2013 Aprilia Caponord 1200 Review – First Impressions

Aprilia is going after Ducati‘s Multistrada big time with the new Caponord 1200. It’s taken the V-Twin from its Dorsoduro 1200 model and tuned it for touring perfection with torque in all the right places. The Caponord 1200 is comfortable with a not too high seat and very good ergonomics. I tested the Travel Pack version which features hard luggage, a centerstand, ADD (Aprilia Dynamic Damping), traction control and ABS brakes.

The most impressive thing with the new Caponord is its handling abilities and how it all comes together with the extensive use of electronics. The Caponord 1200 makes any rider pretty fast from the word go. Solid is my impression of the super-stable chassis which stays calm in any situation, helped in a very large part by the ADD system.

There’s a very distinct sporty side to the Caponord 1200 – it’s definitely more sport-touring than adventure-touring. Aprilia have emphasized this fact by adding Dunlop Qualifiers as the standard tires. These pure-street tires provide a lot of grip through the corners, which adds to the bike’s sure-footedness.

All in all the Aprilia Caponord 1200 is a fantastic touring package. Much more to come in my full review.

[Photos by Milagro]

By Tor Sagen