Aprilia Dorsoduro 750A motorcyclist living within the concrete urban confines faces a unique set of challenges. Narrow streets and hordes of traffic going in each direction necessitate the use of a small motorcycle to easily slice in and out of traffic. However, given the saturation of stoplights at every corner you’ll need a machine that not only has some serious intersection escaping power, but solid stopping force when you inevitably reach the next red light. Then there’s the matter of flair. After all, being in-style has its place within the modern rider’s way of life. Thus, your street bike not only has to perform well, but look cool too. I mean, that’s why you ride a motorbike in the first place – to have fun and look cool, right? As such, welcome our challengers in this urban Supermoto motorcycle comparison: the Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 and the KTM 690 Duke.
The Dorsoduro represents an all-new entry for the 2009 US model year from the Italian motorcycle manufacturer Aprilia. Although it is based off the Shiver 750 (which it shares its unique hybrid steel/aluminum frame and liquid-cooled 750cc V-Twin engine), it utilizes different longer travel suspension pieces, higher-spec brake components and radical Supermoto-inspired styling, which equates to a substantially different motorcycle.
Like the Aprilia, KTM’s 690 Duke is also an imaginative motorcycle that shares a few element s from other road-going KTM bikes, including its 654cc single-cylinder engine, which, like the Aprilia features a 4-valve cylinder head and liquid-cooling. It’s hung within a chromium-molybdenum trellis frame, featuring racetrack-spec suspension bits and forceful braking set-up. Opposite the Dorsoduro, though, its ergonomic theme is pure Supermoto: narrow seat, slim dimensions and dirt bike-style handlebars.
KTM 690 Duke
The KTM 690 Duke goes head-to-head against the Aprilia Dorsoduro 750. Will it have what it takes to win in this comparison? Click to the next page.
To discover how these bikes measure up, we spent a few hundred miles in the saddle jetting around town, racing down the freeway and carving across our favorite backroads. We even brought them out to the closed confines of Grange Motor Circuit to see how they fare blasting around the racetrack. So flick your cursor over to the next page and let’s examine each bike in detail.
How’s your opinion about this?
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