See a slightly empty stretch of road ahead of you and I dare you to resist the urge to whack the throttle open. Not viciously but surely and steadily. The only thing that finally stops you from continuing with the right wrist exercise is perhaps the unrestrained wind blast or oncoming traffic. In a straight line it’s as stable as a tank on steroids, even at high triple-digit speeds. Show it bends and the Aprilia is more than happy to play along with the rider’s intent to have fun as it tips into the bend, stands up and then tips back into the next curve of the road. You, the rider, are always in control, courtesy that reassuring feeling from the bike’s taut chassis and well set up fully adjustable suspension. Even when the surfaces begin to deteriorate, the bike holds its own. The ride quality is sorted and only very bad potholed roads catch it out. Otherwise things remain comfy even over long stretches, which is ably complemented by a firmly padded yet comfortable saddle.
To come to a stop the Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200 ABS gets twin 320-mm dia discs with Brembo four-piston radial callipers up front and a 240-mm dia disc with a single-pot calliper at the rear. The brakes have superb bite and help the bike shed speed quickly (a must when riding in India), all the time feeling progressive. Should the surface be wet or low in traction, Aprilia have helpfully added ABS and Traction Control.
At the end of the day, though, it’s difficult to come to a dispassionate conclusion where this bike is concerned. After all, for a bike like the Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200 ABS the sensations it can produce and the passions it can evoke are the intended aim of every rider who goes out on a ride on any of these machines, and in this department the Dorsoduro delivers by the bucket load.
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