Price Motorcycle Aprilia Shiver 750

Aprilia Shiver 750 Design

A chance meeting a couple years after the first encounter reveals the sidekick girl dresses sexier now, has slimmed down some and is more fun than you initially gave her credit for. And you’re grateful she’s given you another chance. That’s the context in which I’ve put the Aprilia Shiver 750.

When first I rode the SL750 two years ago I liked it enough, I guess. I couldn’t deny the Shiver’s friendly rider ergos or its array of technology, like three-mode rider-selectable engine mapping and throttle-by-wire. Yet, however practical the Shiver was, it simply didn’t turn me on.

Though the latest SL750 hasn’t received sweeping changes from the 2008/09 versions, the few changes it has are largely a result of Shiver customer input, according to Aprilia.

A narrower saddle, a new flyscreen, lower handlebars and rear-set foot controls are meant to impart a sportier feeling bike, while wave brake rotors, a narrower (5.5” vs. 6.0”) rear wheel and updated fuel mapping round out the technical upgrades.

Aprilia Shiver 750 Engine

I’d like to tell you the adjustments to the ergos serve as a vast improvement from what the first iteration of the Shiver offered, but the truth is I didn’t find the old dimensions a problem and so can’t say definitively the changes are of huge benefit. What is a nice addition is the new color-matched flyscreen.

Though it doesn’t wrap the rider in a cocoon of still air, it nevertheless helps reduce some windblast compared to the old bike. In fairness, the fully naked Shiver of yore (okay, just one model year ago) did at least a decent job of deflecting wind via the headlight’s shape.

Maybe I simply didn’t spend enough time with Shiver 1.0, but after I pulled my first wheelie on the ’11 model I had to wonder what I missed the first time. How could I forget such a fun, grunty, ferocious 750cc V-Twin?

Raising the Shiver’s fork tubes to two lines showing above the triple clamp (stock shows no lines), and adjusting shock spring preload so that 27.5mm of threads show (stock is 9.7) followed by 8 clicks of rebound (from fully closed) instead of the stock setting of 11 is the ticket to even better steering response and overall handling.

Rear tire size of 180/55-17 remains from the first generation Shiver, but the 0.5-inch narrower rear wheel on the new Shiver creates improved triangulation in the tire’s profile, matching better with the front tire’s profile and is the key factor in the new Shiver’s improved steering and handling qualities.

The chassis does an excellent job of generating easy, linear steering while keeping this Italian machine tracking predictably through turns. A set of grippy Pirelli Diablo Corsa III tires keep it all glued to the asphalt.

Although it wasn’t a complete makeover, the Shiver received some useful treatments for 2010/11. But what’s stayed the same between the first Shiver and latest and greatest Shiver is its MSRP of $8999.