Aprilia and Moto Guzzi open day

It's a cold and blustery Tuesday morning in an outer suburb of Melbourne; the birds have stopped chirruping and the only sound is that of the garbage truck hoicking bins into its trash-filled belly.

But wait, what's that? It sounds like one -- make that three or four -- Italian V-twins powering up. Yep, definitely Italian motorcycles.

The Bikesales Network was recently invited to attend a special ride day, testing a handful of Moto Guzzis and Aprilias thanks to the Aussie importer, John Sample Automotive. And although the weather looked a bit grim, spirits were high.

I started out the day on the Aprilia Shiver, drawn to its tough streetbike looks and liquid-cooled V-twin engine. With a design that puts many Japanese nakeds to shame – the frame, the 'zorsts, the curious rear suspension rig – the Shiver is instantly recognisable as an Italian motorcycle, doubly so when you crank up the 750cc mill.

It's a fairly tall bike (not as tall as its twin, the supermoto-based Dorsoduro) to throw your leg over and with four-valves-per-cylinder and a serious exhaust system it comes to life with a fair rumble, one that rises into to an impressively angry bark above 5000rpm.

In traffic I found the ride-by-wire throttle control and electronic injection of the Shiver a bit snatchy, but after a few full throttle blasts the bike really came to life, especially when we hit the Black Spur and started barrelling through the corners.

The bike handles well through corners, tracking nicely and providing solid feedback and the engine is hugely satisfying. It's a perfect size to suit a range of different riding duties and the floating four-pot front brakes deliver good bite, allowing you to push deep into corners.

However when I jumped on the Dorsoduro, I really began to appreciate what Aprilia has achieved with these sub $14K lookers.

The way the Dorsoduro changes directions through esses and switchbacks is surprisingly fast and fluid, which is a neat trick when you consider the bike's lardy dry weight of 189kg.

Punch from both the Aprilia's 750cc V-twins is impressive, with enough gas to loft the front wheel in first gear should you be feeling frivolous. Power feels inconsistent low down, but there's enough mid-range torque to squirt out of corners and keep up with faster bikes, and if you keep them on the boil the Aprilia Shiver and Dorsoduro can hit some tasty triple-digit speeds.

After roaring through the winding roads and pristine environs of the Black Spur on the Aprilias, it was time for a change and Moto Guzzi's Bellagio beckoned.

This classically styled cruiser is a real surprise and, though the V-twin engine isn't the most inspired of powerplants, the chassis is good: this thing can actually corner. Shock horror!

The Bellagio 940 Custom has a nicely sized 180/55 R17 rear tyre with a sporty curve and, together with a low centre of gravity, it can carve a respectable line through a tight corner and is very much at home on long sweepers.

The anchors are a bit weak, but trying to keep up with a Tuono and the Aprilia 750s was always going to push the limits of the brakes, which were never designed for this sort of punishment. I spent a lot of time on the black cruiser and will deliver a more detailed story on the Bellagio soon, so stay tuned for that yarn.

I didn’t get to ride the Moto Guzzi Stelvio, but my comrade Rod Chapman spent plenty of time in the saddle and will have a report on the big 1200cc dualsport soon.

Then there was the Aprilia Tuono. Big, brash and very confident, it sports lots of carbon fibre, more Italian jewellery than Silvio Berlusconi, and plenty of herbs.

With around 130hp, the Tuono is quite the enforcer with delicious mid-range torque and a hearty kick, good enough to put a smile on the dial of all but the most spoiled rider.

Throttle control is pert and the Aprilia Tuono gets the power to the ground nicely and it devours the twisty stuff with precision – this is one chassis that's way better than I am. The big Brembos at the front deliver strong stopping too, which gives you the confidence to dive deep into corners before squeezing the right-hand lever.

All told, it was a sensational day of riding through some of the Victorian high country's most breathtaking areas.

I had a ball on the Aprilia Dorsoduro and Shiver, which really brought out the hooligan in me, and the Moto Guzzi Bellagio 940 proves that you don't have to forgo dynamic handling in the pursuit of a custom cruiser look.

Related links:
Aprilia
Moto Guzzi