Dorsoduro in Italy is known for its rich and exotic vibe. So when Aprilia decides to name a motorcycle after that, you know it is going to be something special. And special it is with its versatility and capability on tarmac. A true motard in its sense, we really liked it when we rode it for our review (which you can read here) and if you want to know the top 5 things we got to know about the Dorsoduro, read on…
It will grab eyeballs
Aprilia’s factory colours of red, silver and black make sure the Dorsoduro grabs attention. If it is parked on the road, you will overhear the crowd trying to make sense of this motard styling. The fat tyres are an instant hit and so are the gold forks.
It is taller than you expected it to be
With its compact packaging, the Dorsoduro looks petite from far. You only realise its size and height when you try to saddle it. If you measure anything less than five and a half feet in height, you have to make sure you don’t come to a stand-still on awkward terrains. Or you can learn the Chris Pfeiffer parking trick.
Loads of torque
The all-new 896cc mill has been stroked out of the 750. V-twins are torquey in nature and with the stroke now longer, the torque seems to have multiplied. Turn the traction control off and if you have enough grip, the front wheel will pop at every twist of the wrist in the first two gears. Turn the traction on and be ready to smoke a few ‘big-bikes’ off the traffic lights.
It is not an off-roader
The wide tyres that look so good, will make you go weak in your knees if you hit gravel. The street Dunlop tyres are practically useless off the road as every time you touch the throttle, the rear spins and the traction control lights go off on the dash. And if you tap the brakes, the ABS kicks in and keeps you going for quite some distance, which might be really scary at times.
It is slightly expensive
Somehow I missed looking at the price tag before I rode the Dorsoduro. I had immense fun riding it over two days. It has the appropriate amount of power and top-speed for Indian conditions. If it was priced anything around Rs 12 lakhs to Rs 13 lakhs on-road, it would have been the perfect buy. And then I found out the Rs 13.45 lakhs ex-showroom price tag, which is over Rs 16.5 lakhs on-road. To put things into perspective, you can get the Honda Africa Twin, the Triumph Tiger or the Suzuki GSX S1000 for this kind of money.
