APRILIA SHIVER 750 GT (2009 - 2011) Review

Year: 2011

broke my back 2 years ago so my gsx600r has been sat waiting, unfortunately I cannot get down on the tank anymore, so I purchased a shiver 750. I think Ive been out more since buying this year than all the years I owned superbikes, only downside is you need a fuel tanker following because of the small tank

Buying experience: bought from a dealer traded a ktm 350 duke which I bought to see if I could still ride after accident, had that less than a month before getting my shiver, I had a choice of numerous bikes all the same group but the shiver in white stood out and the salesman reckoned the shiver was best out of them all

Year: 2009

Annual servicing cost: £180

So underated! Best: "S" mode. Both revvy and gutsy. Smooth and grumbly when you are stuck in town or behind tractors, but light and responsive enough to allow you to exploit every gap :). Comfortable for the rider and pillion and reliable as a car! Really good fun at any speed and comfortable enough to do 300 mile days. Brilliant online community at apriliaforum.com . Worst: The fuel tank could be 6l bigger - 200 mile range please! A sport model with better forks and shock would allow you to really exploit the frame :D

Buying experience: Convenient but expensive because i went through a dealer These bikes are so reliable that a private sale is the best option

16 litres needs more go juice capacity. Just got the gt. The fuel tank is too small, the fuel warning light cant decide if its wants to be on or not. Other wise, So comfrotable even though it makes me want to get off the sadle to corner harder very comfortable but that sound. Do not ike the trip computer recording highest speed.

The Shiver GT brought me nicely back to the world of ‘character’ motorcycling after a few years of wonderfully competent but ultimately unsatisfying Japanese middle-weight fours. I’ve been riding for over 40 years, pretty much daily in all seasons so I’m what you might call a seasoned rider. I commute across central London every day and now and again out of London to a range of 150 miles or so using motorways and A-roads depending on time, distance and mood. In essence the Shiver is the sort of bike that requires a good amount of input and involvement to get the best from it and if you are the sort of rider that likes that sort of challenge, the rewards are there for the taking. Stepping from my outgoing Hornet 600 ABS the need to pay attention a bit more was immediately apparent – my Honda pipe and slippers were consigned to the bin and every ride was anticipated like I was 17 again. I’m now almost a year and 7000 miles down the line and it still feels fresh every day. As an old school rider the spanners are always to hand and the following modifications have made the bike so much better than standard. Firstly to smooth out the admittedly lumpy low rpm problems: lower the gearing by fitting a 15T front sprocket, add a pair of free flowing exhaust cans (Arrows in my case – sound fantastic) and fit an O2 sensor hack (Motocorsaro Optimiser or FatDuc). To improve the budget suspension: replace the fork oil with two weights for rebound and compression damping, drop the forks in the yokes and tweak the existing rear shock settings according to the marvellous details to be found on the AFI forums (Shiver and Dorsoduro section). Also replace the OEM tyres ASAP – Bridgestone BT-023 work very well for me. It’s the most interesting bike I had in a long time and is now pretty much perfect for all my varied riding. I’ve also added heated grips for the winter, a Scottoiler, a larger Puig screen (brilliant), some adjustable levers, a Givi rack and top box and a set of frame sliders. I’ve had one break-down when a pressure sensor in the engine management system failed, but the part came within a day and I fixed it myself so the bike was only off the road for a couple of days (again the Aprilia forum is a wonderful resource). I suppose it is a little thirsty and the tank could be a little larger, it’s not super-nimble or super fast, but it is lovely to ride and never fails to please. I thought that getting older had just made me a little less interested in the joys of the motorcycling of my youth, but it is I think more down to the increasingly sanitised feels of modern machinery. Thankfully the Shiver bucks that trend.

These reviews are VERY handy! I'm going to look at a Shiver GT for the 2nd time tomorrow night, and this (and the owner) reviews reassure me i'm making the right choice! I'm upgrading from a KTM Duke 125 and have NEEDED something punchier for a long time, but i'm a rugby player so sports bikes are too much of an engine upgrade and too unsuitable for my frame! If all goes well- maybe i'll be posting an owner review in a few months time!!

Purchased a 2010 Shiver GT in metallic black with 4500 miles on the clock last month, paid £4295 for it, which is allot of bike for the money. Previously I have owned sports bikes but with this purchase I was looking for a little more comfort for commuting whilst having a little touring capability. So far I have covered 600 miles on the bike, not enough to really comment of reliability yet but the build quality of the bike feels very good. Power delivery is strong, especially in 'SPORT' mode, it pulls well through the rev range. Having ridden 900cc sports bike prior to this it is noticeably slower but that’s to be expected. Don’t get me wrong this is still a quick bike and more than ok for a rider of my ability. Riding position is very comfortable and I don’t expect any cramping issues when I take it to the IOM for the TT in a few weeks time. The review is correct in terms of pillion use, my GF is very small but finds it very uncomfortable on the back. With a pillion its best in 'TOURING' mode as it reduces the harsh engine braking of the 750 V Twin. In wet conditions the bike still feels very planted, 'RAIN' mode cuts so much power I would never use it unless riding in icy or monsoon conditions, which I don’t tend to do anyway. 'TOURING mode is more than ok for wet conditions. As far as touring capabilities go, GIVI make a quick lock pannier rack for the bike, it also supports Givi soft / thermaform bags. You can also get a back box rack, however I have opted for a Givi tail pack with the Shiver Pannier Rack to save lots of messing around fitting racks to the bike. Over all I am more than happy with the bike. So far I have not seen another one on the roads and its nice not be on another ten a penny Japanese bike.

Owned for 8 months, 4500 miles on all roads / conditions. The positives - engine is very strong and eager, revs quickly and pulls like a train. Sounds awesome. Chassis is also good, very taut and firm, handles superbly on smooth roads, very flickable. Relaxed riding position with high seat & lowish pegs. Seat is pretty comfortable for moderate trips. The bike generally is well put together, with good quality components. I've ridden it most days over the winter, including during the snow, and the finish is still good despite only monthly washing. The negatives - fuelling at low revs is terrible. The bike jerks and snatches below 3 thousand revs. Riding at less than 30mph is best avoided, and heavy traffic is hard work as you're off and on the clutch all the time to avoid stalling. The jerkiness of the throttle response makes two up riding uncomfortable for both rider and pillion. The pillion seat is uncomfortable - my girlfriend has a sore a*** after 30 minutes. The firm suspension which gives such good handling on smooth roads is too harsh on bumpy roads, and especially unsuitable for potholed city streets. I disagree with MCN about the fairing - its actually pretty crap and deflects very little wind - none from your lower body and only a small amount from the chest. Speeds above 80mph are hard on the neck (and I'm not overly tall). Aprilia luggage is rubbish, and Hepco & Becker are the only after market supplier who make a rack that will fit it, and they are expensive. My other major complaint has been reliability. The bike has been back to the shop 3 times - once for getting stuck in 2nd gear (gear selector incorrectly assembled by the factory), once for front brake pads (pads sticking & hence wore out in 3000 miles), once for an oil leak from around the oil filter. Availability of parts is variable - you can wait weeks or months. Overall verdict - grunty, good fun bike to ride fast on smooth roads, and without a pillion. Fairly comfortable solo if you stay out of the city, and off the motorway. Oh, and avoid bumpy backroads too. Poor luggage availability so don't take it touring. Get used to travelling by bus, as the bike will be spending a lot of time in the shop...which will suit your girlfriend as she wont want to go on the back. I wouldn't have another one, and am trading mine in next week (at a considerable loss thanks to terrible depreciation). Don't say you weren't warned..

I sold my Triumph Tiger 1050 as I found it a bit too big and a bit too heavy for day to day riding, incl a commute. After reading review after review, numerous test rides and hours of agonising I decided the Shiver GT was the bike for me. It's light and does commute, it does a short to medium tour and you can stretch it's legs due the the excellent chassis. These are all things claimed by Triumph, which though it's truly a magnificent bike it doesn't comfortably achieve. The Shiver has a good riding position for somebody who is 6.2 (which does restrict your options)and comes with standard mirrors that are clear and show you more than your elbows. The engine is a peach, sounds great and is supplemented by the 3 way mapping. The equipment is very good for a bike of this price and it's certainly well made. I've been generous on the reliability but have no reason to complain yet and fingers crossed it will stay that way. The other draw to the bike is that it's a bit different and not just another Jap bike, which rightly or rightly was important to me. Roll on the summer...