In case you were thinking about getting a new big-bore supermoto machine, you'd better cross the Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200 off your list. The model won't make it to the market this year, as Aprilia ditched it due to extremely poor sales.
This means that, if you find one forgotten in the stocks of Aprilia dealers and feel like going for it, then don't hesitate. The house of Noale eliminated it from the new models catalog, and rumor has it that the middleweight Dorsoduro 750 may share its fate in the not-that-distant future.
The Dorsoduro 1200 belongs to a rather strange motorcycle segment that evolved from the light, small-displacement supermotards, and which got caught in the "displacement wars." It was not the sole bike to bring together rather hefty weight and plenty of power; KTM's 950cc and 990cc supermotards were pretty much the same affair.
Still, it looks like we are living the very twilight of the age of big-bore supermoto machines. In Aprilia's case, the rather thirsty engine might be one of the reasons that led to poor sales. With people reporting poor fuel economy with 10 liters/100 km (28 mpg) in average figures, it's rather easy to understand that the Dorsoduro 1200 was not exactly cheap to run if used as an everyday bike. Likewise, its 15-liter (4 US gal) tank was not the funniest part of long two-wheeled trips.
On the tech side, the specs of the Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200 look neat, with the 1,197cc liquid-cooled v-twin producing 131 PS at 8,700 rpm and delivering a peak torque of 115 Nm (84.7 lb-ft) at 7,200 revs per minute.
The Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200 has a 6-speed transmission, ride-by-wire, three mappings (S-Sport, T-Touring, R-Rain), switchable 3-way traction control, ABS, and sporty suspensions supplied by Sachs. The 223 kg (492 lb) weight (ready to roll) was not exactly on the sport side of things, but never felt like a burden with a bold rider at the helm.
No word on what's next in Noale's supermoto segment, if there will be one left.
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