Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200 – III

The 1197cc liquid-cooled 90-degree-vee engine has got that full and rich V-Twin feel that’s missing on the 750. The midrange is rich with torque and Twin goodness, and it accelerates in a rewarding fashion all the way from 4000 rpm and up to the max power of 130 hp at 8700 rpm. In high gears with low load there’s a fine push from 5000 revs. Maximum torque of 84.8 ft-lb at 7200 rpm ensures plenty of momentum even at much lower rpm, exemplifying of a nice and flat curve.

The new 1200c 130-hp engine isn’t stressed at all, and there’s good reason to expect a touring machine featuring this engine in the near future. The Dorsoduro 1200 accelerates up and above 125 mph easy as anything. On the motorways there’s naturally lots of wind resistance due to the upright riding position, but the seat is long (and a lot comfier than a real supermoto), and I could slide backwards and tuck my off-road helmet nearly low enough to take advantage of the small racing number-plate-style wind cowling. The mirrors provided a decent enough rearward view without too much vibration. There’s no weaving from side to side at high speed such as is typical on a 650cc single-cylinder bike.