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- 896.1 cc 90 ° V-Twin delivering 95.2 hp and 90 Nm, A2 compatible
- Discovery
- Technical
- In the saddle
- In the city
- On the highway
- On departmental
- Braking
- Duo comfort
- Consumption
- Conclusion
- The Aprilia Shiver 900 A2 video test
896.1 cc 90 ° V-Twin delivering 95.2 hp and 90 Nm, A2 compatible
It is the competition that marked the spirits when it comes to Aprilia, who has accumulated close to 54 world titles. So we think more of the RSV4. But the brand nevertheless has plenty of other models that are of more than anecdotal interest because there are real good machines, the Tuono naturally directly derived from the sports car but also the Dorsoduro, a push to crime and with a real personality or even favorites among testers like the Caponord. The Mana850 has its followers and would even be a little sought after today even if the model has been a flounder at the commercial level despite its qualities. And then there is the Shiver, first 750 when it was released in 2007 and Shiver 900 with the switch to Euro4. But above all Aprilia declines its roadster in A2 license version by making one of the largest machines in displacement and torque for A2 licenses. So what does a motorcycle castrated in A2? Comparative test of the two models during a getaway around the Loire castles.
Discovery
The Shiver is a little apart in the category, far from the Manga or neo retro versions, but with its own style. It is a good big roadster, slender, with its personality and its aesthetic details such as the false air intakes at the front or its double exhaust passing under the saddle at the rear..
Obviously, since the 750, the bike has been modernized with traction control and a disconnectable ABS please in addition to the ride by wire. We now have a TFT screen, here in 4.3 ", with all the information and more, in which it is sometimes a bit tedious to move around. Naturally everything is there, gear indicator engaged, temperature, partial double trip , clock, totalizer, average consumption, average and maximum speed … but on the other hand no fuel gauge. Everything is well finished, with no visible cable, quality plastics and this frame as well as the cylinder head painted in red.
So what are the differences between the standard version and A2? Well, on the outside, none, not even in terms of colors or tires! The dealers are indeed delivered with standard versions and upgrade them to A2 if necessary. It is roughly a question of changing the mapping, via the suitcase, an operation which takes around three quarters of an hour and invoiced around 90 euros and which does not include registration fees. By the way, a little advice from the smart biker, if you buy an A2 and want to switch it to standard, don’t rush to change the registration card! First have the dealer make the modification, then change the vehicle registration document, which will otherwise avoid paying twice, since the standard A2 changeover requires you to change the registration document anyway..
Technical
Within the trellis frame of the Shiver we find a good big 896 cm3 twin cylinder delivering 70 kW (95 hp) and 9.17 kgm (90 Nm) at 6,500 rpm. Yes, we are talking about a twin cylinder, in V at 90 ° as on the RSV4. What to give character compared to the four cylinders, a modular character according to the three modes Sport, Touring and Rain.
And a character modified in version A2 only by a modification of the injection map.
But if you want to know more about the technique of the roadster, we invite you to read the technical file dedicated to the Shiver..
In the saddle
810 mm! It could almost be a trail. It is not unaffordable but it is high. Suddenly, the pilot d1.70 will just put the end of both feet on the ground. It’s fair but it works given the overall balance of the machine. And the passenger can easily climb onto the rear footrest without knocking everyone down. A passenger will have to be a little more careful. For me who does not like to take a passenger when I am on a trail, no problem with the Shiver which is much closer to a roadster.
The hands fall naturally on the handlebars, wide and the bust tilts noticeably forward without being straight as on a trail. The position is natural and even the older ones will feel good there.
The legs then enclose the tank perfectly without any protruding angle. The mirrors finally offer a good vision and above all are easily adjusted, even when driving.
In the city
Gas ! You don’t feel the traction control kick in in the dry. It must be said that the Pirelli Angel do an excellent job and provide a comforting grip. Note also that the Shiver is shod randomly with Angels GT or ST. The ST profile gives an impression of superior precision but the rounder GT is a little more maneuverable. The 900 has a hell of a potato. Compared to the 750, we have a more stable machine on the other hand, even loaded in duo and which does not lighten the front. Obviously, the A2 is a little less lively to take its turns and suddenly seems softer, but not anemic, far from it. We have the extra torque of a 900 and the character of a twin without having the impression of castration. The job was well done and it’s a good surprise. The only thing that does not change between the two models is the turning radius with the handlebars right up to the stop. Suddenly the U-turns are a bit tedious and you have to start over several times on a departmental. On the other hand, the engine is particularly flexible, accepting to wind under 2,000 rpm on the last report, under 50 km / h. And it hardly even knocks on the go-around. We would even forget that it is a twin cylinder.
The gearbox is finally easy.
On the highway
The Shiver takes off on the highway while being only at 5,000 rpm at 130 km / h. If the A2 is not as dynamic, it even accepts to take 170 km / h (on German autobahn only). But it is not the safety which is at stake to take such illicit speeds in France, but the total absence of protection which will already make fight against the wind at 130 km / h. At these speeds and even very much above, the Shiver is a rail, even when overtaking.
On departmental
The Shiver finds with pleasure the departmental, especially since the engine resumes at all speeds and accepts a wide range of use between 2,000 and 8,000 rpm without complaining. Certainly at 2,000 rpm, we will be more in ride mode, but we can then enjoy the landscape, especially in version A2, a little to the trouble for the lyrical flights in the towers. But as long as we go down a few gears, the two models prove to be pleasant, the third gear being the preferred gear on any small road, allowing almost to stay there all the time, so the third allows you to easily lose its sound. allowed while already being at shameful speeds … and once again including in Version A2.
The Shiver A2 is not here a lung just waiting for the unclamping but a good little machine easy to handle, which one can whip with pleasure. And the good thing is that the A2 version allows you to familiarize yourself with the machine. As the power comes a little slower, more linearly, you feel comfortable without feeling like you’re riding above your pumps. Obviously, when we switch to the standard version, we discover another machine, more powerful, more playful, more able to take turns, with which we immediately imagine being able to make a little fluff with friends, so what the A2 version is closer to an old Bandit 600 under 8,000 rpm but with all its unconstrained power.
What is good is the responsiveness to the right grip even at 3,000 rpm, with much more lyrical flights from 5,000 rpm. And there are still 3,000 laps to explode the twin.
Braking
Double floating Ø 320 mm petal discs, 4-piston radial calipers, aviation hoses and Continental two-channel ABS … here it is, but it’s not just for the gallery.The feeling is excellent with enormous brake power. front to the point that in normal use on small roads, you can brake with just one finger. Only the rear brake is a vague retarder, which can be used when entering a bend, to slow down gently at a red light. It would still deserve a little more efficiency, especially since the machine is equipped with a little intrusive ABS. The two versions being equipped in the same way, the A2 does not have specific braking adjustment.
Duo comfort
If the saddle is a little hard at first glance, the damping erases the defects of the road well without compromising on handling. A short day of driving does not tire more than that, even carried out at a good pace. The passenger is a little worse off, although he has excellent grab handles that are well placed and with a good position. The angular shape of the handles on the other hand will limit their use over time. The machine inducing nervous driving then induces additional fatigue at the rear.
Consumption
The on-board computer indicated 8 liters per hundred. It is precise because the calculation at the pump during refueling gave the same measurements. It must be said that the somewhat extreme use during the test justifies these results, which should return to the consos observed during more normal use at 6 liters per hundred.
Conclusion
The question of which machine after two years in A2 now comes up every day. Well, the Shiver solves this delicate question inexpensively, being able to provide a sympathetic and dynamic machine for two years, without seeing the impression of having a lung, while being able to reveal itself for only a hundred d euros after two years. Its consensual aesthetic will not make it age too quickly like other models during this period. In short, Shiver and Shiver A2, it is almost the resolution of the squaring of the circle for a machine barely more than 8,000 euros new and therefore affordable in the big category..
Strong points
- motor flexibility
- comfort
- front braking
- the price
Weak points
- turning radius
- no fuel gauge
- rear brake
The technical sheet of the Shiver 900
Test conditions
- Itinerary: small varied roads + interurban highways with a bit of town
- Motorcycle mileage: 300 km
The Aprilia Shiver 900 A2 video test
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