The Mana is not a bike for every motorcyclist. If you rarely ride in town you'd have little use for the power-sapping complexity or added expense of the CVT. But in heavy traffic the automatic transmission is a handy feature, and the Mana combines its motorcycle and scooter features cleverly without many compromises. Previous attempts at automatic motorcycles have ended in failure, but these days there are enough riders graduating from giant scooters to make the concept more promising.
Evolution
A larger-displacement, automatic-shift version of the SL750 Shiver, which it was developed alongside.
Rivals
The Mana has no direct competition. It occupies the no-man's land between maxi-scooters and middleweight motorcycles.
| TECH |
Price
| na |
Engine type:
| l-c 90-deg. V-twin |
| Valve train: | SOHC, 8v |
| Displacement: | 839cc |
| Bore x stroke: | 88.0 x 69.0mm |
| Compression: | 10.0:1 |
| Fuel system: | EFI |
| Clutch: | Automatic |
| Transmission | CVT or 7-speed |
| Claimed horsepower: | 76.1 bhp @ 7250 rpm |
Claimed torque:
| 53.8 lb.-ft. @ 5000 rpm |
| Frame | Steel trellis |
| Front suspension: | 43mm Showa inverted fork |
| Rear suspension: | Single Sachs shock adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping |
| Front brake: | Dual four-piston radial calipers, 320mm discs |
| Rear brake: | Single-piston caliper, 260mm disc |
| Front tire: | 120/70-ZR17 Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier |
Rear tire:
| 180/55-ZR17 Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier |
| Rake/trail | 24.0Þ/4.1 in. |
Seat height:
| 31.5 in. |
| Wheelbase | 57.6 in. |
| Fuel capacity: | 3.9 gal. |
Claimed dry weight:
| na |
| Colors: | Red, black, silver |
| Available: | na |
| Warranty | na |
| Contact: | www.apriliausa.com |
Verdict
An excellent attempt to combine the sporty attributes of a motorcycle with the convenience of a scooter.