The new Aprilia Caponord Rally will arrive in US dealerships in the next couple of weeks – but does the bike have the substance to to take on big-name rivals like the BMW R 1200 GS Adventure, the Ducati Multistrada 1200S, the KTM 1190 Adventure or the Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX? Click through to learn the answer.
2016 Aprilia Caponord Rally
The large-displacement adventure or street-enduro market is a growing and competitive one, with great machines from manufacturers like BMW, Ducati, KTM or Moto Guzzi. To be successful among these bikes, companies have to offer state-of-the-art technology, a powerful engine, great handling and comfort, and of course some off-road capabilities.
According to Aprilia, the new Caponord Rally can offer all this. The new Rally is based on the two-year-old Caponord but Aprilia’s inspiration was clearly the mighty BMW R 1200 GS Adventure. The “Rally” is essentially a new bike, more eclectic, more protective, and more comfortable.
The Caponord Rally with its large panniers
New features include spoked rims with an important 19″ size on the front, new hard panniers with aluminium covers, new oversized windshield, new engine guards, and supplementary LED lights. The larger front tire is more off-road friendly and the bike also has a semiactive suspension system called Aprilia Dynamic Damping (ADD). This regulates the suspension automatically, using data from sensors at front and rear.
Engine-wise, the Rally is powered by the same 1200cc V-Twin as the basic Caponord. The engine puts out 125 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 84.8 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,800 rpm and while these figures may sound a bit low to some considering its competitors (for example, the Multistrada has 160 hp), the R 1200 GS has tought us that horsepower isn’t that important in this category. Besides, the engine pulls nicely from low revs and stays smooth at the top end.
You can connect your phone to the Rally
Check these liquid-cooled cases for the BMW R 1200 GS out: 2013+ BMW R1200GS Liquid Cooled Vario side cases
From the electronics point of view, the Rally has plenty to offer: it features top of the line technological content such as ride-by-wire with three engine maps, traction control, cruise control and ABS (can be disengaged). The new Aprilia Caponord 1200 Rally uses the exclusive -active ADD suspension (Aprilia Dynamic Damping) system.
With previous generation electromechanically adjusted suspension systems, the rider electrically adjusted the suspension setup from a selector on the handlebar. With the Caponord 1200 Rally’s aDD system, however, all the rider has to do is ride. The system measures the forces transmitted to the vehicle from irregularities in the road surface, recognises the dynamic state of the vehicle (acceleration, wide-open-throttle, braking or cruising) and adapts the suspension setup accordingly in real time to maximise comfort and maintain ideal vehicle stability. ADD is the absolute highlight of the bike, it directly contributes to great handling and comfort, which are the two best aspects about the Caponord Rally.
The Caponord Rally is sporty even with its larger front tire
Its reasonably low weight (238 kg dry) also contributes to great handling, the Rally corners liably, and most importantly, it feels just as sporty as a standard Caponord. Thanks to its relatively low seat, the Rally is very comfortable on longer rides. Aprilia retained the Caponord’s 6.3-gallon (24 liters) fuel tank which should give you a range of about 200 miles (320 km).
The Rally is a versatile and stylish bike what how does it compare to its competitors? The BMW R 1200 GS and the KTM 1190 Adventure have the edge on the road but they are considerably more expensive. The Ducati 1200 Multistrada is much more sportier than the Rally and costs a bit less while the Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX offers less performance but more charm.
See this aftermarket seat for the Multistrada: DUCATI MULTISTRADA (2009-2012) TRIBOSEAT ANTI-SLIP PASSENGER SEAT COVER ACCESSORY
The Aprilia Caponord 1200 Rally is one hell of a package
The Rally is already available on Europan markets but the bike will arrive in US dealerships in the next couple of weeks. Price tag: $15,695.
