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Aprilia's big-bore dual-sport contender, the Caponord, is yet another brilliant take on the genre - you'll go places you normally wouldn't dream of. AMT's Mark Fattore investigates. | Aprilia's big-bore dual-sport contender, the Caponord, is yet another brilliant take on the genre - you'll go places you normally wouldn't dream of. AMT's Mark Fattore investigates. | ||
There is a strong pedigree in the dualsport class these days, and Aprilia's ETV1000 Caponord - named after Scandinavia's North Cape - is right amongst it. Why, it's full of cunning, opportunism and daring - melded with just a touch of larrikin. On that premise, you'd think that the Caponord and its dualsport cohorts - the [[BMW R1150GS]], [[Triumph Tiger]], Suzuki V-Strom and [[Cagiva Navigator]] - would be able to infiltrate the Australian psyche just a little more than they have been able to thus far. Sure, the class is not moribund, but it's not a cause celebre either, with sales best described as moderate next to their sports bike siblings. | There is a strong pedigree in the dualsport class these days, and Aprilia's ETV1000 Caponord - named after Scandinavia's North Cape - is right amongst it. Why, it's full of cunning, opportunism and daring - melded with just a touch of larrikin. On that premise, you'd think that the Caponord and its dualsport cohorts - the [[BMW R1150GS]], [[Triumph Tiger]], [[Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom]] and [[Cagiva Navigator]] - would be able to infiltrate the Australian psyche just a little more than they have been able to thus far. Sure, the class is not moribund, but it's not a cause celebre either, with sales best described as moderate next to their sports bike siblings. | ||
I, for one, hope the relationship between the big trailies and the buying public has reached a nadir, because I reckon the Caponord represents the antithesis of sports bike riding - the ability to head to a rustic pub deep in the bush, complete with compliant suspension, long-haul fuel range, plenty of leg room, weather protection, great ergonomics, 50 Liters of pannier capacity, and adequate accommodation for a beloved. And arriving at a destination without having to repatriate your arse to a local masseuse for attention before you can sit down for dinner. | I, for one, hope the relationship between the big trailies and the buying public has reached a nadir, because I reckon the Caponord represents the antithesis of sports bike riding - the ability to head to a rustic pub deep in the bush, complete with compliant suspension, long-haul fuel range, plenty of leg room, weather protection, great ergonomics, 50 Liters of pannier capacity, and adequate accommodation for a beloved. And arriving at a destination without having to repatriate your arse to a local masseuse for attention before you can sit down for dinner. |