Seen the Aprilia Caponord?

[Gremlin]

Felt like a thread discussing what seems a nice bike and natural competitor to the Duc Multistrada. Boss has one of those, but not road legal in NZ yet so I haven't had the chance to steal it. The new Caponord at least looks better than the old one!

Caponord is interesting, $25k gets you the full Travel Pack version (all the fruit, electronics, panniers etc) on demo sale from a few dealers. Part of me wants to ride one... the other part says hell no, you might like it

Plus: bit of a hooligan if you want to, nice stuff like ABS, electronic suspension and cruise control.
Minus: It's an Aprilia. We're in NZ. Fuel tank is 24L but most seem to be saying it's thirsty (haven't come across an Aprilia that wasn't actually). Perhaps not quite as much wind protection or pannier capacity, but then I'm comparing to my "truck"

A review: http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/03/25...pecifications/

[MD]

Had a squiz at one but butt ugly to me.

Check out the Benelli TRE K 1130 triple. Now that's a stylish advent/tourer and only $21k new.

I reckon the new Super Duke in black with luggage is a good looker as well.

[Maha]

That Benelli looks the part and at $21K it's well affordable.

[MrKiwi]

The Caponord is a nice bike to ride. Plenty of punch. Stacked full of electronics and handles very well. I wanted a bike with a drive shaft, not a chain, otherwise might have been tempted to look at this one more closely.

[Hitcher]

My Shiver wasn't thirsty -- 6 litres per hundred km isn't too shabby for a 750 V-twin ridden vigorously.

[Ocean1]

Fuel tank is 24L but most seem to be saying it's thirsty (haven't come across an Aprilia that wasn't actually).

Some of the Rotax powered Apes were thirsty, the Piagio mills are generally very good.

[Ocean1]

Had a squiz at one but butt ugly to me.

Check out the Benelli TRE K 1130 triple. Now that's a stylish advent/tourer and only $21k new.

I reckon the new Super Duke in black with luggage is a good looker as well.

What's the new Caponard weigh? From memory the old one was very porky.

And yes, I spotted that TREK the other day, feels OK, might need a bit of time to establish credentials...

Why the fuck can't KTM make bikes any colour than vile orange or dull black FFS? Can't say it's cost them a sale to me quite, but damn they're aesthetically hard to like.

[Gremlin]

I wanted a bike with a drive shaft, not a chain, otherwise might have been tempted to look at this one more closely.

Doh, so many little details. I forgot the chain v shaft... I like shafts

My Shiver wasn't thirsty -- 6 litres per hundred km isn't too shabby for a 750 V-twin ridden vigorously.

Depends how it's tuned I guess. I remember the KTM990 being thirsty in 5th. You had to do 120+ to use 6th, and then it was pretty economical. The horizontally opposed twin is a 1200 and pretty damn economical.

What's the new Caponard weigh? From memory the old one was very porky.

Saw a dry weight of 228kg

Why the fuck can't KTM make bikes any colour than vile orange or dull black FFS? Can't say it's cost them a sale to me quite, but damn they're aesthetically hard to like.

Mmmm, I like the black, orange, would live with it. Always been edgy, but they handle great, lotta fun. Superduke 1290... hmmm

[BlackSheepLogic]

Not sure about reliability of the Aprilia these days, but when looking for a bike recently one of my concerns with the European bikes was parts & servicing costs as well as availability of shops to work on them.

The Jap bikes are reliable plenty of shops with experience mechanics, easy available of parts, and they are less costly.

[Urano]

Part of me wants to ride one... the other part says hell no, you might like it

it's a huge risk.
don't EVER underestimate an aprilia. they're the best italian bikes and eat ducati at breakfast...
moreover, they're exhilarating. don't know why, but they ride in a different way of their own...
all in all, though a bit heavy, the cap it's a marvellous bike if you like twins.

it's thirsty (haven't come across an Aprilia that wasn't actually).

true...

Check out the Benelli TRE K 1130 triple.

DON'T!
BEWARE!
i warned you...

I like shafts

i like belts better...
but it seems i'm the only one in the world... (well, the only one below 100 kg...)

[Ocean1]

i like belts better...
but it seems i'm the only one in the world... (well, the only one below 100 kg...)

Not quite. Modern belts are much lighter than chains and a lot cleaner, enormously lighter than shafts and last the life of the bike.

The only real issue with them is stones getting into the belt and causing breakages, which is dealt with by adequate guarding.

The racy boys like chains because it's easy to change final drive ratios, but for a road bike I can't see any advantage.

[Gremlin]

The racy boys like chains because it's easy to change final drive ratios, but for a road bike I can't see any advantage.

Sometimes the gearing doesn't work for our little country. My KTM 990 SM, being European, would be OK in 6th gear when above 130kph. After re-tuning it and changing sprockets (I think -1 on front) I could use 6th from 120kph...

Of course, the unfortunate flip side was that power wheelies in 3rd were pretty easily done Oh, and it's for this reason I'm not too keen to ride another hooligan bike...

[Ocean1]

Sometimes the gearing doesn't work for our little country. My KTM 990 SM, being European, would be OK in 6th gear when above 130kph. After re-tuning it and changing sprockets (I think -1 on front) I could use 6th from 120kph...

Of course, the unfortunate flip side was that power wheelies in 3rd were pretty easily done Oh, and it's for this reason I'm not too keen to ride another hooligan bike...

Yeah, sometimes a tweak is good. You got to admit though that even for Europe a sixth gear un-useable below 130k is pretty silly.

And if you don't like power wheelies stay clear of the Buell 1125. 120 odd NM of torque on a 1384mm wheelbase is just fucking ridiculous.

[MrKiwi]

With my new bike, tweaks of the sprockets is out, pretty damn certain I won't be tinkering with a shafty...

[Ocean1]

With my new bike, tweaks of the sprockets is out, pretty damn certain I won't be tinkering with a shafty...

Unnecessary anyway, shaft drive bikes can't wheelie.