2010–2013 · Supermoto · A variant of the Dorsoduro 750
Differences between the standard Dorsoduro 750 and the Factory
Italian V-Twin With Teeth
The Dorsoduro 750 Factory pairs a supermoto's upright stance and wide bar with a 750 cc 90° V-twin. The engine makes 92 hp and 60 lb-ft, and the torque peaks at a street-friendly 4,500 rpm. It shares its engine with the Shiver, but in the Dorsoduro the motor feels better calibrated and more finished. Three maps (Sport, Touring, Rain) are standard, and the fork and shock are fully adjustable. With its steel trellis frame and distinctive swingarm, it looks like something outside the mainstream. Its real trick is rarer: the dynamics are approachable, yet the machine never looks or feels dumbed down.
On the road it works as a commuter all week and still has plenty left for the back roads on Saturday. The riding position is comfortable enough for a full day. Riders coming back after a break get control right away, and experienced riders who are done with the race tuck get a fit that still has bite. The caveats are practical. The 3.2 gal (12 L) tank has you planning gas stops, and there's no real wind protection at highway speed. On a used example, inspect the water pump, expect to adjust the chain often, budget for a more involved valve check, and confirm the front brake master cylinder recall has been handled.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 92 hp (67 kW) @ 8,750 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 60 lb-ft (82 Nm) @ 4,500 rpm |
| Displacement | 750 cc |
| Engine | 90° V-twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 |
| Front travel | 6.3 in (160 mm) |
| Seat height | 34.3 in (870 mm) |
| Wet weight | 467 lb (212 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.2 gal (12 L) |
| Top speed | 135 mph (217 km/h) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Safety
Swing a leg over the 34.3 in (870 mm) seat and the first thing you notice is the bar. It's wide and flat, and it sits where your elbows naturally come up and out. You sit tall and upright, somewhere between a naked bike and a proper supermoto. Thumb the starter and the V-twin settles into a deep, even beat with real presence. Through the bars and pegs it's remarkably smooth, almost too polished, and a twin purist may miss some raw edge. In town the bike slips through gaps with very little effort. On country roads it feels natural at a brisk pace, and after a full Sunday in the saddle you're pleasantly tired rather than wrecked. Push onto a fast highway stretch, though, and the wind hits your chest with nothing to stop it.
The Dorsoduro 750 Factory (MY2008-Factory) builds on the standard Dorsoduro 750: the upgraded hardware, the key spec changes and where its character shifts. The full ride, specs, scoring and verdict are all right here on this page.
| Spec | Standard Dorsoduro 750 | Factory | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 95 hp | 92 hp | -3 hp |
| Wet weight | 410 lb | 467 lb | +57 lb |
My own 0–100 score for this bike against the class, area by area — the marker on each bar is the class average.
The chassis tells you exactly what it's doing and never punishes a mistake, so you always feel like you're running the show. My one reservation came on a broken back road at speed. Over crests and ripples the fork feels firm enough that some of the stability feedback I rely on disappears. The suspension is fully adjustable, so setup should help, but stock it's a noticeable gap on rough tarmac.
What sets it apart is that the forgiving side never feels like a compromise. It treats you gently, but it keeps its attitude, and comfort and fun don't work against each other here. Five days of riding to work doesn't use it up. The bike is still sharp and eager when the weekend comes around, and very few bikes I've tested manage both jobs without giving up one.
I found the front brake properly strong, the kind of stopping power I expect from a real supermoto. Grab it hard at the end of a straight and the bike scrubs off speed with authority. ABS was an option, not standard, so check whether a used bike has it.
The first thing I noticed was the throttle. The ride-by-wire has everything sorted from the first twist: no surge, no snatch, and when you roll off, engine braking fades in gently enough that the bike stays settled on the way into a turn. In Sport the delivery gets harder and punchier. It's exciting, and you have to work with it rather than just aim it. Touring keeps the same peak output but softens the response, so you stop managing the motor and start reading the road. That's the map I'd live with, and you can swap maps at a rolling stop with the engine running. Pull away from low revs and there's always more engine ahead of you. In traffic you never tiptoe, and on a back road it never overwhelms. My complaint is character. All that refinement costs some of the grunt and personality that make a twin fun to wring out, and twin fans will feel it.
I had doubts about three engine maps on a 2008 street bike. Owners over the years have shown the system to be solid, and mapping updates during the production run made it better. Build quality holds up too. Take the accessories off the show bike and the standard machine still looks and feels like money. The costs are in the upkeep. High-mileage bikes can weep coolant from the pump, the drive chain needs tensioning more often than on rival bikes, and a valve check on this V2 takes more shop time than you'd guess. Service intervals themselves are reasonable.
There's enough ground clearance for the pace this bike invites, and I never touched anything down where it mattered. The problem is sustained speed. Our test group looked at the fast highway leg of the route and skipped it entirely, and nobody argued. This bike is at its best on country lanes and twisty secondary roads. Long stretches at speed are where it stops being pleasant.
Looking at this tank, I'd say the designer won the argument over the test rider. The bike is capable enough on open roads to make a big day tempting, then the fuel runs short long before you're ready to stop. On a touring run that gets old. You end up picking gas stations first and roads second, and that's the wrong order for a bike this good.
Over the years I've picked up a lot about this bike away from my own test miles. It comes from paddock talk, owner chats on club nights, and the messages riders send me directly. For the Dorsoduro 750 Factory the pattern is clear. Owners love how it rides, and their complaints mostly concern the electrics and how it behaves at low speed.
Owners praise the V-twin more consistently than anything else. They describe it as lively and torquey, with a strong midrange and a top end that stays willing, and they say it really comes alive on twisty roads. The handling comes a close second. Riders mention light steering, Sachs suspension they rate highly and a balanced chassis that gives them feedback and confidence in corners, even on bumpy pavement.
Electrics come up again and again, with owners reporting faults such as loose starter wires and failed air pressure sensors. About as many riders call its reliability below average overall. A few owners also describe a notchy, clunky gearbox in the lower gears and when finding neutral, which they say improves at higher speeds. Some also report abrupt, jerky fueling at low speed.
Poor low-speed fuelling and snatchy throttle
Many owners report an on/off throttle snatch and jerky low-speed response, making smooth riding in traffic difficult. This is likely due to lean fueling to meet emissions standards.
Faulty air pressure sensors
The air pressure sensors are reported to fail, giving erratic readings on the dash. Replacement with aftermarket Chinese sensors solves the issue at low cost.
Loose starter wire
A small number of owners experienced a loose connection on the starter motor, causing intermittent starting issues. Simple to fix by securing the wire.
Electrical faults
Various electrical issues reported, including loose starter wire and air pressure sensor failures.
Warped fuel tank
One owner report of a warped fuel tank.
Where this Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Dorsoduro 750 is actually built for.
The wide bar, generous lean clearance, and a midrange that pulls hard out of every canyon bend make this a sharp weekend tool. Expect the stock fork to feel stiff where the pavement gets rippled.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
Tight, technical switchbacks are where this bike shines. Hold one gear, lean on the wide bar, and focus on your lines. Plan fuel on the ride in from the city, because the tank runs dry early.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
It's a fun, upright partner for Hill Country loops and the ride out for BBQ, and comfortable enough for a full day. The small tank and zero wind protection make the highway legs between towns the weak spot.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Aprilia Dorsoduro 750. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Competitor · 2010–2012
Italian Instinct, Instantly Obedient
About the same used price as this bike at 14 yr
Competitor · 2008–2011
One Cylinder, Zero Filler
About the same used price as this bike at 15 yr
Same Platform · 2010–2013
Italian V-Twin With Touring Manners
About the same used price as this bike at 13 yr
