Ulsterkiwi
27th June 2016, 13:59
I should say at the outset I am not anything like an expert on motorcycles, coming to the game a bit later in life. So I have written this from the perspective of using and abusing a motorcycle, not the merits of this valve arrangement over that one or the difference between power at the crank and what comes out at the back wheel. I also give fair warning that I use words, a lot of them….
For the last couple of years I have been thoroughly enjoying a 2014 GSX1250FA, otherwise known as a TNAB. I had accessorised to my heart’s content and had the suspension rebuilt to suit my corn fed frame. I had also learned something about setting suspension up to get the best from the bike in various conditions. 45000kms is a reasonable amount of use to do that I reckon. I had reached a couple of landmarks however with me and my riding and I wanted a change.
This of course brings about a period of fun, what is there to dislike about spending your weekends test riding bikes and your evenings reading reviews and write ups about those bikes?
I had to narrow things down a bit so came up with a “must have” list. I wanted 90+HP, an upright riding position, decent pillion comfort, ABS brakes and the ability to outfit for lengthy commutes and longer trips (3-7 days). My budget was to be somewhere around the $20k mark. I won’t bore you with the details of each bike I tried but I considered a range of marques, sizes, styles and ages of bikes before making my choice. I excluded retro styles, sport bikes and cruisers as in my estimation they missed out on one or more of the basic requirements. The non-exhaustive list of what was considered would be VStrom 650, DL1000, VFR800X, VFR1200X, R1150GS, R1200GS, F800GS, CRF100L Africa Twin, Ducati Multistrada, ST1300, FJR1300, Z1000 SX, Versys 1000, MT-07 Tracer, MV Agusta Turismo Veloce. Most of these were test ridden, many with the BH riding shotgun.
The final choice was a new Aprilia Caponord 1200. The base model rather than the Touring Pack or Rally version.
You can get the specs online but it’s a 1200 VTwin with 3 maps/riding modes, traction control, ABS brakes, immobiliser and adjustable SACHS suspension front and rear. Price was $19990 plus ORC.
I haven’t written a review before so I will go through the bits I have noticed both good and bad after 2000ish kms and a variety of riding scenarios.
I commute from Kapiti to Newtown in Wellington. All weathers. In the couple of weeks I have had the bike I have also done a loop of home to Raetihi via SH4 then Ohakune-Waiouru- Taihape-Kapiti via SH1. I also did a ride from home to Lake Ferry taking in the Rimutuka Hill Road and the Featherston Creek Road and home again.
Looks
Pretty much I think it’s a handsome bike. Adventure styling in what is clearly a machine built for the tarseal. No beak. Softer lines than many of the adventure styled alternatives but still with some presence. Gold anodised USD forks, a big red offset rear shock and accent stitching on the saddle adding a splash of colour and styling(?) to the otherwise plain white bodywork with black finish to the motor etc. Exhaust is large without being a small calibre howitzer and there is a rear mudguard lovingly referred to as the “Fugly” on the Aprilia forums. It doesn’t offend me.
Ride Position and comfort
For me, its pretty much perfect. I am 1.96m and 112kgs in my birthday suit. I can sit bolt upright IN not ON the saddle which holds me securely while allowing me to move around. The higher set pillion seat also provides a bit of support for my arse. The front of the saddle curves up so I am not crammed up against the tank. My knees fit in securely to the indents of the tank with still some wriggle room. Very leggy individuals might struggle.
The pegs have thick grippy rubber on them, you have the option to remove the rubbers and leave a grippier, off road style peg. No adjustment.
Fat bars with a taper just before the mirror clamps are quite wide, some would say too much. I don’t, width wise they work for me. I would like to perhaps shift them back 10-15mm. Something to work on. They are the first bars on a bike I have not felt compelled to immediately bless with a set or risers.
Ergonomics
Switch gear is good quality and falls reasonable well to hand (or finger!) The dip/main beam switch is combined with a passing light switch and is easier to work than the more conventional rocker for headlights. The mode toggle is very easy to use scrolling elements of a nicely clear and bright LCD screen . You can call up information like the time, elapsed time of the ride, max speed, average speed, trip, odo etc. On the right bar the kill switch and starter also combine. A bit counter intuitive but also workable. Once running, this switch is used to cycle through the engine maps. You can do it while moving but you need to pull in the clutch and close the throttle, so probably best to not do it while leaned at 40 degrees on gravel. The factory heated grip switch is also on the right bar. It has taken a bit of getting used to and you need to shift your grip on the throttle to work the button. Pushing it activates the screen to tell you the setting and further pushes cycle through 3 heat settings or off. Grips work well and combined with the factory hand guards keep your mitts comfortable and therefore functional. Both levers are adjustable for span, thank you!
The screen displays revs, speed, fuel status, gear selected, traction control setting and engine map permanently. The other stuff cycles with the mode switch. As I said, its plenty clear and bright.
There are idiot lights for the usual plus ABS and TC being turned off.
Mirrors are a decent size and vibe free staying usable at all speeds
The stock screen is height adjustable by about 50mm. Its tool-less adjustment but I wouldn’t want to do it while moving. Changing height alters the angle slightly. Less vertically gifted people would probably find it acceptable. I did not. More on that later.
Pillion
My wife rides her own bike but regularly jumps on the back with me. I cannot relate her complete experience so lets just say of all the bikes we tried with her on the back seat, some didn't even get out of the showroom, some we did a few kms before the "lets go back" instructions came. On this bike? She really didnt want to get off. Nuff said.
The ride itself.
Ok, so I was used to an inline four with a cable throttle. Before that a series of large singles. This is VERY different. The motor has more than a bit of hooligan and its not buried too deep. The exhaust note makes up for the questionable looks of the muffler. Its very satisfying to roll on the power, you can feel it and you can hear it. Supposedly there are 125HP available. This is not a 180HP crotch rocket but in the real world the power comes effortlessly. Ride by wire is not, it seems, that forgiving of poor technique or control. It took me a while to get used to it. Definitely a snatchiness that would not be found in a cable system. An updated set of maps at the 1000kms service has helped. Out of the box the bike is geared to cruise at 130kph in 6th, yeah, nah. I got the front sprocket changed for one tooth smaller. Now the bike sits at its 4-4.5k rpm happy place for longer. The transmission itself is very good, changes are smooth and positive. Any issues have been user caused.
Brakes are just excellent. Brembos. Have not used them in anger outside of the car park but I know they are very capable.
Suspension and tyres. SACHS is certainly nice to have as stock. The fact I can change preload front and rear as well as having clickers for damping settings is for me a huge plus. If the TNAB taught me one thing it’s the value of having a given bike set up as well as possible for you as a rider and how you ride. I am still playing with this suspension but up to now it has handled everything I have asked of it with ease, keeping me comfortable and feeling planted. The OE rubber is a pair of Dunlop Qualifiers. I have been in some of the lovely wet stuff this winter has thrown at us and they have not been disappointing. I am however still learning the bike so I have not pushed it hard. I wonder if a bit more confidence with the bike will change that, which leads me to an observation about the wheel/tyre combination. Taking the bike in for its 1000km service I noticed a real lack of chicken strip. Its now completely gone. Am I now an awesome rider? Yeah, nah, after looking around it seems the 6 inch wheel should actually have a 190 tyre on the rear hoop not the stock 180. Something to note when the change of rubber inevitably comes.
Ride modes. Have been in T for Touring mostly. R for Rain definitely curbs the animal barely hidden inside. Much gentler. Combined with the three level traction control I think will make what is quite a heavy machine much more forgiving in the wet. There is an S for Sport, yeah, good way to get one of those performance awards the constabulary hand out. Sharper and the front seems lighter in this mode, wonder why? Its nice to have those options available.
The TC I have not felt stepping in yet. Will be quite happy if it doesn’t. I am riding in the middle 2 setting until I feel more at one with the bike. Then will take it back a notch.
Fuel economy seems ok. A 24 litre tank has taken me 350+kms easily. The fuel gauge is weird, making you think petrol is leaking out and then sitting stubbornly on the last marker before a low fuel light comes on. The reserve is supposed to be 5 litres. The most I have put in is 18 litres. 95 of course but I am happy enough.
Overall I love how this machine looks and handles. The weight is set nicely along the middle, so while being about the same as my old 1250 its much easier to manage in town and at low speeds. Getting on a bit on decent roads its really quite easy to chuck about. The wide bars probably help here and the lack of chicken strip is satisfying, even if it’s a temporary thing. The gearbox and motor want you to keep the revs up, the muffler growling and just enjoying the character of the bike. This is my bike and I love it.
What have I done to it so far?
I firmly believe if anything is going to be done to a bike, do it soon, otherwise you do it for the next fulla, not your own enjoyment. The dealer fitted pannier racks for me, ones that will take anything from the GIVI monokey system. There are factory bags available colour matched to the rest of the bike and their mounting system is much neater but they are smaller than I would prefer and more expensive than I can justify. I also had the factory heated grips put on. You need the Travel Pack or Rally version for them to come fitted stock. Bizarrely the base bike does come with the switch installed, just not the heating elements. Kudos to the dealer (Motorad in Wellington) the bike was presented as having them fitted already so their supply and fitting was built into the deal.
I wanted crash bars and extra lighting because I had a stationary drop with the TNAB which was a pain and expensive to leave right and I always wanted extra lighting. The factory twin headlights are actually pretty good (they don’t turn on until the motor is running) but I regularly ride at night and all through winter so for both seeing and being seen additional LED spotlights were a must for me. The lights themselves sit nicely on the Hepco and Becker crash bars. Motorad came up with a very neat solution to fit the light switch on the stock fat bars, thank you for that!
The bike has a very vulnerable looking radiator AND oil cooler at the front. RadGuard in Aussie got yet another order from me. They make excellent products which are incredibly easy to fit. Peace of mind is cheap.
The stock screen was terrible, more because of my height than anything else. My wife had been delighted with a screen from California Science on her CB500X so I gave them a go. The screen is farking huge but no noise, no buffeting. I can ride with my visor up at cruising speeds. Very happy. The adjustment built into the mounting system means in the summer when I want a bit more air circulating that will be possible without changing screens.
I have a fender extender on order from the UK. Brexit paranoia will make it a bit cheaper. The stock front fender is far too small with the front wheel chucking a lot of spray up via the headstock region. A plastic plate between the forks helps a wee bit but why not fit a proper fender in the first place?
Which brings me on to the chief criticism I have since buying the bike and its more to do with NZ than the bike per se..……..Apart from the factory heated grips and pannier racks I have had to source everything myself from overseas, the dealer, through no fault of their own has not been able to get accessories through their own networks. Even the change in front sprocket to make the low speed throttle control tolerable, I had to do business with a retail dealer in Texas USA who seems to be bigger than most of the NZ distributors. A GIVI top box plate would take 3-4 months through official NZ channels. I have ordered stuff from Australia, the EU and UK, so far goods have taken a calendar week at worst to arrive. That’s dumb. Admittedly these are accessories not essential “the bike won’t run without them” parts, still 4 months through official channels seems excessive!
Lack of support for the aftermarket stuff aside I am chuffed to bits with the bike. Pretty much the issues I have are easy fixes or require me to improve my skillset. Can’t be a bad thing right?
Motorad as a dealer have proven to be really good to work with, I look forward to how that relationship will grow.
The bike gives me what I wanted, a change, something different, something that requires I extend myself and keep learning and all for a pretty competitive price.
I shall now take questions………
For the last couple of years I have been thoroughly enjoying a 2014 GSX1250FA, otherwise known as a TNAB. I had accessorised to my heart’s content and had the suspension rebuilt to suit my corn fed frame. I had also learned something about setting suspension up to get the best from the bike in various conditions. 45000kms is a reasonable amount of use to do that I reckon. I had reached a couple of landmarks however with me and my riding and I wanted a change.
This of course brings about a period of fun, what is there to dislike about spending your weekends test riding bikes and your evenings reading reviews and write ups about those bikes?
I had to narrow things down a bit so came up with a “must have” list. I wanted 90+HP, an upright riding position, decent pillion comfort, ABS brakes and the ability to outfit for lengthy commutes and longer trips (3-7 days). My budget was to be somewhere around the $20k mark. I won’t bore you with the details of each bike I tried but I considered a range of marques, sizes, styles and ages of bikes before making my choice. I excluded retro styles, sport bikes and cruisers as in my estimation they missed out on one or more of the basic requirements. The non-exhaustive list of what was considered would be VStrom 650, DL1000, VFR800X, VFR1200X, R1150GS, R1200GS, F800GS, CRF100L Africa Twin, Ducati Multistrada, ST1300, FJR1300, Z1000 SX, Versys 1000, MT-07 Tracer, MV Agusta Turismo Veloce. Most of these were test ridden, many with the BH riding shotgun.
The final choice was a new Aprilia Caponord 1200. The base model rather than the Touring Pack or Rally version.
You can get the specs online but it’s a 1200 VTwin with 3 maps/riding modes, traction control, ABS brakes, immobiliser and adjustable SACHS suspension front and rear. Price was $19990 plus ORC.
I haven’t written a review before so I will go through the bits I have noticed both good and bad after 2000ish kms and a variety of riding scenarios.
I commute from Kapiti to Newtown in Wellington. All weathers. In the couple of weeks I have had the bike I have also done a loop of home to Raetihi via SH4 then Ohakune-Waiouru- Taihape-Kapiti via SH1. I also did a ride from home to Lake Ferry taking in the Rimutuka Hill Road and the Featherston Creek Road and home again.
Looks
Pretty much I think it’s a handsome bike. Adventure styling in what is clearly a machine built for the tarseal. No beak. Softer lines than many of the adventure styled alternatives but still with some presence. Gold anodised USD forks, a big red offset rear shock and accent stitching on the saddle adding a splash of colour and styling(?) to the otherwise plain white bodywork with black finish to the motor etc. Exhaust is large without being a small calibre howitzer and there is a rear mudguard lovingly referred to as the “Fugly” on the Aprilia forums. It doesn’t offend me.
Ride Position and comfort
For me, its pretty much perfect. I am 1.96m and 112kgs in my birthday suit. I can sit bolt upright IN not ON the saddle which holds me securely while allowing me to move around. The higher set pillion seat also provides a bit of support for my arse. The front of the saddle curves up so I am not crammed up against the tank. My knees fit in securely to the indents of the tank with still some wriggle room. Very leggy individuals might struggle.
The pegs have thick grippy rubber on them, you have the option to remove the rubbers and leave a grippier, off road style peg. No adjustment.
Fat bars with a taper just before the mirror clamps are quite wide, some would say too much. I don’t, width wise they work for me. I would like to perhaps shift them back 10-15mm. Something to work on. They are the first bars on a bike I have not felt compelled to immediately bless with a set or risers.
Ergonomics
Switch gear is good quality and falls reasonable well to hand (or finger!) The dip/main beam switch is combined with a passing light switch and is easier to work than the more conventional rocker for headlights. The mode toggle is very easy to use scrolling elements of a nicely clear and bright LCD screen . You can call up information like the time, elapsed time of the ride, max speed, average speed, trip, odo etc. On the right bar the kill switch and starter also combine. A bit counter intuitive but also workable. Once running, this switch is used to cycle through the engine maps. You can do it while moving but you need to pull in the clutch and close the throttle, so probably best to not do it while leaned at 40 degrees on gravel. The factory heated grip switch is also on the right bar. It has taken a bit of getting used to and you need to shift your grip on the throttle to work the button. Pushing it activates the screen to tell you the setting and further pushes cycle through 3 heat settings or off. Grips work well and combined with the factory hand guards keep your mitts comfortable and therefore functional. Both levers are adjustable for span, thank you!
The screen displays revs, speed, fuel status, gear selected, traction control setting and engine map permanently. The other stuff cycles with the mode switch. As I said, its plenty clear and bright.
There are idiot lights for the usual plus ABS and TC being turned off.
Mirrors are a decent size and vibe free staying usable at all speeds
The stock screen is height adjustable by about 50mm. Its tool-less adjustment but I wouldn’t want to do it while moving. Changing height alters the angle slightly. Less vertically gifted people would probably find it acceptable. I did not. More on that later.
Pillion
My wife rides her own bike but regularly jumps on the back with me. I cannot relate her complete experience so lets just say of all the bikes we tried with her on the back seat, some didn't even get out of the showroom, some we did a few kms before the "lets go back" instructions came. On this bike? She really didnt want to get off. Nuff said.
The ride itself.
Ok, so I was used to an inline four with a cable throttle. Before that a series of large singles. This is VERY different. The motor has more than a bit of hooligan and its not buried too deep. The exhaust note makes up for the questionable looks of the muffler. Its very satisfying to roll on the power, you can feel it and you can hear it. Supposedly there are 125HP available. This is not a 180HP crotch rocket but in the real world the power comes effortlessly. Ride by wire is not, it seems, that forgiving of poor technique or control. It took me a while to get used to it. Definitely a snatchiness that would not be found in a cable system. An updated set of maps at the 1000kms service has helped. Out of the box the bike is geared to cruise at 130kph in 6th, yeah, nah. I got the front sprocket changed for one tooth smaller. Now the bike sits at its 4-4.5k rpm happy place for longer. The transmission itself is very good, changes are smooth and positive. Any issues have been user caused.
Brakes are just excellent. Brembos. Have not used them in anger outside of the car park but I know they are very capable.
Suspension and tyres. SACHS is certainly nice to have as stock. The fact I can change preload front and rear as well as having clickers for damping settings is for me a huge plus. If the TNAB taught me one thing it’s the value of having a given bike set up as well as possible for you as a rider and how you ride. I am still playing with this suspension but up to now it has handled everything I have asked of it with ease, keeping me comfortable and feeling planted. The OE rubber is a pair of Dunlop Qualifiers. I have been in some of the lovely wet stuff this winter has thrown at us and they have not been disappointing. I am however still learning the bike so I have not pushed it hard. I wonder if a bit more confidence with the bike will change that, which leads me to an observation about the wheel/tyre combination. Taking the bike in for its 1000km service I noticed a real lack of chicken strip. Its now completely gone. Am I now an awesome rider? Yeah, nah, after looking around it seems the 6 inch wheel should actually have a 190 tyre on the rear hoop not the stock 180. Something to note when the change of rubber inevitably comes.
Ride modes. Have been in T for Touring mostly. R for Rain definitely curbs the animal barely hidden inside. Much gentler. Combined with the three level traction control I think will make what is quite a heavy machine much more forgiving in the wet. There is an S for Sport, yeah, good way to get one of those performance awards the constabulary hand out. Sharper and the front seems lighter in this mode, wonder why? Its nice to have those options available.
The TC I have not felt stepping in yet. Will be quite happy if it doesn’t. I am riding in the middle 2 setting until I feel more at one with the bike. Then will take it back a notch.
Fuel economy seems ok. A 24 litre tank has taken me 350+kms easily. The fuel gauge is weird, making you think petrol is leaking out and then sitting stubbornly on the last marker before a low fuel light comes on. The reserve is supposed to be 5 litres. The most I have put in is 18 litres. 95 of course but I am happy enough.
Overall I love how this machine looks and handles. The weight is set nicely along the middle, so while being about the same as my old 1250 its much easier to manage in town and at low speeds. Getting on a bit on decent roads its really quite easy to chuck about. The wide bars probably help here and the lack of chicken strip is satisfying, even if it’s a temporary thing. The gearbox and motor want you to keep the revs up, the muffler growling and just enjoying the character of the bike. This is my bike and I love it.
What have I done to it so far?
I firmly believe if anything is going to be done to a bike, do it soon, otherwise you do it for the next fulla, not your own enjoyment. The dealer fitted pannier racks for me, ones that will take anything from the GIVI monokey system. There are factory bags available colour matched to the rest of the bike and their mounting system is much neater but they are smaller than I would prefer and more expensive than I can justify. I also had the factory heated grips put on. You need the Travel Pack or Rally version for them to come fitted stock. Bizarrely the base bike does come with the switch installed, just not the heating elements. Kudos to the dealer (Motorad in Wellington) the bike was presented as having them fitted already so their supply and fitting was built into the deal.
I wanted crash bars and extra lighting because I had a stationary drop with the TNAB which was a pain and expensive to leave right and I always wanted extra lighting. The factory twin headlights are actually pretty good (they don’t turn on until the motor is running) but I regularly ride at night and all through winter so for both seeing and being seen additional LED spotlights were a must for me. The lights themselves sit nicely on the Hepco and Becker crash bars. Motorad came up with a very neat solution to fit the light switch on the stock fat bars, thank you for that!
The bike has a very vulnerable looking radiator AND oil cooler at the front. RadGuard in Aussie got yet another order from me. They make excellent products which are incredibly easy to fit. Peace of mind is cheap.
The stock screen was terrible, more because of my height than anything else. My wife had been delighted with a screen from California Science on her CB500X so I gave them a go. The screen is farking huge but no noise, no buffeting. I can ride with my visor up at cruising speeds. Very happy. The adjustment built into the mounting system means in the summer when I want a bit more air circulating that will be possible without changing screens.
I have a fender extender on order from the UK. Brexit paranoia will make it a bit cheaper. The stock front fender is far too small with the front wheel chucking a lot of spray up via the headstock region. A plastic plate between the forks helps a wee bit but why not fit a proper fender in the first place?
Which brings me on to the chief criticism I have since buying the bike and its more to do with NZ than the bike per se..……..Apart from the factory heated grips and pannier racks I have had to source everything myself from overseas, the dealer, through no fault of their own has not been able to get accessories through their own networks. Even the change in front sprocket to make the low speed throttle control tolerable, I had to do business with a retail dealer in Texas USA who seems to be bigger than most of the NZ distributors. A GIVI top box plate would take 3-4 months through official NZ channels. I have ordered stuff from Australia, the EU and UK, so far goods have taken a calendar week at worst to arrive. That’s dumb. Admittedly these are accessories not essential “the bike won’t run without them” parts, still 4 months through official channels seems excessive!
Lack of support for the aftermarket stuff aside I am chuffed to bits with the bike. Pretty much the issues I have are easy fixes or require me to improve my skillset. Can’t be a bad thing right?
Motorad as a dealer have proven to be really good to work with, I look forward to how that relationship will grow.
The bike gives me what I wanted, a change, something different, something that requires I extend myself and keep learning and all for a pretty competitive price.
I shall now take questions………