Aprilia Caponord?

[DMNTD:Me]

Add Piaggio last time I checked?

Ocean, BMW wasn't a while back, then changed to them.

Ok...Vespa as well then ya chunky monkey but I thought we were talking about motorcycles

[Ulsterkiwi]

took the caponord for a test ride today. Very nice, sounds amazing! Heaps of power, 110 on the Hutt motorway, 3rd gear and it felt bored with me, kind of "cmon, you gonna ride or what?" Bars are quite wide but make it very easy in urban. Very shiny brand new tyres on it so I didnt really push it on corners but its an italian, of course it will love them.
Taking Mrs UK back tomorrow to try the pillion experience.

To further confuse the issue I also rode a Honda VFR800 Crossrunner. The Vtech is interesting. I like fours, the V seems to give best of both worlds. A gnarly Vtwin sporty it is now but for very different reasons I also like it. Also getting the Mrs test.

too----many----choices-----

[AllanB]

With a reasonable spending budget a buyer is indeed very spoilt for choice in the motorcycling world presently.

Have fun - the ones you are looking at a all fine bikes - it's just personal preference now.

[Addo007]

took the caponord for a test ride today. Very nice, sounds amazing! Heaps of power, 110 on the Hutt motorway, 3rd gear and it felt bored with me, kind of "cmon, you gonna ride or what?" Bars are quite wide but make it very easy in urban. Very shiny brand new tyres on it so I didnt really push it on corners but its an italian, of course it will love them.
Taking Mrs UK back tomorrow to try the pillion experience.

To further confuse the issue I also rode a Honda VFR800 Crossrunner. The Vtech is interesting. I like fours, the V seems to give best of both worlds. A gnarly Vtwin sporty it is now but for very different reasons I also like it. Also getting the Mrs test.

too----many----choices-----

Did you consider the vfr1200 crossrunner or just the 800? I know the 1200 sports tourer is an awesome motor so I would imagine the bigger crossrunner would be too.

[Ulsterkiwi]

Did you consider the vfr1200 crossrunner or just the 800? I know the 1200 sports tourer is an awesome motor so I would imagine the bigger crossrunner would be too.

ah you see, now that has just muddied the water even more......a 1200 AND its a shaftie, no more chain crap.....hmmmmm

[Addo007]

ah you see, now that has just muddied the water even more......a 1200 AND its a shaftie, no more chain crap.....hmmmmm

And Honda reliability... Definitely worth a look. Not a bad position to be in though, plenty of options and all of them pretty good.

[Ulsterkiwi]

Well I spent a weekend with Mrs UK coming with me to ride bikes two up. We even considered some very different bikes to the original list, including but not limited to ST1300 and FJR1300.
Mrs UK very much liked being on the back of the Aprilia, comfortable and secure. When we took out a demo DL1000 we got approximately 2kms when she asked me to turn back to the showroom. Bit of a difference!
The VFR800X was high on my list, I am not a wee fella, there was little to no room left for the chief. Strike that. The 1200 version I have ridden before. It was ok but the model I rode had real fueling issues which sort of spoiled it for me. Relatively speaking its weight is not so manageable as others.
The Africa Twin got a try, as did the Duc Multi. The AT is clearly a very good bike, I do not desire or need a proper off road bike and the saddle is not to my pleasing, then Mrs UK tries to get on and is not keen, same with the Duc.

Here is the kicker, we were stood there, contemplating an excellent deal being offered on an ST1300, very tempted. The wife (who rides herself) "ok so forget all the smaller bikes you have looked at, thats not you, also, are you ready for the steady safe and reliable? the predictable and steadfast? Plenty of time for that later, why don't you extend yourself a bit and get something different with a wee bit of mongrel, then rethink in 3 or 4 years again?" I love this woman!

Deposit paid on the Aprilia. I hear the warnings about support. What is life without taking a few risks eh?
The Caponord has a bit of Latin passion that I haven't experienced in any vehicle I have ever owned. Its not like buying bikes is good financial planning is it? I like AllanB's advice, I like it and I am buying it. Will report back when I get a few kms under my belt.

[Paul in NZ]

Good onya - I like the look of them as well...

[pritch]

While reading the thread I was thinking of putting you in contact with a couple of Aprilia owners but it seems you figured out what you wanted. Enjoy.

[Gremlin]

Well given that you've strayed (a little) from the original topic, did you try a BMW? Depending on budget (or what price you're prepared to stump up) the BMW seats do generally review well for pillion comfort. If you're not a wee bloke, and you need space, then something like a GS or GSA may suit... I'm 6'3 and the GSA is the first bike I've had to be careful when parking, it's that big, but then the size comes with space.

None of that chain crap either

[Paul in NZ]

Did you consider the new triumph 1200 twins? They look very capable...

[Ulsterkiwi]

Well given that you've strayed (a little) from the original topic, did you try a BMW? Depending on budget (or what price you're prepared to stump up) the BMW seats do generally review well for pillion comfort. If you're not a wee bloke, and you need space, then something like a GS or GSA may suit... I'm 6'3 and the GSA is the first bike I've had to be careful when parking, it's that big, but then the size comes with space.

None of that chain crap either

Well I guess the original topic was highlighting I liked the bike but have heard reservations about the brand in the NZ context. I guess internet forae tend to concentrate issues. I bet a BMW GS forum would be filled with long lists of problems.

Yes I tried a BMW, an 1150GS and a 1200GS. I wanted to like the 1150 but I couldn't. The 1200 provided something different but not the difference I wanted. I should add these were second hand bikes as the new offerings are WEEEEELLLLLLL outside of my budget. There is part of the problem, a salesman happily tells me noone worries about kms covered or the year of a BMW, which was odd because I was the customer and I was worried about it. Of course the bikes are designed to go for big distances but the deal on offer was to spend the same money but get a bike with half or more of its working life already used up. So space aside that didn't make any sense to me.
I am not dissing the marque, if I had the money I would be looking at them seriously, I don't so I didn't, if you get me

[Ulsterkiwi]

While reading the thread I was thinking of putting you in contact with a couple of Aprilia owners but it seems you figured out what you wanted. Enjoy.

yes I did but thank you anyway!

[Ulsterkiwi]

Did you consider the new triumph 1200 twins? They look very capable...

If you mean the T120 or the Thruxton et al, no I didn't, not my cup of tea.
If you mean the Tiger/Explorer are they not triples? Yes I contemplated but didn't ride one.

[Gremlin]

There is part of the problem, a salesman happily tells me noone worries about kms covered or the year of a BMW, which was odd because I was the customer and I was worried about it.

Don't worry. You can be sure it would be a factor for that very same salesman if you were trading it in with high km

In terms of forums, everyone gripes about issues, or things that break. How many do you see posting up threads saying my bike never breaks down etc (mainly because you'd be asking for it then).

Long as you get something you enjoy