Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 Factory 2012 — Specifications

When Aprilia applies the "Factory" label to a machine, the message is clear: it’s no longer quite the same motorcycle. The recipe has been applied for years to the RSV4, the Tuono R, and now to the manufacturer's supermotard. The Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 Factory therefore goes through the preparation stage, and the result deserves serious attention.

The first distinctive sign visible from ten meters away: the red painted tubular frame that pierces the black bodywork like a vein under the skin. This modular steel trellis, combined with aluminum side plates and a detachable subframe, is not just aesthetic. It’s the backbone of a machine that claims 185 kg dry weight for 92 horsepower at 8750 rpm. The power-to-weight ratio is serious, and on the open road, the 749 cc V-twin responds with 82 Nm of torque from 4500 rpm. It's not in the register of the KTM 990 SMT or the Husqvarna 701 — the Dorsoduro plays in another category, that of mid-displacement supermotards with a pronounced character.

Carbon fiber parts signify belonging to the Factory club: front mudguard, side fairings, tank cover. It’s lightweight, it’s noble, and it justifies part of the €800 difference with the base version, which is priced at €8999 for this variant. Regarding the suspension, it must be honest: the "Factory" designation led to hope for Öhlins, as on other models from the Noale manufacturer. This is not the case. The 43 mm inverted fork and the reservoir shock absorber come from another source, but their complete adjustability — preload, compression, rebound, with 160 mm of travel at both ends — largely compensates for the absence of the Swedish label. The standard version benefits from none of these adjustments: it’s a concrete difference, not a cosmetic one.

The braking system, however, is beyond discussion. Front petal discs are gripped by four-piston Brembo radial calipers, equipment that some production sportbikes still struggle to offer. Ride by Wire transmission with triple injection mapping allows modulation of the twin’s character according to mood or conditions. Three modes, three personalities: the motorcycle is not monolithic. At a maximum speed of 200 km/h, no one will take this supermotard to the track, but on a winding national road or out of town, the Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 Factory 2012 proves to be extremely effective in its register.

The target audience is clearly that of the experienced rider looking for a machine that is both usable on a daily basis and capable of injecting adrenaline into corners. The high seat at 870 mm immediately filters out the smallest builds, and the 210 kg when fully fueled does not forgive low-speed clumsiness. It is not a beginner's motorcycle. On the other hand, for those looking for an Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 Factory used on the used market, it is a consistent proposition: a well-born motorcycle, with technical equipment that has aged little, in a road supermotard niche that remains sparsely populated. The 12-liter tank nevertheless recalls that long distances are not its primary vocation, and that it prefers dynamic early mornings to departmental crossings.