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2015 Aprilia Caponord 1200 Rally Unveiled Ahead of Official Debut

Aprilia had scheduled the unveiling of their new Caponord 1200 iteration for the next Tuesday at the Intermot, but unknown reasons led to information surfacing earlier… which is good. Things look really alluring, especially if an over-liter class touring machine which can tackle rougher terrain ranks high on your shopping list.
2015 Aprilia Caponord 1200 Rally 3 photos
Photo: Aprilia
2015 Aprilia Caponord 1200 Rally2015 Aprilia Caponord 1200 Rally
With high hopes that  the Caponord has left the electrical issues of old behind, we’re glad to see a bike which looks well-prepared to do a good job in tight situations. The wheels have wire spokes and this is probably one of the first good things we noticed. It’s really good to see that Aprilia has not jumped into the same bandwagon with other manufacturers who were eager to add cast rims and the adv-ish beak to the package. If beaks are your thing, the upcoming 2015 Suzuki V-Strom 650XA might fit the bill.

The changes in the aesthetic department are rather subtle, and they’re mostly influenced by the adventure pack-specific trim which includes a generous crashbar which goes all around the front end form one side to the other, a taller windscreen, auxiliary lighting, branded sidecases, hand protectors and a bash plate which appears to be aluminum, though I’d rather go with high-impact plastic.

He tank can accommodate 24 liters (6.3 US gal) of fuel, a rather usual capacity for a bike that’s supposed to travel long distances. There’s no protective grill in front of the radiator, even though such a feature is a must for adventure bikes. This accessory is not exactly expensive and could have easily been included in the standard trim.

Electronics ahoy!

Aprilia was not shy to load the latest electronic systems on the 2015 Caponord 120 Rally , most likely to keep up with what the competition is offering in the big-bore segment. The bike will arrive with switchable ABS, ride-by-wire, traction control and cruise control. Riders will be able to cycle through three engine mappings, most likely adapted for off-roading, touring and city.

Also on the high-tech list, Aprilia adds ADD (Aprilia Dynamic Damping), its patented proprietary dynamic suspension system which automatically adjusts the response according to the road surface and riding style.

Now, truth be told, the Caponord was never a big seller, because it was a very bulky, heavy machine, and the Rally only seems to be heavier, which limits its off-roading capabilities. Even more, the exhaust is positioned fairly low, and this is definitely got a good thing when it comes to wading streams or dropping the bike on difficult, rocky terrain. The front wheel is a 19” unit instead of the class-proven 21” rims, and the funny Conti Trail Attack tires witch which it seems to be delivered have absolutely no value when leaving the asphalt behind.

It’s good to see a (partially) revamped Caponord, but this bike just adds to the list of heavy machines which are more suitable for asphalt touring and just a tiny bit of gravel every now and then. The Caponord 1200 Rally  debuts officially next week at the Intermot and will be in showrooms in January 2015. I’m quite curious about the price, though.
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