2008 Aprilia Shiver 750 Review

A fun, entertaining ride that's marred by a subpar gearbox.

It may look like a raw, snarling streetfighter thanks to its sharp angles, but the 2008 Aprilia Shiver 750 can take on any of three personas, thanks to its ride-by-wire electronic throttle. Default is 'Sport' mode, which delivers an impressively crisp throttle response that's sensitive and accurate. 'Tour' mode is slightly more sedate, while 'Rain' is downright anemic- and all settings are displayed on a digital dash, which also conveys ambient temperature, fuel consumption, average speed, and more.

But 'Sport' is where it's at- unless you're in a downpour and intent on keeping the shiny side up- and the V-twin engine, which produces 95 crank horsepower, creates loads of thrust, making you thankful that the saddle is cupped, holding you snugly in place under hard acceleration. The handling/ride quality quotient is nicely balanced, thanks to its 43mm inverted fork and hydraulic rear shock with spring preload and rebound damping, which is mounted to an attractive aluminum swingarm. Brakes offer great feel and strong stops, and the 2-1 stainless underseat exhaust sounds awesome, but the this bike's Achilles' heel can, ironically, be found at left foot: the shifter. The lever action never feels very crisp, and I hit false neutrals several times, which can be disconcerting during spirited rides.

Don't get me wrong: the Shiver is nimble, powerful, and fun to ride, and perhaps it's because it does those things so well that its unsmooth shifter is especially disappointing. If you can overlook that weak link, Aprilia's Shiver should satisfy your craving for a middlweight naked bike that looks like no other, rides with a pleasing balance of sportiness and comfort, and does it all for the relatively reasonable price of $9,000.

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