Driving report Aprilia ETV 1000 Caponord

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Driving report Aprilia ETV 1000 Caponord

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In the sports sector, they rose from the ashes with the 1000 Rotax engine like a phoenix. Aprilia will have the same success with the Caponord in the big travel enduros?

Powerful words can be read in Aprilia’s press release: Caponord ?? a completely new type of motorcycle in terms of dimensions, features, use, riding style and riding position. Sounds almost like the Italians reinvented the wheel. It’s not that blatant. The designers from Noale only had the task of positioning the new 1000 in the Olympus of travel enduro bikes. And should at best teach fear to the gods. Up there, where the air is particularly thin, between the BMW R 1150 GS, Cagiva Navigator, Honda Varadero and Triumph Tiger. So clear guidelines and not an easy undertaking.
But the Caponord has good genes. After all, the heart of the powerful RSV-Mille beats in her. The drive built by Rotax has been fundamentally revised in essential details to make it appealing to the touring and travel enduro fan base ?? with a lot of bang from below and robust power output in the middle speed range. To achieve this, the pistons were reshaped, the compression ratio decreased, the camshaft lift increased and the diameter of the intake ports reduced. In conjunction with a new electronic injection control and nozzles and a stainless steel exhaust system designed for high torque at low speeds, the 60-degree V-engine should now have enough punch and culture to climb the podium of the travel enduro high society. It remains to be seen whether the 72 kW (98 PS) at 8250 / min and 97 Nm at 6250 / min are sufficient.
But performance is not everything. It must also be manageable. This only works in conjunction with a stable chassis: a 50 millimeter thick, torsion-resistant Marzocchi fork takes over the front suspension, a progressively articulated Sachs shock absorber at the rear. At 175 millimeters at the front and 185 millimeters at the rear, the suspension travel is on par with the competition. A bridge frame made of aluminum profiles should ?? according to Aprilias information ?? come up with the highest torsional stiffness in the field of thick-ship travel enduros. And in addition, accommodate the engine in such a way that it is optimally in the center of the center of gravity. Okay, that sounds very promising. But let’s come from the Tiffosi dream to reality.
It is the beginning of March. While the first crocuses are hesitantly sticking their heads out of the grass in cloud-shrouded Germany, the sun-drenched southern Sardinia smells of spring. And adventure. The Caponord will ?? what a contradiction? presented almost at the southernmost point of the island. But the name is just supposed to awaken biker dreams, the ETV 1000 could also have been called Capetown or Gibraltar.
The visual impression left by the machine is ambiguous. The huge headlight, together with the indicators integrated in the fairing, are reminiscent of the faces of the little characters from a movie: Gremlins. A mix of cuddly toy and bat. Not seen? Missed nothing. The styling of the Caponord is edgy and sloping throughout, a very unique character. With the exception of the passenger footrests. These look like a foreign body, as if they were bent and welded to it afterwards. Small maintenance work can be done easily. The oil level can be checked at a glance by means of an external, transparent tube, and the refill nozzle is easily accessible. This also applies to the cooling water. The headlight can be adjusted relatively easily, as is the spring preload of the strut ?? by handwheel via hydraulics. The seat bench is divided to expand the storage space, and the pillion cushion can be removed, as with some BMW R models. Unfortunately the luggage hooks are missing. A main stand is not yet available, the case system will only be available from summer. Cost: around 1000 marks. The base price of the vehicle is 20,999 marks. Without a cat. Well, bargain weeks are over.
An old folk wisdom can also be transferred to the touring area: As you make a bed, that’s how you ride. In the case of the Caponord: pleasant and comfortable. The bench seat welcomes you almost comfortably, hugs the driver in ?? for this vehicle category ?? pleasantly low seat height of 820 millimeters. The handlebars are very wide, the seating position ?? and that is what the designers attached great importance to ?? fits all driver sizes. Colleague Allner, a 2.03 meter man, can confirm that. The optimal knee grip thanks to the narrow tank, the adjustable brake and clutch levers and the ergonomically shaped seat all contribute to the excellent comfort.
The rumble of the 1000 V engine is unfortunately lost in the meandering exhaust and the rear silencers. The hydraulically operated clutch is very sensitive to metering, the gears lock precisely and easily. The Caponord swings lightly through the first corners. Only when turning maneuvers, in which the 1000s have to be juggled while stationary, or in shunting operations, do their weight and high center of gravity become apparent: Aprilia mentions 215 kilograms dry ?? around 245 will be filled with all operating materials.
From 2500 rpm the engine pushes forward vigorously, animating 1000 revs later to shift up. Then you emotionally reach torque heights from which you can no longer move away. With the agility of a mouse-chasing cat, the 1000 series sprints out of the curves, can be turned precisely, hits the desired line. On the other hand, she doesn’t really like extremely tight turns and gives in a bit stubbornly. The slightly existing load change reactions are acoustically accompanied by a metallic noise from the clutch basket in the transition to pushing operation: the anti-slip mechanism. But that is just as disruptive as the vibrations of the thousand. Compared to a Varadero or Navigator, it runs rougher, despite its two balance shafts. However, there can be no question of annoying expressions of life.
The sometimes quite wavy roads of Sardinia do not bring the chassis to its limits. Not even with a two-centur as a pillion passenger. The mighty fork is very sensitive, works comfortably and offers reserves. Even without adjustment. The same applies to the shock absorber, although this also has a rebound adjustment in addition to the hydraulic spring preload. On gravel paths with holes the size of a bucket, the spring elements leave a very good impression in solo operation, ironing almost everything smooth. However, five quintals of mass cannot be concealed. Once the bow is oversteered, the stern breaks out too much, then the end is off-road. There is praise for the easy-to-dose brakes? not poisonous, but with the necessary bite and standing qualities. The driver, on the other hand, has to have a willingness to take on when it comes to turbulence in the head area. At higher speeds, turbulence occurs behind the windshield that is annoying in the long run.
E.It’s late afternoon and the clock in the display of the lavishly equipped cockpit is warning you to fly back to Germany. In addition to the total and trip odometer, it provides clear information about the fuel level, cooling water temperature, upcoming inspections and any malfunctions in the injection system. The special feature: if the temperature drops below three degrees Celsius, an ice warning appears. In order to check this, MOTORRAD actually had to move the test drive towards the North Cape. The temperature in Sardinia was 26 degrees.

Technical data – APRILIA ETV 1000 Caponord

Engine: Water-cooled two-cylinder, four-stroke, 60-degree V engine, transverse crankshaft, two balance shafts, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, dry sump lubrication, electronic intake manifold injection, Ø 47 mm, engine management, double ignition, no exhaust gas cleaning , Electric starter, three-phase alternator 470 W, battery 12 V / 14 Ah. Bore x stroke 97 x 67.5 mm, displacement 998 cm³, compression ratio 10.4: 1, rated output (ECE) 72 kW (98 PS) at 8300 rpm, max. Torque 97 Nm (9.9 kpm) at 6300 rpm Power transmission: primary drive via gears, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain, secondary ratio 45:17 mm, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum profiles, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base, rebound damping, double disc brake at the front, four-piston calipers, floating brake discs, Ø 300 mm, rear disc brake, two-piston caliper floating brake disc, Ø 270 mm. Spoked wheels 2.50 x 19; 4.00 x 17 tires 110/80 VR 19; 150/70 VR 17 Chassis data: wheelbase 1560 mm, steering head angle 62 degrees, caster 129 mm, suspension travel f / h 175/185 mm. Dimensions and weights L / W / H * 2310/830/1440 mmSeat height * 820 mmWeight dry * 215 kgTank capacity / reserve * 25/5 liter guarantee two years with unlimited mileage Colors black, red, silver Price including VAT and additional costs 20,999 marks * Manufacturer’s information

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