We’ve had the Moto Morini X-Cape within the store for just a few weeks now. It’s a motorcycle that wants a vacation spot; you may’t simply exit on a lunch trip with one thing like this. It deserves an actual journey, one thing like a LaPaz run or at the least a Backroads Discovery Route. Finally, we broke down and took it for a trip within the San Bernardino Mountains. That may not be what the bike deserves, however that’s what time permits–for now.
If you don’t know what a Moto Morini is, that’s forgivable. It’s an Italian model that was a really large deal in Europe again within the day, however by no means had a lot of a U.S. presence. In the ‘80s, Moto Morini grew to become part of the Cagiva group together with Husqvarna, Ducati and MV Agusta. Subsequently, it went by plenty of possession adjustments to finally find yourself as a part of an Asian funding group referred to as Zhongneng. Now, the corporate maintains its design headquarters in Milan whereas manufacturing is in China.
The X-Cape is an entry-level journey bike, but it surely’s a gorgeous machine. You can inform that the Italians nonetheless have vital affect–it wouldn’t look misplaced in a Ducati dealership. The worth is your first large clue that it’s no Ducati. The X-Cape has a instructed retail worth of $8299. Right now there’s a deal for $1000 off (or a free baggage set). That places the Morini in the identical vary as a Kawasaki KLR650, and it’s far more of a motorbike. It has first-rate elements; Brembo triple disc brakes, a totally adjustable Marzocchi fork and a KYB shock. The 17/19” wheel combo has spoked rims with double-walls that may settle for tubeless tires. The tires themselves are Pirelli Scorpion Rally semi-knobs with wonderful off-road functionality. The cockpit has a 7-inch pill as its main instrument together with two USB ports and an adjustable windscreen. Our bike had an adjunct aluminum skid plate.
When you trip the bike off-road it’s a gasoline. The energy is clean and the Bosch gasoline injection is seamless. It’s not probably the most highly effective journey bike–the motor is a 649cc twin manufactured by CF Moto. It makes about 60 horsepower, which is a lot within the dust. Right now, the ADV world is filled with preposterously highly effective bikes that want traction management and varied trip modes simply to be manageable. The X-Cape occupies that center floor the place refined using aids aren’t particularly helpful. It nonetheless makes sufficient energy to stroll away from KLR 650s and Japanese 600cc dual-sport bikes with ease, but it surely gained’t problem a KTM 690 Enduro or a Husky 701. All of these bikes are singles, in fact, and weigh significantly much less. In the world of twins, the one two bikes we’ve examined on this vary are the Suzuki V-Strom 650 and the Benelli TRK502. The Suzuki has barely extra energy than the Morini, which has noticeably greater than the Benelli.
Both the Suzuki and the Benelli are far more avenue oriented than the X-Cape. The Morini displays some actual off-road engineering. The using place feels pure and the suspension isn’t half unhealthy. It feels fairly comfortable at low speeds, though it’s arrange a bit of too delicate for a quick tempo. It does have a sure vary of adjustability–way over you’d anticipate for a motorcycle on this worth vary. Overall, it handles surprisingly nicely. The entrance finish sticks and the rear finish slides easily and predictably with out getting scary.
That’s in all probability the best half in regards to the X-Cape. It doesn’t scare you–bodily or financially. The apparent flaw with high-dollar journey bikes is that you simply don’t wish to push the sting–not with a fats, hungry cost e book at residence. The X-Cape sells for the worth of a 125 motocross bike, so you may afford to get a bit of unfastened. We plan on taking the Morini someplace cool within the close to future to see the way it holds up on the lengthy haul, so keep tuned. The take a look at will seem within the March Buyer’s Guide concern of Dirt Bike.
see you subsequent week!
