Husqvarna, Ducati and Aprilia Supermotos in the test

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Comparison test: Funbikes, Aprilia SMV 750 Dorsoduro, Ducati Hypermotard 1100 Evo, Husqvarna Nuda 900

Supermoto – fun bikes from Husqvarna, Ducati and Aprilia

What is actually more fun: having to drive an all too fast motorcycle slowly or to be able to move a slow one quickly? Here are three not slow jokers from Husqvarna, Ducati and Aprilia, which can be moved quickly.

If I had a pass at my door …
…then there would be no straight-ahead power cruiser in my garage, not even an overpowered hyper sports car. Then I would look around for motorcycles that combine manageable performance with easy handling, on which you can sit comfortably, on which the driver’s license is not constantly in danger, which I can really squeeze out of bends without a guilty conscience.

So maybe a kind of fun bike in the literal sense for a pleasurable ride on Sundays and sunny days. And of course it should be a motorcycle with a great V2 sound, with sharp Italian style and relaxed ergonomics. Just a machine that you can give the edge to, without permanently living in stress yourself, but which on the other hand does not constantly drive you into a frenzy.

Even without using a profiler, you will quickly find a candidate who fits into the grid: Husqvarna‘s new street twin NOTuda 900, for example, would correspond almost exactly to this profile. With his 105 little motorized horses certainly not too weak, but also not so violent. At 198 kilograms, it’s not too narrow-chested, but it’s not too cumbersome either. And in terms of ergonomics, not an extremist like a super sports car, but a machine with an overview of the game with an upright, yet active seating position. And of course with a sharp Italian outfit and the unrhythmic sound with which only a V2 can inspire.

Comparison test: fun bikes

Supermoto – fun bikes from Husqvarna, Ducati and Aprilia

Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200. However, these two are more likely to oppose the more expensive Nuda R.

When looking for opponents for the basic Nuda, let’s first go one level lower in terms of performance: Two Italian fun bikes come into focus, namely the Ducati 1100 Evo, at 11,750 euros significantly more expensive than the Nuda, but with 91 hp a little weaker. And the Aprilia SMV 750 Dorsoduro, which is priced in the Husky league for around 9,900 euros (including ABS), but is nominally just as strong as the Duc with 91 hp. Without a doubt, two equally fun-promising toys with a similar character orientation, interesting sparring partners for the Nuda.

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Now cast off – the playfully controllable Husky sets the tone in the inevitable wheelie contest.

So three times great V2 sound, wrapped in hot Italian design, but with a different interpretation of the topic. First of all, there is the displacement between 750 and 1100 cubic meters. More displacement usually means more power, but above all more torque.

The Nuda can offer quite a bit of this, and in relation to its displacement it can even offer an enormous amount. Already just above idle speed, the puffed-up BMW offspring shoots energetically, then pulls ahead with increasing thrust from 3000 revs, puts another step up in the middle and doesn’t give up at the top just in front of the limiter at 9000 revs. An extremely powerful motor with an enormous span that combines torque and speed in a convincing way. And a machine for every kind of pace, whether at the lowest revs, casually twitching or giving everything just before the limiter. Whether pulling through, acceleration or top speed, the pseudo-V-Twin drives the Husky to the best values ​​in this comparison in all measurements. An optimal gear ratio helps, the Husky runs into the limit exactly at top speed 225 km / h.

In contrast to this broadband engine, the air-vented Ducati two-valve engine is a middle engine. In the engine speed cellar below 3000 revs, where the smaller Husky drive train starts very softly and pushes hard, the 1100 two-valve engine still unwillingly whips the chain, runs hard and rumbling. In any case, it cannot exploit its displacement advantage there.

The of the Ducati-V2 then comes between 4500 and 7000 revolutions, where it develops a lot of flavor accompanied by pleasant vibrations and a muffled sound.

However, it cannot really outperform the smaller, technically more modern Husky-Twin. In any case, not in terms of peak performance, in terms of torque it is only slightly ahead in a very narrow range. In practice, this means: turning down to stick with the Husky is definitely the wrong strategy, it’s better to shift early and more in order to use the mountain of torque. The torque values ​​determined in the last gear also spoil the long final gear ratio, so the Ducati can only keep the 750 Aprilia at bay with great difficulty.

In return, the Duc visually has something to offer that others don’t. Pretty cooling fins, for example, no hoses running across the picture, instead a tidy, clear design: The Hypermotard has always been something for aesthetes and connoisseurs. This also applies to the sound, a Ducati of course always has a lot to offer in terms of sound. Under load, however, the voluminous husky with its explosiveness is also a feast for the ears. But this inimitable babbling in push mode, only a Ducati delivers. In contrast, the equally pleasant Aprilia V2 remains in the background.

On the other hand, the Dorsoduro can keep up quite well on the road. It just has to be kneaded with dedication if the colleagues step up the pace in between. The only thing that helps with her is the classic recipe for gas patients: turn until the doctor comes. In such situations it is best to use the speed limiter as a switching signal. Only then does the 750 deliver enough thrust to keep up with the larger machines. But let’s talk about sporty driving at the limit, in everyday use the water-cooled V-Twin convinces with its completely linear torque curve, there is not the slightest dent. Such an exemplary curve actually only has one disadvantage: Often it is only the rise following a slack that makes an engine appear subjectively more sparkling.

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Duacti Hypermotard 1100 Evo.

The throttle response, which has been a serious criticism of some Aprilia models in the past, can convince with the small Dorsoduro, even if the load changes are not quite as creamy as with the Husky, who is wonderfully attached to the gas. And in one point the Dorsoduro is definitely ahead: your V2 vibrates the least. 

So much for power. But what about the trivialities of everyday life, such bland things as range or equipment? All three have small tanks, after all they are more short-distance sprinters than endurance runners. In comparison, the Aprilia driver is always the first to need fuel. After a good hundred kilometers, the reserve indicator often flickers in the cockpit. Whoever ignores them has to push. What happened to the test trio, thank God, shortly after a pass. The Aprilia then rolled seven kilometers downhill almost to the gas pump. Only 12 liters fit in the dust-dry tank.

When the Aprilia rolled out dry, the reserve lights on Husky and Duc were lit up. The two of them hardly have any more tank capacity either, but they can make progress because they are more economical with fuel. 4.5 liters / 100 km run through the fuel lines at a restrained pace, 5.2 with the Aprilia. With a brisk driving style, however, the difference can grow to over a liter per 100 kilometers.

Consumption is certainly not the central issue for pleasure-seeking drivers, but ergonomics is. After all, such fun bikes live from the casual, upright posture of their on-board crew. What is comfortable, what fits and what is convenient is certainly subjectively and individually different, but testers of various stature felt in excellent hands with the Husky. Although the seat height is not exactly low, tester Georg, 1.72 meters tall, got along very well with it. The wonderfully slim waist has only one small disadvantage: The actually not uncomfortable, but narrow bench in connection with the slightly cranked handlebar can become a little uncomfortable after a whole day in the saddle. The Husky is not a travel enduro, but a fun device for the active pilot. 

The Hypermotard polarized significantly more within the test team. Unlike the SP, Ducati did not raise the front of the basic Evo, and the handlebars remained flat as in the previous model. Therefore, taller riders feel quite cramped in the saddle of the Duc, the machine looks short, low at the front, the handlebars are cranked too much. You have to get used to it.

The Aprilia initially gives little cause for discussion in this regard. Which is to be understood positively, because everything fits right away. Sure, the heavily cranked handlebar ends aim more at comfort for touring than they do to encourage sporty driving. Comments that tend to be a matter of taste. But what doesn’t work at all: the alibi belt for the pillion passenger, which runs exactly under the driver’s seat and burrows itself permanently in the bottom. It’s frustrating. The best thing to do is simply unscrew the belt. Because who drives such solo entertainers for two? Dresser seating for passengers is not offered by any of the three test candidates.

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The Aprilia SMV 750 Dorsoduro.

It is definitely worthwhile to go into more detail about ergonomics. Especially in this type of vehicle, where easy going has a lot to do with easy sitting. Ease of control is the declared aim of such fun bikes. Motorcycles that do not have high demands, that even less experienced pilots have a firm grip on and that encourages experienced drifters to play nice games on the asphalt.

Nuda manages this balancing act to the full. Whether you’re a professional or a beginner: feel good, drive off, have fun. The Husky can be easily maneuvered through the winding combinations of curves, precisely and willingly following the driver’s instructions. Life can be so easy when no one is rushing you. However, if you pull the cable a little more vigorously, the Nuda reacts a little stubbornly, requires a lot of physical effort and a vigorous pull on the handlebars with a committed driving style to fold from one lean angle to the other.

Exactly the other way around is the case with the Ducati. At first, the Hypermotard seems a little disoriented in the choice of lines, but requires more attention and concentration when steering. Willingness to get used to – and can. Only gradually does one understand how the Hypermotard wants to be treated. One thing is clear: she needs the whip. Anyone who accelerates the pace will at some point feel how things are slipping better and better. With sporty dynamics, the Duc is clearly the handiest machine in this trio.

Good-natured and predictable – those would be the right attributes for the Aprilia. The Dorsoduro behaves rather inconspicuously under all conditions. Which is meant positively. She always stays on course in the bends, she certainly needs a clear message on the handlebars here and there, but always behaves in an extremely cooperative manner. At a committed pace, however, it cannot completely hide the fact that the smallest in this comparison is the hardest.

Adjustable spring elements for individual coordination in their price category are by no means self-evident. In the basic set-up, the small Dorsoduro is trimmed more for comfort than for sport, certainly the right choice for everyday use. On bumpy ground, the suspension should respond a little more finely and offer a little more progression.

The Husky chassis also has its struggle with rugged road surfaces. The Nuda rattles over the grooves, especially in an inclined position, and it hardly passes on individual bumps in a filtered manner. The Ducati masters such extremes better. When the conditions are difficult or the speed is high, the high-quality and adjustable spring elements show their qualities. One fly in the ointment, however, is the Hypermotard’s tendency to hit the handlebars on hopping slopes. There you shouldn’t pull too hard on the cable, otherwise the handlebars will be knocked out of your hand.

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Husqvarna Nuda 900.

In contrast to the chassis, there are no major differences in terms of brakes. All three rely on largely identical Brembo hardware, which combines enormous delay with moderate manual force with transparent feedback and fine controllability. If you sit on the Nuda or Hypermotard, you can also let it slide into the curves with fine black lines. Ducati has significantly defused the braking system on the Evo, the dreaded biting use in earlier models, which helped many Hypermotard to rough ground contact, is no longer an issue. With the Aprilia, the optional ABS prevents the lateral drifting, but of course it brings more safety on dubious terrain. In normal, even sporty use, the ABS remains inconspicuous, as it regulates extremely late and the detour via the pressure modulator does not dilute the feedback. The Duc driver does not have the ABS option, at Husqvarna an ABS will probably be available at the end of 2012.

So three wonderful toys for fun on the pass. If only the road traffic authority would finally have some understanding and instead of endless straights put a winding strip of asphalt in front of my front door …
… then one of these three jokers would be in my garage – no matter which one.

MOTORCYCLE scoring / test result

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Looks like a row twin, but is actually more of a V2: The crank pin offset brings the sound and feeling of a 45-degree Vaus. The crisp, jagged styling conceals that most of the technology comes from the BMW F 800 modular system.

engine
Power, smooth running, characteristics: the Husky motor can clearly set itself apart with great driving performance and superior characteristics. The Ducati Desmo-V2, on the other hand, is a charming predator that clearly lags behind in terms of speed. The small Aprilia-Twin fights bravely against the larger-capacity competitors, ending up even before the Duc. 
Winner engine: Husqvarna

landing gear
Sporty orientation, high-quality components: this chapter wins the Hypermotard wafer-thin for itself. In terms of stability, all three are conceptually not outstanding. The ratings for handiness and steering behavior only imperfectly express that such vehicles are undemanding and easy to control.
Chassis winner: Ducati

everyday life
There is still a lot to be done here: The fun bikes are not completely convincing in everyday life. Luggage and pillion can only be accommodated inadequately. The light of all three by no means turns night into day. The folding mirrors of the Hypermotard are not the last word either. And the Aprilia is a welcome, because it is frequent, guest at the gas station.
Winner everyday: Husqvarna

security
It will be difficult without ABS: Aprilia wins here thanks to the optional ABS. Otherwise, all three have excellent braking systems. The Ducati in particular sometimes kicks the handlebars heavily.
Safety winner: Aprilia

costs
There are always miracles: Ducati is now top in terms of inspection costs, the Aprilia needs the most fuel.
Winner cost: Ducati

Price-performance
Test winner on points, acceptable price: In this trio, the Husky offers the most for the money – just no ABS
Price-performance winner: Husqvarna

Test result

1. Husqvarna Nuda 900
The engine, which outshines everything and also has a lot to offer acoustically, ensures test victory. The chassis does not have any serious weaknesses either, the suitability for everyday use is still expandable.

2nd April SMV 750 Dorsoduro 
Not a perfect fun bike, but definitely an all-round successful fun bike that competes bravely against the larger machines and is the only one to offer an ABS. The solid workmanship and extensive equipment are not a matter of course in this price category.

3. Ducati Hypermotard 1100 Evo
Just under third in a tight field, that’s definitely not a big deal. The sporty chassis is the strength of the Duc, the seating position is rather selective. The rough engine has charm. Anyone who likes fine rib will not find any alternatives anyway

Technical specifications

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Pampered by the wind: if you want air and don’t like water, there is no alternative to the cleanly ribbed Ducati two-valve engine. With its tubular space frame and single-sided swing arm, the red Renner appeals particularly to aesthetes.

Aprilia SMV 750 Dorsoduro Ducati Hypermotard 1100 Evo Husqvarna Nuda 900
engine
type design Two cylinder four stroke 90 degree V engine Two cylinder four stroke 90 degree V engine Two-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine
injection Ø 52 mm Ø 45 mm Ø 46 mm
coupling Multi-disc oil bath clutch  Multi-disc dry clutch  Multi-disc oil bath clutch 
Boron x stroke 92.0 x 56.4 mm 98.0 x 71.5 mm 84.0 x 81.0 mm
Displacement 750 cm3 1079 cm3 898 cm3
compression 10.9: 1 11.3: 1 13.0: 1
power 67.0 kW (91 hp) at 8750 rpm 67.0 kW (91 hp) at 7500 rpm 77.0 kW (105 PS) at 8500 rpm
Torque 82 Nm at 4500 rpm 105 Nm at 5750 rpm 98 Nm at 7000 rpm
landing gear
frame Steel tubular frame with screwed cast aluminum parts Steel tubular frame, engine is load-bearing  Steel tubular frame, engine is load-bearing 
fork Upside-down fork, Ø 43 mm Upside-down fork, Ø 50 mm Upside-down fork, Ø 48 mm
Brakes v / h Ø 320 mm / Ø 240 mm Ø 305 mm / Ø 245 mm Ø 320 mm / Ø 265 mm
Systems assistance SECTION – –
bikes 3.50 x 17; 6.00 x 17 3.50 x 17; 5.50 x 17 3.50 x 17; 5.50 x 17
tires 120/70 ZR 17, 180/55 ZR 17 120/70 ZR 17,180 / 55 ZR 17 120/70 ZR 17,180 / 55 ZR 17
Tires Pirelli Diablo Corsa III Pirelli Diablo Rosso Metzeler Sportec M5
mass and weight
wheelbase 1505 mm  1465 mm  1495 mm 
Steering head angle 66.1 degrees 66.0 degrees 65.5 degrees
trailing 108 mm 100 mm 101 mm
Suspension travel v / h 160/160 mm 195/156 mm 210/180 mm
Seat height * 880 mm 900 mm 885 mm
Weight with full tank * 218 kg 194 kg 198 kg
Payload * 182 kg 196 kg 193 kg
Tank capacity / reserve 12.0 / – liters 12.4 / – liters 13.0 / 3.0 liters
Service intervals  10,000 km 12,000 km 10000km
price 9,899 euros 11,750 euros 9,990 euros
Additional costs 287 euros 305 euros 300 Euro
MOTORCYCLE readings
Top speed ** 200 km / h 220 km / h 225 km / h
acceleration
0-100 km / h 3.9 sec 3.6 sec 3.3 sec
0-140 km / h 7.1 sec 6.2 sec 5.5 sec
0-200 km / h – 17.6 sec 12.6 sec
Draft
60-100 km / h 4.5 sec 5.2 sec 3.7 sec
100-140 km / h 5.0 sec 4.7 sec 4.1 sec
140-180 km / h 7.1 sec 6.6 sec 4.8 sec
consumption
Consumption highway 5.2 liters / super 4.5 liters / super 4.5 liters / super
Reach country road 231 km 276 km 289 km

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