Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/751305
IN THE WIND P24 MORE PERFORMANCE FOR THE APRILIA DORSODURO 900 A prilia's Dorsoduro will enlarge itself by 150cc for 2017, giving anyone who lays down their hard-earned cash a 900cc V-twin to go terrorizing Ducati Hypermotards with. Aprilia got the performance increase by increasing the stroke from 56.4mm to 67.4mm, although the bore has remained unchanged at 92mm. The com- pany claims the result is a pretty healthy 95 horsepower at 8750 rpm and 66.3 lb-ft of torque at 6500 rpm. The Dorso gets the new Marelli 7SM ECU and a new Ride-by-Wire throttle in three stages—Sport, Touring and Rain—a system that mates with the newly fitted, three-stage Aprilia Traction Control system. There's also a two-channel ABS system monitoring the Brembo four-piston radially mounted front calipers. The chassis is part steel trellis, part aluminum down the sides, with Aprilia claiming an increase in rigidity a result. Kayaba takes care of a fork that has rebound damping and preload adjustability. Interestingly, the wheels are a claimed 4.4 pounds lighter than on the 750, which should make for some good times when the roads get twisty. Priced at $10,299, this new Dorsoduro 900 should prove a solid bet for people wanting an alternative to the Hypermotard onslaught. CN You get more for your buck with the new 2017 Aprilia Dorsoduro 900. WELCOME DUCATI'S NEW MONSTER 797 D ucati's iconic Monster range has spawned a new child with the arrival of the entry-level 797. Designed from the outset to be a welcoming bike to the Ducati lifestyle, the 797 is powered by the company's 803cc L-twin—the similar power unit found in the Scrambler range—punching out a claimed 75 horsepower at 8250 rpm and 50.8 lb-ft of torque at 5750 rpm. Ducati has gone back to the Monster's original roots of an en- gine, wheels and not much else with the 797, stripping away the bodywork that's been gradually making its way onto Monsters in the last 10 years. The 797 is about as naked as it gets, with atten- tion, once again, focused on the gas tank, the design of which has become a trademark in itself and a big money earner for the brand. The chassis is of course the company's steel trellis design with a double-sided aluminum swing- arm, operating a Sachs mono- shock with preload and rebound adjustment. The front suspension consists of 43mm, un-adjustable inverted Kayaba forks. Brakes are provided by Brembo with their four-piston M4.32 calipers up front and monitored by Bosch's ABS system (although this machine doesn't get the cornering ABS system found in Ducati's higher-spec models. CN Ducati's new Monster 797 is designed for the entry-level rider.