2015 Aprilia Caponord 1200 ABS Travel Pack

Design: Distinctive Design

• The typically Italian personality of the design combines with a slimline body and a sporting look that highlights the sheer style of the bike. The hand guards are especially useful and provide extra comfort when touring as do the side panels which have been designed be to unobtrusive but offer good protection. The relaxed upright riding position is the result of ergonomic research for a posture that allows the rider to completely control the bike without tiring over long distances. The design concept from the start was to make the panniers an integral part of the bike: this, along with deliberately positioning the silencer low in the layout contributes to significantly reducing overall bulk and provides the perfect position for the rider's legs. The set of color-coded panniers needs no additional brackets or fixings thus leaving the line of the bike clean when the panniers are removed.

Engine: Ultra Compact Twin

• The Aprilia V-twin engine has been significantly modified to better suit the engine characteristics and has been manufactured with highly advanced manufacturing technology. Great attention has been paid to internal flow dynamics to improve combustion, reduce friction and optimize performance. Even from low revs, the smooth power delivery improves rider comfort and enhances the riding experience thanks to the high degree of torque available. What this means is more fun with better fuel consumption figures.
• The triple engine mapping system, which the rider can select even with the bike in motion, lets the rider choose from three distinct personalities each of which can instantly adapt to any possible riding requirement. Touring: Fluid power delivery ideal for everyday riding and touring Sport: Maximum performance with smooth direct power delivery Rain: Maximum control and safety in conditions of poor grip

Frame: Handling and Stability

• The layout consists of a mixture of a high resistance tubular steel frame fastened to cast aluminum side plates. This configuration offers a perfect balance between weight and the optimal values of torsional and longitudinal stiffness which add to handling and stability. The new rear subframe ensures stability when traveling fully-loaded while the lateral positioning of the shock absorber which fastens the frame to the aluminum swingarm leaves plenty of room for the exhaust manifold. As part of the Caponord 1200 Travel Pack, the forks and shock absorber are electronically-controlled by the aDD (Aprilia Dynamic Damping) system.

Standard Features

• ABS, Aprilia Traction Control (aTC), Aprilia Dynamic Damping (aDD), Aprilia Cruise Control (aCC), central stand, painted side bags (29 and 29 l), full LCD instrument panel, adjustable windshield, hand guards

Technology: Maximum Sophistication and Reliability

• While the Caponord 1200 comes already fitted with a wide range of standard equipment, the Travel Pack version adds a set of 29 liter color-coded panniers, a center stand, aCC cruise control and the very latest aDD semi-active suspension system with the rear suspension being 100 percent active (the first motorbike with such a system). aDD (Aprilia Dynamic Damping) is the very latest electronic suspension control system developed by Aprilia and covered by four patents. It is the benchmark in the motorcycling world as regards technology, efficiency and reliability.
• aDD has Two Main Objectives: One is to maximize comfort and the other is to enhance the rideability and safety of the machine.
• The system measures the energy transmitted to the bike from the road surface and, in real time, adjusts the hydraulic calibration of the forks and shock absorber to always provide the best possible suspension settings depending on the riding style at that moment, the load being carried and the amount of grip available. To achieve maximum performance at any fork and shock absorber operating frequency, aDD uses a patented “MIX” “comfort oriented” algorithm which combines the principles of the well known skyhook and acceleration driven damping algorithms.
• In addition to comfort, rideability is also optimized and safety is increased thanks to further software strategies which are tied directly to the rider's actions. In fact, the system recognizes different riding phases (acceleration, throttle release, braking, and constant throttle) and adjusts the baseline fork and shock absorber settings thanks to yet another patent which allows specific hydraulic calibration curves to be defined within the adjustment range.
• Aprilia is also the first motorcycle manufacturer in the world to introduce a completely "active" shock absorber which can automatically its spring preload setting. The same multi-function digital instrument panel as fitted to the Caponord 1200 is also found on the Caponord 1200 Travel Pack.