Aprilia Shiver 750 | Doin' Time

Wrist: Eric Putter
MSRP: $9499
Miles: 2771
MPG: 45
Mods: Warning label removal

Subject of a First Ride this month (see page 46), the Shiver 750 is Aprilia's entrée point into its extensive and positively rockin' sportbike lineup.

Introduced in 2008, the middleweight naked bike was made over in 2011 with a bold restyle, a tiny fairing and flyscreen, as well as ergonomic upgrades that match the new, racier look. Its half-inch-narrower rear wheel is intended to allow the bike to turn-in easier for improved handling.

The Shiver bristles with an array of mouth-watering hard parts. Showing off Aprilia’s race-winning chops, the Shiver sports a beautiful steel-trellis frame with beefy aluminum sideplates hanging the 90-degree V-twin engine plus a positively gorgeous aluminum swingarm. Sexy undertail mufflers, super-strong radially mounted Brembo brake calipers attached to braided-steel lines, hydraulic clutch actuation and a high-tech “Matrix” command/control center complete the cutting-edge design.

The engine is compact, quick-spinning and willing, with most of its power coming at higher revs than more pedestrian V-twins. Also, unlike most bikes in its class, the Shiver has three appropriately named ignition maps: Sport, Touring and Rain. Curiously, in spite of a remap for 2010, the ride-by-wire fuel injection system still needs some help.

That’s what long-term tests are all about: taking a well-engineered machine and enhancing it over time. An aftermarket fuel controller combined with exhaust and intake mods will surely cure the aforementioned woes.

A stellar chassis and wide handlebar endow the Shiver with neutral, low-effort steering, but it’s limited by a non-adjustable fork that was bolted-on to keep its retail price down. Again, we’ll be exploring options to upgrade the fork and shock, the latter working sans linkage.

At a claimed 442 lbs. with its 4.2-gallon gas tank topped off, the Shiver is a bit heavy. This is exacerbated by a short kickstand that leaves the bike leaned way over when parked, which makes righting it a minor chore. Ah, saving weight: We love the challenge and will embark upon it soon.

Lastly, we’ll sample a few of the 15 accessories in Aprilia’s catalog. All told, the Shiver looks like a perfect long-term candidate. It’s gonna be a great ride!