The middleweight adventure market is hotting up with Yamaha, Aprilia and Triumph all fighting for the biggest slice of the pie and yet the Moto Morini X-Cape 650 should not be ignored.
The X-Cape is capable, practical and pleasing. It is somewhat basic, with no riding modes and it is also a little on the heavy side, but it’s a welcome £4000 cheaper than Aprilia’s Tuareg 660 and £1500 less than Triumph’s Tiger 660 Sport.
Many will be happy to have fewer bells and whistles, but more cash left in their pocket. But with a fully adjustable Marzocchi front end, Brembo brakes, Bosch ABS and Pirelli tyres as standard... there’s still a lot to like.
The Moto Morini is comfortable, boasts a decent build quality and certainly stands out from the crowd. And all for under £7000.
Where the Moto Morini X-Cape immediately stands out is when you climb aboard. Even with the taller of the two seat options (845mm or 820mm) you feel yourself nestling into the bike in a way that makes you feel at one with it, and it’s very well balanced.
This means the weight isn’t really an issue, even on gravel tracks or light trails. It’s slim and narrow just where it matters, making this a twin that thinks it’s a single in terms of its agile handling, and its carefully designed seat and flanks make it easy to ride standing up on the pegs.
It’s a genuine go-anywhere motorcycle and can tackle light off-road work without any difficulty. It will appeal to dirt-riding novices or those wanting to explore gravel trails or farm tracks.
The Morini is comfortable too, with adequate (if not exactly spacious) room for a passenger. Though the 845mm seat height may be a little tall for some shorter riders, it’s perfect for my 5ft 10in and getting both of your feet flat on the ground at a standstill is no problem at all.
Spec-wise, Marzocchi 50mm forks are fully adjustable, have 160mm of wheel travel and are set at a 25.5° rake, with a generous 123mm of trail. There’s 135mm of movement at the rear with the X-Cape’s aluminium swingarm working a direct-action KYB monoshock that’s adjustable for preload and rebound damping. Wheelbase is a rangy 1470mm.
Claimed wet weight is 232kg with the 18-litre tank at 90% capacity, which is pretty substantial compared to a full-tank Yamaha Ténéré 700 (205kg) or new Aprilia Tuareg 660 (204kg).
Though the Euro5-friendly 649cc, 59bhp parallel-twin engine needs to be revved for brisk progress, there’s a decent spread of torque. It's also made by Morini's Chinese neighbours CFMoto and acts as a stressed member in a robust-looking tubular steel frame.
The X-Cape pulls strongly from 2000rpm in sixth gear with smooth fuelling and zero transmission snatch.
There’s no trace of an abrupt pick-up from a closed throttle, just a smooth, liquid response which adds to the sense of controllability, and the X-Cape’s flawless gearshift and light clutch action make riding in traffic or off-road a breeze.
The parallel twin is torquey, free-revving and smooth, thanks to the single gear-driven counter balancer and hefty weights in the ends of the handlebars there’s no vibration at any revs, even when the needle heads towards the 10,500rpm rev limiter.
The delivery is pretty linear with a slight surge at 7000rpm. A 47bhp version is coming for A2 licence-holders, too. Because there’s still a conventional cable throttle it doesn’t have riding modes or traction control.
Moto Morini don’t have much of a presence in the UK. At the time of writing there are just three dealers, which could make servicing a bind, and none of them are carrying stock yet – although the bikes are due before long.
The X-Cape is also entering a challenging part of the market, up against some of Britain’s best-selling bikes where the competition is fierce and proven.
However, as the first Moto Morini to be developed under Zhongneng ownership the X-Cape is a simple yet effective all-round offering at a very tempting price, with a proven engine, ease of use and comfort, and decent build quality given its pricing. It looks pretty chippy too.
Don’t be put off by the slightly daft name, with decent build quality and distinctive design, the new Moto Morini is a pleasing and practical machine.
It’s reasonable value, too. Coming in at £6995, the Morini is £2500 cheaper than the best-selling middleweight adventure bike, Yamaha’s Ténéré 700, and £1500 below Triumph’s also new Tiger 660 Sport. It’s a bit like finding premium lager in that bargain-bin aisle at Aldi.
Despite the sub-£7000 price tag, the X-Cape boasts an impressive spec. The 7in full-colour TFT dash gives the bike a touch of modern class, while the tapered handlebars mounted on 60mm risers provide a commanding riding position.
I suppose you can get things serviced anywhere now and get spares off the web, but I like to be able to go and talk to/moan at/plead with an authorised dealer).
