Aprilia Caponord?

[Ulsterkiwi]

Aprillia Caponord 1200 (Travel Pack)
This bike looks to provide a lot of bang for the buck, especially at the runout prices going at the minute.
Can anyone provide some feedback on ownership?

Specifically:
reliability (particularly of the bells and whistles)
availability of spares
availability of aftermarket accessories
suspension, quite a few of the reviews I have read from overseas talk about it being too softly sprung

Cheers in advance for the sensible answers and thank you for the entertainment with all the others

[Ulsterkiwi]

67 views and not one answer, not even to abuse me, this bodes well.......

[Gremlin]

Probably on run out as they haven't sold that well?

You have the regular Caponord, the Travel pack (with panniers) then they also released the Rally, with 19" front wheel, spoked wheels, spot lights etc etc.

I was interested in it, but it would never replace my GSA, so never took one for a test ride. Soft suspension has pros and cons. It will sink and wallow, or soak up the typical rough roads we have...

[nzspokes]

What can it do the FA cant?

[Maha]

Suspension is superior over your current lot. The Multistrada in my opinion is over priced in this category making the Caponord a fitting and more affordable choice. I owned an FA myself for just over a year and love the bike. Had I kept it.. it definitely would have had and needed money spent on the suspension.... especially the rear shock.

From a Review. (which you are probably aware of)
The Aprilia Caponord is fitted with Aprilia Dynamic Dampening, which pairs a fully active rear suspension with a semi-active front fork to modify the settings automatically as you ride. The system measures the weight of the load, wheel speed, throttle and brake position, and input from sensors on the fork and swingarm to set rebound and compression damping up front and rebound, compression, and spring preload in the rear. Or, if you're unhappy with how the system is setting the suspension for you, you can lock it in one of four combinations of rider, passenger, and luggage.

[James Deuce]

It's an Aprilia. If it goes wrong, you're on your own.

It will go wrong.

AF1 Aprilia in the US can help you.

But no NZ dealer nor NZ distributor will help you when it goes wrong.

And it will go wrong.

[Frodo]

It's an Aprilia. If it goes wrong, you're on your own.

It will go wrong.

AF1 Aprilia in the US can help you.

But no NZ dealer nor NZ distributor will help you when it goes wrong.

And it will go wrong.

I'm on my third Aprilia for a total of about 140,000km. None of them went "wrong" (other than an oil leak on my current bike - leaking blanking plug fixed under warranty).
I'll ask a friend in the UK about his experience with his Caponord.
Or you could look in here: http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/f...-Caponord-1200

[AllanB]

If you like it buy it - fuck the internet opinions they are usually based on bikes from 1972.

[James Deuce]

I'm on my third Aprilia for a total of about 140,000km. None of them went "wrong" (other than an oil leak on my current bike - leaking blanking plug fixed under warranty).
I'll ask a friend in the UK about his experience with his Caponord.
Or you could look in here: http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/f...-Caponord-1200

Always the exception that proves the rule. How did you get it fixed under warranty in NZ?

I've had friends have dashes, ecus and clutches die in the first few months of ownership and they were on their own.

[Ulsterkiwi]

Probably on run out as they haven't sold that well?

You have the regular Caponord, the Travel pack (with panniers) then they also released the Rally, with 19" front wheel, spoked wheels, spot lights etc etc.

I was interested in it, but it would never replace my GSA, so never took one for a test ride. Soft suspension has pros and cons. It will sink and wallow, or soak up the typical rough roads we have...

thats what concerned me

the travel pack version is being offered at $23k, $10k less than a base GS with nada accessoryizmos. Soft suspension I know all about, I had the stock setup on the FA after all. Mr Taylor sorted it but he took some $$$. The Aprillia is fitted with Sachs as OE. It concerns me that OE equipment like that is still considered to be soft. Its a touring bike not an off roader, why would it need soft suspension?
A test ride will harm nooone but I do wonder.....

[Ulsterkiwi]

What can it do the FA cant?

compared to my own personal FA? probably not a whole lot actually but you know how it is when you fancy a change?

[Ulsterkiwi]

Suspension is superior over your current lot. The Multistrada in my opinion is over priced in this category making the Caponord a fitting and more affordable choice. I owned an FA myself for just over a year and love the bike. Had I kept it.. it definitely would have had and needed money spent on the rear shock.... especially the rear shock.

From a Review. (which you are probably aware of)
The Aprilia Caponord is fitted with Aprilia Dynamic Dampening, which pairs a fully active rear suspension with a semi-active front fork to modify the settings automatically as you ride. The system measures the weight of the load, wheel speed, throttle and brake position, and input from sensors on the fork and swingarm to set rebound and compression damping up front and rebound, compression, and spring preload in the rear. Or, if you're unhappy with how the system is setting the suspension for you, you can lock it in one of four combinations of rider, passenger, and luggage.

yep have read a few now but appreciate the copy/paste. Agree on the Duc, they are all too expensive and other than the sport bikes which I would never ride do not look nearly as stylish to me as they are sometimes called. Lot of $$ for a look.

Have had the FA for a couple of years, front and back are not what Mr Suzuki put there.

[Gremlin]

the travel pack version is being offered at $23k, $10k less than a base GS with nada accessoryizmos. Soft suspension I know all about, I had the stock setup on the FA after all. Mr Taylor sorted it but he took some $$$. The Aprillia is fitted with Sachs as OE. It concerns me that OE equipment like that is still considered to be soft. Its a touring bike not an off roader, why would it need soft suspension?
A test ride will harm nooone but I do wonder.....

The thing is... suspension wears out. With Mr BMW your suspension isn't serviceable (on my GSA anyway)... you buy another set. This is BMW prices, so Ohlins was actually cheaper upfront and ongoing...

Only problem with that... gawd I love my Ohlins and riding anything else just doesn't cut it

[Ulsterkiwi]

It's an Aprilia. If it goes wrong, you're on your own.

It will go wrong.

AF1 Aprilia in the US can help you.

But no NZ dealer nor NZ distributor will help you when it goes wrong.

And it will go wrong.

I was immediately concerned that I could get a mounting plate(from NZ stock) to match my existing top box for every bike on my list of possibles EXCEPT the Caponord. Maybe I am picky.

Have to say Aprillia seems to have some dedicated followers, they cannot all be wrong

[AllanB]

The Aprillia is fitted with Sachs as OE. It concerns me that OE equipment like that is still considered to be soft. Its a touring bike not an off roader, why would it need soft suspension?

Depends on the rider really - half the magazine test riders look like fat buggers to me so their idea of soft may be perfect. Point in case a couple magazines have issued their recommended suspension settings for bikes - i'm a relative light weight and their recommendations for my ride are way too firm for me.