Shiver - US mag test

[goodhawk]

One of the US Mags ( cycle world ?) has test of the Aprilia Shiver , which I have some interest in -- they give its weight as 495 lb with fuel ( and not very much fuel) - gawd, isn't that what the FZ 1 weighs, only a little less than the 1200 GS with more than a gallon more fuel ?

wonder if they checked their scale ?

[scott-sts]

Yeah, I read that too.  Strange because the Falco, Tuono and Mille are quite light.  I guess it's the trellis frame?

[Phenix_Rider]

It struck me as odd also.  The Shiver weighs 75 lbs or so more than the 650R, and only makes something like 10HP more out of 100cc more engine.

[Rincewind]

I guess it's the trellis frame?

The Ducati 696 Monster (w/trellis frame) was a lighter-weight competitor used as an example in the article.  I don't think it was the frame that "porked-out" the Aprilia.  

I found that paragraph about weight surprising as well, as so many other articles seem to praise the Shiver for its light weight.  

[Weaselette]

Hunh, seems there's a disconnect. My manual lists the Shiver's "kerb weight" weight at 463 pounds and the dry weight at 416 pounds. It FEELS light to me!

[goodhawk]

one possible answer - Shiver weight - I read the frame and engine cases are actually sized for a new, upcoming 1200 version . . .?  lottsa wasted space, to use a 1200 block fer 750 cc . .  IF that's true , 500 lbs fer a 1200 . . . ??

[mr moto]

How to make a very cool looking bike instantly ugly , just tack on a bloody horrible half fairing .   http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2008/10/2009-aprilia-shiver-750-gt-gai.html#more

[Hickey]

Actually, I like the GT better than the standard Shiver.

[mr moto]

clicky da linky, and scroll down for video from the INTERMOT show of some of the new models .
http://www.motorevue.com/site/un-carenage-pour-la-mana-et-la-shiver-35625.html

[rockinjc]

I sat on one liked the ergos and the general size of the bike but I think I would...

Wait for the Factory version!  

[Rincewind]

The GT looks kind of like an Italian Bandit.  I like it, not so much for the fairing design, but for the added practicality.

[Hickey]

More pics of the GT:

[EricJ]

I like it.   I would like to see the rear end of it, it looks like the pipes tuck up under the seat. Pretty smooth.

[Rincewind]

I like it.   I would like to see the rear end of it, it looks like the pipes tuck up under the seat. Pretty smooth.

The rear and underseat pipes look to be identical to the Shiver.  Probably looks a lot like this from the back.

[EricJ]

Thanks Rincewind!  I like it even more.  

[Phenix_Rider]

The GT looks a lot like an '06 Z750S.  I like it- except for the bobbed tail and stepped seat- just don't understand that.  And my usual gripe with nakeds- the mirrors mounted so high up from the bars are useless if you lean forward at all.  They should be mounted on that mini fairing: forward and lower.  I don't need mirrors 2" from my face.

[Hickey]

There is another problem with that bike as a sport touring mount.  It carries less than 4 gallons of fuel.  Unless they made the tank bigger on the GT than the standard Shiver, which I doubt very much.

[Weaselette]

That's the only thing I hate about mine. There are many places we have ridden that are going to be problematic for me unless I siphon fuel from my husband's Capo Nord. *sigh*

[atypical1]

What's the range?


james

[Weaselette]

Effectively 120-140 miles, riding like a grownup   I get between 45-55 mpg in touring mode; I had a Honda 919 that was closer to 200 mile range, so the Shiver suffers in comparison, tho' in every other regard it is a kick in the pants to ride.

[atypical1]

That's not that bad really. I get just a bit more than that on the R12S (but I definitely don't ride like a grown-up). It's a trade off a lot of times. Fun bike vs. long tank range. I'll take fun bike any day of the week.

I don't recall seeing any of your ride reports..you need to go out and take some pics of that bike on the road. Or have you and I haven't noticed? That is quite possible....

james

[goodhawk]

I'm with Hickey and others on this - I want my bike  to get 200 mi range BEFORE reserve. 180 min. ( sport touring, not pure sport. see the Honda VTR 1000 as perhaps worst example)

I just see no drawback to providing decent range.

[atypical1]

Yeah, because "sport-touring" means that you have to have a certain range on your bike.

The bottom line is that every bike is simply a compromise. Pick your battles because you simply are not going to get it all.

james

[atadaskew]

I dunno.  My St4s is a blast to ride, and with it's 5.5 gallon tank has a 230+ mile range.

[atypical1]

I'm sure it is. But it is still a compromise.

james

[atadaskew]

I'm sure it is. But it is still a compromise.

james

Doesn't feel like it is to me.

[atypical1]

Doesn't feel like it is to me.

Compared to your Street Bob it's not....

james

[atadaskew]

Compared to your Street Bob it's not....

james

 

[Weaselette]

I don't recall seeing any of your ride reports..you need to go out and take some pics of that bike on the road. Or have you and I haven't noticed? That is quite possible....

james

No, you are right, I have never posted any... nuffin wrong with my writing, but I have to admit that I often forget to haul the camera out and take pix, so too many of the 125,000 or so miles are unrecorded.

[chornbe]

Hunh, seems there's a disconnect. My manual lists the Shiver's "kerb weight" weight at 463 pounds and the dry weight at 416 pounds. It FEELS light to me!

Whoa, whoa and whoa... you have one? Give! Tell all. The bike has tingle my man parts since I first read something on it two years ago. Gimme all the dirt.

[atadaskew]

motorcyclist magazine just did a Monster 696 vs Shiver test.  Very interesting.

[chornbe]

motorcyclist magazine just did a Monster 696 vs Shiver test.  Very interesting.

Yeah, I thought it was interesting that their review was almost 180-degrees from the one done by Motorcycle Consumer News against the Street Triple a couple of months ago.

[atadaskew]

Yeah, I thought it was interesting that their review was almost 180-degrees from the one done by Motorcycle Consumer News against the Street Triple a couple of months ago.

How did that one pan out?  The only issue I have with the Shiver is the teeny gas tank.  It seems that more and more bikes are headed that way.  Remember the good old days when 5 gallons was the normal size for a gas tank?
No?...

[rockinjc]

Does anyone else think that 420 pounds is a touch heavy for this era and the naked platform?

[atadaskew]

Does anyone else think that 420 pounds is a touch heavy for this era and the naked platform?

Not really.  Aiming for lighter and lighter bikes has made them more fragile in simple tip over situations.
It's a street bike, there is no need to emphasize super light weight over durability.

[rockinjc]

My seven year old monster weighs in thirty pounds lighter and is is by no means fra-geel-lay!

(edit) Although it IS about the same number of horses lighter as well. (/edit)

[chornbe]

How did that one pan out?  The only issue I have with the Shiver is the teeny gas tank.  It seems that more and more bikes are headed that way.  Remember the good old days when 5 gallons was the normal size for a gas tank?
No?...

It basically pwned the Street Triple, tho' they did say the matchup would have been more interesting if the Street Triple has its big bother's (Daytona) suspension. It out powered, outstopped, out handled and out-rode the Triple.

I love the Shiver. I was really considering getting one, but the only Aprilia dealer near me wouldn't give me donkey doo for my CBR at trade-in.  

[scott-sts]

I've been looking towards Triumph lately.  The big speed triple is cool but a bit ugly, IMO.
The little 675 "R" version they have looks pretty cool but I can't find any good, comprehensive ride reports on them.  Just the typical, BS press intro fodder.  The "R" has fully adjustable suspension which to me is a necessity.  

[goodhawk]

I'm a bit let down by the SHIVER , maybe a real Sport / TOURing version will come out - 5.5 gal tank,  adjustable susp.. and it's heavy - 495 lbs ?
Same for the Tri 675 , really. for me, It's pretty much a requirement - Minimum 180 mi range before reserve, 200 better. good, not stunning performance,  470 lb full of fuel.  Closest, right now, is the BMW 800 S , but for some reason the looks just don't click, for me.
Hoping for a Tri 675 Tiger Cub, afraid it'll come out as more of a real dirt bike, like the BMW 800 GS . Where is Honda with the new, upgraded Hawk ?  ( thought I'd throw that in)

[atadaskew]

 Where is Honda with the new, upgraded Hawk ?  ( thought I'd throw that in)

Right behind the all new VFR.

[Weaselette]

Whoa, whoa and whoa... you have one? Give! Tell all. The bike has tingle my man parts since I first read something on it two years ago. Gimme all the dirt.

Sorry for the delay in titillating your nether regions  

I wasn't shopping for the Shiver at all... in fact, I was fairly well on my way to buying a WeeStrom as an alter ego to my well-ridden and much appreciated Honda 919. Then my husband decided to throw over his Moto Guzzi Coppa Italia for an Aprilia Capo Nord, so on the Friday before Memorial Day, he suggested I accompany him to Moto International (wunnerful shop in Seattle) to pick up his bike. Once we'd gotten there, he suggested I take the Shiver for a ride. He'd taken it for a quick spin while finalizing the deal on the Capo Nord and said it was a kick. And it was! Even with a fairly sane ride around the neighbourhood of 85th and Aurora, I could well guess its potential, so I rode it back to the dealers and did something I've never done before: bought it on the spot. No research, no comparo shopping, nuffin.

So after running off with the handsome Italian, I got used to the idea of owning one. The VTwin burbles like a teapot at low speeds and snarls like a Tiger on the highway. The  fly-by-wire throttle took a bit of getting used to, but the ability to change the mapping from "sport" to "touring" (there's also a rain mode, which I never use) makes it feel like two different bikes.

The styling is dead sexy: gold trellis frame and handlebars (my colour scheme is  Silver Fever) and despite the lack of wind  screen, there are very few times I've felt wind buffeting.

Sadly, this year I haven't had enough time to do long distance touring: in early July we saddled up to ride down Highway 101 and damned if I didn't sprain my ankle throwing a leg over the damned bike at the gas station. Still, we got a good 2,000 miles riding down the Oregon Coast before cutting over into eastern Oregon to return home on the excellent Hwy 395 from John Day to Pendleton.

The only gremlin that's surfaced (and it may point out the weakness of that fly-by-wire) was on our anniversary pilgrimage to Mt Rainier in October: the oil pressure sensor  gave a couple of false readings at the top of Blewett Pass and again on the top of White Pass. The net result was that, when the bike senses a threat to the engine, it shuts down the throttle, which in my opinion, really puts the rider at a disadvantage!

Moto Int'l did their usual stellar job of servicing the problem, and so far, it's ridden perfectly (though the riding opportunities here in NC Washington are rapidly disappearing).

Hope this helps give you a sense of the bike. If I could wave a wand and change one thing about it, it'd be to add fuel capacity, for 4 gallons just isn't enough for long-distance touring. But woddahell, I can park it in my living room over the winter and contemplate its beauty in the mean time!

[chornbe]

Excellent. Thank you. That thing has had a LOT of my attention for quite a while. It's nice to hear something other than the typical love-it-or-hate-it magazine crap.  

Did you buy the demo bike, or a new one they had in stock?

[Weaselette]

I bought the demo, which had about 100 miles on it; the only other one they had at the time was black and orange, and the silver demo nicely set off the gold trellis frame.  Ooooh. Aaah. Pretty!

[Weaselette]

I should also point out that while I had over 4,300 trouble-free miles before the faulty oil pressure sensor reared its head, other riders have reported different issues. Further research on owner satisfaction can be done here: http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=63.  One other thing I neglected to mention is that the bike sits pretty upright on the side stand, so I always need to take the crown of the road into account  when I park, and damned if the thing didn't tip over this summer on the ferry, despite locking the handlebars. But it's a minor quibble!

[Rogue]

Does anyone else think that 420 pounds is a touch heavy for this era and the naked platform?

One of the lightes sportbikes around is the Honda CBR600RR at 412 lbs. wet.

I think the closest nake sportbike to that is the Triumph 675 Street Triple, which I think is around 410-415 lbs.  So 420 is NOT "a touch heavy" at all.   In fact, in today's era, it is considered lightweight for a sportbike.

[chornbe]

One of the lightes sportbikes around is the Honda CBR600RR at 412 lbs. wet.

I think the closest nake sportbike to that is the Triumph 675 Street Triple, which I think is around 410-415 lbs.  So 420 is NOT "a touch heavy" at all.   In fact, in today's era, it is considered lightweight for a sportbike.

Yeah, but I think the shiver's 420 is dry, while the RR's 415 is wet, right?

[Weaselette]

The Shiver's dry weight is closer to 417 pounds, but who's counting. It FEELS lighter and more nimble to me....

[chornbe]

The Shiver's dry weight is closer to 417 pounds, but who's counting. It FEELS lighter and more nimble to me....

There ya go. The FJR is like that. We're talking a 660lb bike that instantly sheds a LOT of weight once the wheels are turning. Geometry and weight distribution go a long way to smoothing over just "weight".

[goodhawk]

Where do y'all get this 420 lb dry for Shiver ?  magazine test weight , full of fuel , is like 490 +  ( both Motorcyclist and cycle world tests , so I think accurate ) so I don't think it could be less than 460 dry unless that's a shipping weight with no oil, rad. fluid , battery , tires . . .  not attacking, curious.

[Weaselette]

Where do y'all get this 420 lb dry for Shiver ?  magazine test weight , full of fuel , is like 490 +  ( both Motorcyclist and cycle world tests , so I think accurate ) so I don't think it could be less than 460 dry unless that's a shipping weight with no oil, rad. fluid , battery , tires . . .  not attacking, curious.

I've read the same article, but many other sources, including my owner's manual, list the dry weigh at right around 417 lbs. *shrug* I just ride the derned thing  

[Mephistopheles]

I just saw the bit about the shiver weighing 500lbs!

My Futura weighs 456 dry, so about 500 wet.

I really don't get it.  Is the bike really so cheap that they couldn't afford any aluminum?

[atadaskew]

I just saw the bit about the shiver weighing 500lbs!

My Futura weighs 456 dry, so about 500 wet.

I really don't get it.  Is the bike really so cheap that they couldn't afford any aluminum?

Sportrider magazine lists the wet weight of your Futura at 565lbs
http://www.sportrider.com/bikes/146_weights_measurements/index.html

[Mephistopheles]

Sportrider magazine lists the wet weight of your Futura at 565lbs
http://www.sportrider.com/bikes/146_weights_measurements/index.html

This site has the RST1000 dry 416lbs - http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/aprilia_rst_1000_futura_2005.php

and this one at dry 462 - http://www.speed-sports.com/motorcycles/aprilia_models/Futura1000.html

So who knows, I can't lift it onto my bathroom scale...


In any case, my bike is much bigger with lots of plastic, fairing, bags, and about 250 more cc of displacement, so I would hope a newer smaller bike would weigh a lot less than mine.

[atadaskew]

So who knows, I can't lift it onto my bathroom scale...

Sport Rider does.  They actually weighed the bike.  565lbs.

[Mephistopheles]

Sport Rider does.  They actually weighed the bike.  565lbs.

They also have both of our bikes' torque and HP specs in the wrong column, or just wrong.

I mentioned the weight issue in the first place merely to illustrate that a newer, smaller-displacement, naked bike from the same manufacturer as my own is within 50 lbs or so of a 997cc., faired, bagged bike made for two up travel.

The real question here is what is the point of your recent follow up post?  
Are you just trying to show that you have a bigger dick than mine?

I have no doubt that you are a bigger dick, since you ride both a Harley and a Ducati...

[atadaskew]

The real question here is what is the point of your recent follow up post?  
Are you just trying to show that you have a bigger dick than mine?

I have no doubt that you are a bigger dick, since you ride both a Harley and a Ducati...

Wow.  I was pointing out that Sport Rider actually measures their bike's weights and you throw insults?
Real nice piece of work.
I'm sure that everyone else on this site that rides Ducatis and Harleys also appreciates your comments.

[chornbe]

I have two Harleys. I guess I'm a double dick, then. Wait... If you'll pardon me, I have to book a flight to Nevada immediately.