros (about $11,000). Is that priced nicely enough for the Shiver to put a chill into the bones of the Japanese and European competition? Only time will tell.
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