MORINI X-CAPE RIDE TEST

#motocross #offroad #sports #streetfood
We’ve had the Moto Morini X-Cape in the shop for a few weeks now. It’s a bike that needs a destination; you can’t just go out on a lunch ride with something like this. It deserves a real adventure, something like a LaPaz run or at least a Backroads Discovery Route. Finally, we broke down and took it for a ride in the San Bernardino Mountains. That might not be what the bike deserves, but that’s what time allows–for now.If you don’t know what a Moto Morini is, that’s forgivable. It’s an Italian brand that was a very big deal in Europe back in the day, but never had much of a U.S. presence. In the ‘80s, Moto Morini became a part of the Cagiva group along with Husqvarna, Ducati and MV Agusta. Subsequently, it went through a number of ownership changes to eventually end up as part of an Asian investment group called Zhongneng. Now, the company maintains its design headquarters in Milan while manufacturing is in China.The X-Cape is an entry-level adventure bike, but it’s a beautiful machine. You can tell that the Italians still have significant influence–it wouldn’t look out of place in a Ducati dealership. The price is your first big clue that it’s no Ducati. The X-Cape has a suggested retail price of $8299. Right now there’s a deal for $1000 off (or a free luggage set). That puts the Morini in the same range as a Kawasaki KLR650, and it’s much more of a motorcycle. It has first-rate components; Brembo triple disc brakes, a fully adjustable Marzocchi fork and a KYB shock. The 17/19” wheel combo has spoked rims with double-walls that can accept tubeless tires. The tires themselves are Pirelli Scorpion Rally semi-knobs with excellent off-road capability. The cockpit has a 7-inch tablet as its primary instrument along with two USB ports and an adjustable windscreen. Our bike had an accessory aluminum skid plate.That’s probably the greatest part about the X-Cape. It doesn’t scare you–physically or financially. The obvious flaw with high-dollar adventure bikes is that you don’t want to push the edge–not with a fat, hungry payment book at home. The X-Cape sells for the price of a 125 motocross bike, so you can afford to get a little loose. We plan on taking the Morini someplace cool in the near future to see how it holds up on the long haul, so stay tuned. The test will appear in the March Buyer’s Guide issue of Dirt Bike.

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