Aprilia SL 750 Shiver

It is certainly no easy matter to take the lead in a class as fiercely
competitive as the medium powered naked class. A class where the battle
is not just about technology and performance, but also design, economy
of use and riding ease and pleasure, elements which are not always
compatible and are particularly demanding for designers and engineers.


Aprilia has picked up this challenge and interpreted it by applying its
own successful philosophy to a completely new design, destined to set
new standards for years to come. A bike both strongly aggressive and at
the same time clean-cut and elegant, in perfect Aprilia style. A bike
at the top of its class for its sporty personality, designed on the
basis of the know-how of a company which has to date won 250 world
championship victories.


The pride of all Aprilia bikes, refined mechanics and a top class
chassis, are once again the key to the success of the 750 V2.


The Aprilia SL 750 Shiver is the naked everyone was waiting for. A
design able to satisfy the disparate needs of those buying this type of
bike. From everyday use to a trip along mountain passes or use on the
racetrack, the Aprilia SL 750 Shiver is completely at home in any
situation, guaranteeing pure riding pleasure at all times.


Light, agile and powerful, it has a new generation engine and the most
advanced technical features in its class. The brand new 90° V2 produced
entirely in-house by Aprilia is extremely compact. Above all, thanks to
the advanced electronic management, it can deliver power comparable to
four cylinder engines in the same class, but with much more favourable
torque at low revs for an efficient and pleasing ride even on everyday
routes. True to the Aprilia tradition, the chassis simply has no rivals
in its class. The innovative mixed trellis/aluminium frame provides
standard setting rigidity. All this makes the bike extremely compact,
perfect even for the beginner.


With a dry weight of just 189 kg, the lightness of the Aprilia SL 750
Shiver also satisfies the most canny motorcyclist, thanks to its
manoeuvrability and engine performance a bike able to accompany its
owner from his first few metres on two wheels up to his complete
motorcycling maturity.

The main characteristics of the Aprilia 750 are:

90° V2 engine with four valve cylinder head, double overhead camshaft and liquid cooling.
Ride by Wire technology for electronic control of the throttle bodies;
Electronic fuel injection with latest generation injectors;
Mixed gear and chain valve timing;
Three way catalytic converter on the exhaust, Euro 3 compliant
Dismountable trellis/aluminium frame for high torsional rigidity;
Aluminium swingarm with reinforcement truss and lateral shock absorber;
43 mm upside down fork;
Racing brakes with radial caliper at front;

THE DESIGN: SHAPE AT THE SERVICE OF POWER


As with every Aprilia product, the SL 750 Shiver has a highly
innovative design where form and function come together to create an
almost perfect object. The Aprilia SL 750 Shiver is pure technology and
this is evident in its sharp, sporty lines.


The frame and engine are the foundations of the design and are also,
rightly, the main elements characterising the look of the SL 750
Shiver. Each element has been designed to be not just beautiful but
also functional. The design is refined, but at the same time clean-cut,
without too many frills for the maximum possible functionality. The
Aprilia SL 750 Shiver exhaust is also a very distinctive design
element. On the Aprilia SL 750 Shiver, the technical component becomes
a design element at the same time, creating a bike both aggressive and
at the same time elegant.


The tank-seat-tail assembly further emphasises the compactness of the
bike. The rider becomes one with the machine, perfectly integrated in
the short, agile, slim bike. This helps establish an immediate feeling
between the rider and the bike, making everyone feel as if they have
always been riding it. The strongly tapering tail also incorporates the
twin exhaust with triangular silencers, a feature which makes the
design even more aggressive, while keeping weight distribution highly
symmetrical.


The Aprilia SL 750 Shiver is compact, functional and attractive. The
adoption of a side shock absorber not just adds a further distinctive
feature to the look of the bike, but also enables the length of the
bike.

THE V90 ENGINE: TECHNOLOGY IN THE PURE STATE


The V90 engine inherits all Aprilia's experience in high performance
mechanics. Endless hours of bench and road tests have produced a
genuine masterpiece of mechanical engineering, capable not just of high
performance, but also complete reliability. Thanks to its particular
technical characteristics, the Aprilia V90 combines high specific power
with maximum usability and easy riding.


A generous heart, destined to set new performance and technology
standards for medium powered bikes. The engine has been designed by the
Aprilia Research and Development department which set out to create a
powerful and reliable engine requiring very limited maintenance.


The quest for performance at the top of its class led to the adoption
of a number of advanced and innovative technical features:

90° V structure;
Ride by Wire technology;
Bore and stroke ratio markedly supersquare;
Four valves per cylinder;
Ignition with two plugs per cylinder;
Double overhead camshaft, controlled by a mixed chain and gear system;
Electronic fuel injection with two throttle bodies;
Three way catalytic converter and lambda probe oxygen sensor (Euro 3 compliant).

For
this type of bike, the 90° V arrangement of the cylinders was found to
be the best solution in terms of performance and size. With
consistently generous torque available across a wide range of revs and
negligible vibrations, the Aprilia V2 750 is full and powerful at the
top of its class.


The timing deserves special mention. Motion is transmitted to the four
valves per cylinder and double camshaft by a mixed gear/chain system.
This technical application, already adopted by Aprilia in the V60
mounted on the RSV 1000 R, enables the size of the engine to be kept
down, while guaranteeing more precise and reliable timing. The chain is
shorter, for less overall stress and a longer working life; this makes
the engine shorter.


The latest generation injection system uses fine atomising injectors.
This, together with the ignition with two spark plugs per cylinder,
ensures optimum combustion for an engine which is not just more
powerful, but also cleaner.


The sophisticated electronic management makes the Aprilia SL 750 Shiver
a new benchmark for nakeds. In the Aprilia SL 750 Shiver, Ride by Wire
technology becomes part of the standard equipment of a naked bike for
the first time in the history of motorcycling. The electronic
accelerator management optimises opening of the throttle bodies
according to numerous parameters, including engine speed, gear selected
and position of the throttle. The engine is therefore always able to
offer optimum performance in acceleration and the lowest possible
consumption for a still more fluid and profitable ride. This innovative
solution guarantees even fuller and more regular output at low and
medium speeds, optimising running of the engine, even with the choke.


Thanks to the technology used, the Aprilia V90 manages to deliver
exceptionally high power for the engine configuration. 95 HP at 9000
revs and maximum torque of 81 Nm at 7000 revs are excellent for a twin
of this capacity. The high torque available even at low speeds makes
the Aprilia SL 750 Shiver incomparable to ride on mixed routes.


A latest generation engine management unit controls all engine
parameters. All data passes through a CAN (Controlled Area Network)
line to the instrument panel, which also acts as a diagnostic terminal.
The CAN line uses just two wires to transmit all data. This simplifies
the electrical system enormously as well as reducing the total weight
of the bike.


The exhaust is made entirely from stainless steel. The manifolds come
together under the seat in a single silencer with twin tail pipes. The
large volume (10 litres) contributes to perfect engine breathing for
excellent efficiency.

THE FRAME: RATIONALITY AND EFFICIENCY

Experts
have always acknowledged that Aprilia bikes have the best chassis in
their class. The Aprilia SL 750 Shiver is concrete confirmation that
once again Aprilia has managed to create a chassis which is both
extremely easy and intuitive and incredibly high performance. The frame
exploits all the knowledge Aprilia has gained in racing and also draws
on new studies on mixed structures with the futuristic RXV and SXV,
already winners of a number of titles during their debut on the
racetrack. The top part of the tubular steel trellis is connected to
large side plates by means of special high strength bolts. This creates
an extremely rigid lightweight frame, the best solution to harness all
the horsepower of the Aprilia V90.


Creation of an Aprilia bike always involves synergy between chassis and
engine engineers. The fundamental design choices for the V90 engine led
to construction of a highly rational and efficient frame. The reduced
longitudinal dimensions of the engine made it possible to design a
short, agile bike, helped by the particular side positioning of the
shock absorber, not a simple cosmetic mannerism, but a precise
technical decision which created valuable space for the exhaust
manifolds whose shape and size have been calibrated perfectly to ensure
maximum engine efficiency. This enabled the optimum exhaust manifold
configuration to be obtained, without too heavily affecting the length
of the bike and without exposing the shock absorber, a fundamental
element for the ride, to heat stress.


The aluminium swingarm with reinforcement truss has been sized
specifically to support the asymmetrical stresses caused by lateral
positioning of the shock absorber. The rigidity of the swingarm sets
new standards for the class.

SUSPENSION

Optimum
definition of the suspension is an obsession for Aprilia designers.
Even such a "simple" bike as a naked must have the best possible
available. The Aprilia SL 750 Shiver therefore stands out from the pack
in this delicate area as well.


The 43 mm upside down fork with forged feet to support the radial
calipers provides benchmark smoothness. The 120 mm wheel travel makes
the bike equally at home on about town trips and mountain routes. The
bottom steering yoke is made from forged aluminium, the top steering
yoke from forged anodised aluminium.


The side shock absorber rests directly on the swingarm, according to
the cantilever principle, and provides adjustments for spring preload
and hydraulic rebound. Rear wheel travel is 130 mm.

THE BRAKES


The best technology currently available is incorporated in the Aprilia
SL 750 Shiver, the first medium powered naked with a radial caliper
system, a feature emphasising even further (as if it were needed) the
sporty personality of the design. The 320 mm front disks are the same
as used in the racing flagships, the RSV 1000 and Tuono 1000 R.

At the back, a 245 mm disk with twin piston caliper provides adequate backup for the front circuit.


The front and rear braking circuits both use aeronautical metal braid
hoses to eliminate the pressure variations associated with conventional
rubber brake lines, guaranteeing maximum braking precision for a top
level system.

COMPONENTS


The Matrix instrument panel: the combined digital and analog instrument
panel receives all the data over a CAN line and acts as an integral
part of the self-diagnostics system as it also has a memory. The design
is extremely modern, compact and lightweight. All functions can be
switched by means of the handlebar control. The LED backlighting can be
adjusted to three levels: white in the analogue zone and red in the
digital zone.


The biconical aluminium handlebars are a direct reference to the
handlebars of the Tuono, Aprilia's naked flagship. Maximum lightness
and maximum control. A top quality component no other bike in its class
can boast.

The double parabola front light has complex surfaces and a double parking light.

Technical Specifications

APRILIA SL 750 Shiver

Engine
Type: Aprilia V90 Four
stroke longitudinal 90° V twin. Liquid cooling. Double overhead
camshaft with mixed gear/chain drive; four valves per cylinder.
Fuel: Unleaded petrol.
Bore x stroke: 92 x 56.4 mm
Total displacement: 749.9 cc
Compression ratio: 11 : 1
Maximum power at the crank: 95 HP at 9000 rpm.
Maximum torque at the crank: 8.25 kgm at 7000 rpm.

Fuel system: Integrated engine management system. Injection with Ride
by Wire technology control of the throttle bodies
Ignition: Digital electronic, integrated with the injection, two spark plugs per cylinder
Starting: Electric
Exhaust: Two in one system in 100% stainless steel with three-way catalytic converter and Lambda probe
Generator: 450 W at 6000 rpm.
Lubrication: Wet sump
Gearbox: six speed
Transmission Ratio:
1° 36/14 (2.57)
2° 32/17 (1.88)
3° 30/20 (1.5)
4° 28/22 (1.27)
5° 23/26 (0.88)
6° 24/25 (0.96)
Clutch: Multi-plate in oil bath, cable operated.
Primary drive: Spur gears, transmission ratio: 60/31 (1.75)
Final drive: Chain
Transmission ratio: 16/44

Chassis

Frame: Dismountable steel trellis connected with high strength bolts to
aluminium side plates. Dismountable rear frame.
Front suspension: 43 mm upside-down fork. 120 mm wheel travel.

Rear suspension: Aluminium alloy swingarm with reinforcement truss.
Hydraulic shock absorber adjustable in spring preload and rebound
damping. Wheel travel: 130 mm.
Brakes

Front: Double stainless steel floating disc (Ø 320 mm ). Four piston
radial calipers. Metal braided brake line.
Rear: Steel disk ( 245 mm) with twin piston caliper. Metal braided brake line.
Wheels: In aluminium alloy
Front: 3.50 X 17" Rear: 6.00 X 17"
Tyres: Radial tubeless;
front: 120/70 ZR 17
rear: 180/55 ZR 17

Dimensions
Overall length 2066 mm
Overall width: 815 mm (at handlebars)
Overall height: 1132 mm
Seat height: 810 mm
Wheelbase: 1449 mm
Trail: 109 mm
Rake angle: 25.7°
Dry weight: 189 kg
Tank capacity: 15 lt