New Aprilia Caponord 1200 revealed

Aprilia has resurrected the Caponord name with this all-new 1200cc V-twin adventure bike which packs cutting-edge technology including semi-active suspension, traction control and ABS.

The Italian firm hopes to muscle back into a market it hasn’t been able to compete in since the last of the old 999cc V-twin Caponords were sold and the model was discontinued.

Since then the market for adventure bikes is one of the few to actually keep growing in the midst of a falling sales and the global recession.

Aprilia is pinning the firm’s latest hopes on an adventure bike that is clearly aimed at the on-road market with only the off-road styling cues rather than having any real dirt ability.

Fully road-biased Dunlop RoadSmart tyres with a 190/55 rear size, 17 inch wheels front and rear and no ‘off-road’ setting lends weight to the rumour there is a second Caponord model coming in the future which will be more aimed at off road use.

Aprilia has done the sensible thing to keep development costs under control and taken much of the new bike’s parts from the existing Dorsoduro 1200 machine. That means the same frame, basic engine architecture, swingarm, suspension and brakes.

The fairing is wholly new though and takes the styling cues and triple headlight from the RSV4 superbike but combines it with the luggage carrying seat unit for hard luggage.