When you own a motorcycle for a very long time (read 9+ years), you tend to personalise it a bit. In the case of my Himalayan, as many of this blog’s posts will prove, I made changes almost every summer. After accessorising the bike to the gills- with auxiliary lights, crash guards, top box, tank side mounted luggage, hard panniers etc, I ended up stripping it down and settled on the lightest avatar of the bike for the last two years of ownership. Over time, it’s dawned on me, I’ve been happiest and most content with lightweight versions of all the motorcycles I’ve owned.
The Himalayan in its touring avatar
When I purchased the Moto Morini X-Cape 650, I was perhaps blind to this particular aspect of my motorcycle ownership. To my mind, the Italian Adv was already cumbersome at 215 kgs, and I was concerned about tipping it over. On went the assortment of crash guards, including hefty side bars to the fairing. Even though I found these in poor taste, I justified putting these on as a mount for auxiliary lights, and for the rare instance when these would save the fairing from impact. I told myself I needed auxiliary lights to ride in pitch dark (or in rain). A well crafted (read heavy) aluminium top box was of-course essential, to accommodate my laptop bag and other knick-knacks on daily commutes. Now this top box, sat on a fairly robust rear rack with a solid steel plate under-mount. Some flawed logic informed me that heavy adventure motorcycles are well balanced by design to carry top boxes and large aluminium panniers- I should not feel the drag like I used to on the Himalayan.
The touring ready X-Cape with extra guards, aux lights, top box etc.
More than 6 months of using the bike in this format, has me convinced otherwise. As the first year of ownership rolled by, I took stock of how comfortable I was, handling the bike. I realised, I’ve just been a tad hasty in my ‘speccing up’ the bike to make it ‘tour ready’. Mind you, I haven’t been on any tours yet. I have been on day rides which included short off road sections-where the bike hasn’t inspired a lot of confidence. I reckon the ‘don’t drop the new bike’ anxiety prevails- in-spite of all the extra protection with crash bars, engine guards and the like, I am still hesitant and super careful, even on the lightest trails. All of this added weight, suddenly didn’t make sense. One day, on a whim, I started removing these accessories one by one. I never put them on a scale, but am fairly certain I removed around 15kgs from the machine!
The XCape 650 in its simple avatar. No heavy top box, clean rear three quarters
Familiarity with the motorcycle should mean I can slowly up-skill my riding and start using the bike to its full potential. One week of rides sans the upper crash bars, aux lights, top box and the rear mount transformed the way the bike handled, and the way it made me feel. I’ve retained what I’d call the real essentials for crash protection-a compact OEM engine guard with sliders, aftermarket hand guards with aluminium bars, stock rear rack and the sump guard. I will look at ways to reduce more, but for now, I’m loving the newfound sense of comfort, agility and lightness.
For short rides, the Givi tank bag is excellent. Longer tours will have to make do with compact soft luggage.
The MotoMorini XCape 650 and yours truly.The XCape is built to savour tarmac like this at all manner of speeds!
My foray into the middleweight adventure biking segment has been fraught with indecisive reflection. Every time a motorcycle caught my fancy, I would beeline to the showroom and take a test ride. Each one would fail to tick one box or the other. I realised that no single motorcycle would be absolutely perfect, but the near perfect choices, like the BMW GS 850 or the Triumph Tiger 850, were too dear a price to pay, and not very suited for everyday use in our traffic conditions.
Early on this year, to put a rest to this indecisive streak, I parked my money on the newly launched Honda NX500, a fairly capable machine that would have been excellent for everyday commuting or long haul touring. Alas, when the bike was due for delivery, Honda pulled off the stock from the country, with no certainty on future stock. This was extremely frustrating for buyers and quite typical of the manufacturer. I guess they are happy selling scooters in what’s probably one of their largest markets. Must make financial sense somewhere in their upper echelons in Minato!
While quite impressed with the Royal Enfield 650 twins, I never really saw them as a step up from the Himalayan. Now with the Honda out of the way, I started seriously considering buying a Continental GT, with the intent to continue keeping the Himmy for off-road use and touring when needed. I would have put this plan into action, had a tiny article on one corner of a motorcycle website not caught my eye. The tiny article claimed that Moto Morini, the resurrected Italian marque, had slashed prices for their flagship Adventure motorcycle, the XCape 650.
I swear I’d never heard of the brand before. But one look at the motorcycle immediately got me interested to dive deeper. The bike is just stunning to look at, no questions asked.
Deep dive and it gets revealed this is a long lived Italian brand which was established in 1937, and produced some interesting and powerful motorcycles through to the late 2010s. In the last three decades it changed ownership from Italian to the American owners of Cagiva and Ducati and finally the Chinese owners of Benelli and Keeway. I then scour the internet for reviews and fail to find any real negative feedback. All long term users are pretty thrilled with the motorcycle. It’s a good, value for money, no nonsense all rounder that comes with Marzocchi and KYB fully adjustable suspension, Brembo brakes and Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres. That’s a lot of top end, high quality Italian hardware which I quite like the sound of, thank you very much.
It’s a windy day on Nice Road on the outskirts of Bengaluru, as I head out for a breakfast ride on my newly acquired XCape 650, in the company of friends. I’m cruising at around 60kph, taking it easy, unsure about how the bike will perform today, it’s first time on the highway. All of the indecision, all of the waiting, comes down to this moment. I gun the throttle as the road opens up. At running in, I’m supposed to top out in the 5500rpm whereabouts. The rev counter climbs slowly past 3000 rpm. I slot into 5th gear. I can hear a burble coming on. The bike has a super linear power band- it doesn’t like to hustle. I’m fine with that. What happens next surprises me. As I slot into 6th around 3200 rpm, I feel a strong midrange coming on. The burble has turned into a roar. 4000 rpm. The bike crosses 100kph. 5000 rpm. The bike crosses 120kph. Dare I push it to the running in limit? Not yet. There’s a lot of give to the throttle yet. I’m delirious. I wonder what 9000rpm will feel like. This here is a beautiful motorcycle.
I catch movement in the air above. A large graceful peacock sails by overhead, gliding down towards the Bannerghatta Forest Reserve, on the left. It’s a rare and beautiful sight to see this bird in the air. For me it’s a moment of epiphany! Here I am, saddled into my new Moto Morini, and a Mor (peacock) passes by in what I infer as divine acknowledgment. (Morni/ Morini is a Hindi term for the female peacock (peahen)). Wow, I say to myself.
At Sabbanahalli lake outside Bangalore
I’ve done a 1000 kms on the bike now. Here’s first impressions after a couple of highway rides and a good amount of 40km round commutes. If you are in search of a decent middleweight, I’d recommend this bike basis these differentiators that make it stand apart from the competition.
1. Design
The standout feature of the bike is its design. There’s nothing quite like this in the market. It’s edgy and graceful at the same time. The red and white colourways are striking to say the least! The grey is more muted, but holds its own when not in the company of the other two.
2. Tech Features
The bike has a well designed cockpit and a pretty decent screen with good information readout. Ride modes are limited to road and off road, with no electronic settings to either engine or suspension. The off road mode enables one to switch off the ABS. An app enabled feature allows Bluetooth connectivity for navigation, music and phone calls. Tyre pressure monitoring is standard. I haven’t explored all screen modes yet (there are some more), but all in all, feels like a well thought through package.
There are some very practical adjustments provided for the clutch and brake lever (distance to bars/ play), clutch cable pull, handlebar and windshield positions. The front inverted fork Marzocchi suspension and the rear KYB is fully adjustable for preload, rebound and compression.
3. Ergonomics and Comfort
The long travel adjustable front and rear suspension, firm seat, wide bars and an ‘in the bike’ seating position are the highlights of what I would call near perfect ergonomics. Standing ergonomics are very good too. Vertically challenged riders could opt for the lower 810mm high seat, if uncomfortable, as this is a tall motorcycle.
4. The Weight
213kgs of dry weight. This is no light adv. However, it’s the way the weight is balanced that is an absolute delight. You don’t feel it at all when riding. Parking the bike and moving it around with the motor off, takes some getting used to, but is manageable. I haven’t really tried handling it on trails, so that’s a discovery waiting to happen.
5. The Engine
The 649 cc twin cylinder ER6N based design is built by CF Moto. The engine has a peak torque of 54NM at 7000 rpm and peak power of 60bhp at around 8250 rpm. The state of tune makes this bike extremely likeable and friendly in the city. I’ll be able to talk more about its highway capabilities in a few months time. However, whatever I’ve experienced so far, guarantees this to be an unstressed engine, built for munching miles. The engine heats up to manageable levels in very congested traffic. Now with a thousand kms in, the heat is much less noticeable.
6. The Ride
Right, this is what it all comes down to. This is where I feel, the bike shines. This is an incredibly friendly bike. The power is very linear, to the extent that experienced riders may call it lazy. This suits me fine though, as after eight years on 411 Himmy, my riding style is less ambitious when it comes to throttle action. All that matters is that the punch is available when required. And loads of it. The bike outclasses many others in its price range when it comes to the ride quality, handling and braking. In the city, the bike is flickable. It took me a day or two to realise that while this is a big bike, it’s also a tall and quite slim bike. The overall width of the fairing is not more than some scooters or the KTM Adv390. This makes filtering through gaps in traffic relatively easy. None of that big bike clumsiness.
Gear shifts are an interesting thing. Slot into first gear, and it does so with a resounding clunk. So much so you wonder if it’s going to fall apart. I have noticed other two wheeler riders staring at me when hearing this clunk as traffic starts moving! From then on though you hardly feel the gears. Shifts are super smooth.
I’ve had limited experience on a section of fast twisties, and this machine was a hoot on them. The Pirelli Scorpion tyres are grippier than ever. The Brembo brakes are absolutely spot on. The body balance is very well defined with the bike never feeling top heavy. My only gripe at the moment is that I’m riding the bike with the optional touring handle bar which comes stock on the XCape 650 sold in India. The flat and more aggressive handlebar which is available on the XCape 650X model, would be the right tool to exploit this bike to its full potential. Hope to get that installed soon!
7. Service and Support
Come decision making time, the key factor which I looked at was the spares and service support available in the city and elsewhere. I found a good dealer on Richmond Road, where both the sales and Service team were extremely patient and helpful in answering all my questions and clearing my doubts. The elephant in the room, of course was quickly dealt with. I say this without an intent to start any debates, let’s face it. Something of Everything, is made in China. The bike is completely designed in Italy, as is evident. Assembly is in Italy and China. The Indian enterprise, Aadishwar Auto, has a ground up assembly plant in Hyderabad. This means that all inspections, pre assembly to pre delivery happens in India. The engine oil specifications and service intervals are changed to suit Indian riding conditions. Other brands like Benelli and Keeway (from Hungary) which have been brought into India by the same group have had moderate success, but are firmly established for the last ten years. All of this was extremely assuring. As I write this, I’m done with the first service and have faced no major niggles.
In the cockpit. This is a tall bike. It’s also a slim bike. A boon in the cityIn the company of its Italian cousins. The grey colour looks better at night.
The bike does have some teething issues. There are sensors all over, some of which are over sensitive to moisture. Most of these are quick fixes at the service centre. Videos on You Tube claim the windshield to be an easy adjust. It isn’t.
One thing that I’m unsure of at this time are the lights. It may be a beam adjustment issue, which I need to check, but if isn’t, then it’s a case of the lights being ‘good from far, far from good’. What I mean is the bike looks terrific coming up in your rear view mirror, courtesy the sleek DRLs and powerful high beam. However come night time, the same high (and low) beams are a complete washout. This is worse if you are riding in the rain at night. I had to make my way through traffic relying solely on the headlights of other vehicles! This is one to check and confirm on.
The screen takes an enormous amount of time to start up, thereby delaying your finger itching to press ignition. I’m told this is something I’ll have to live with. Well this means you ought to always have a head start when you are on group rides. 😊
But like I said at the beginning, my years of waiting and trying out bikes proved to me that there’s no perfect motorcycle. The perfect motorcycle is the one you are riding at the moment. I’ll think of the XCape 650 as this in the moment bike. It’s certainly not spoiling the moment! Here’s for more to come!
It’s December, 2020 and here in India, scientists say, we have peaked the pandemic. We have learnt to live the ‘new normal’. Being cooped up, working from home, ordering groceries in and living the socially distanced life, takes physical and mental toll. Eventually we got fed up. We started venturing out, with due precautions, either for a drive to my sister’s place out of town or for a spin around the neighbourhood. I also started riding, mostly on Sundays, with a group of old friends from the workplace.
Motorcycling is a great way to maintain social distance. Inside my helmet, behind my mask, I’m in my own little world, away with thoughts, munching miles at 70 kph. I’m comfortably snug in my riding gear, the tall visor doing a great job of deflecting windblast. The big hearted Italian twin I’m riding is purring gently along the highway that connects Bangalore to the west coast. A slight twist of the throttle, catapults me to 168kph in a heartbeat. The torque on this engine, is enormous! And man, this stallion is fast, as is sure footed. I’m riding my friend’s Ducati Multistrada 950, while he’s trying hard to keep up on the bike I switched, a Honda CBR 250R. The little quarter litre single is smooth and can whack up a good pace, but its 26 horses are no match for the 113 raging stallions of the Italian. It’s such a beauty, this gleaming red firebird on wheels, and I can’t help but grin from ear to ear, everytime I feel the torque wave.
We are headed back to the city from an early morning ride to Belur Cross. Today was a good day, out here in the open, after many dull, housebound days. A long ride out in the country, was just what the doctor ordered. For once, I did not wake up to more depressing news, but was up at dawn with eagerness that befits a long awaited motorcycle ride. We have two friends on Ninja 650s, and another Ducati 950 Multistrada to keep us company.
At Belur cross we stop for coffee. I take the newer Ninja 650 for a quick spin. This is such an incredibly friendly bike. It puts you at ease immediately. The bike is extremely flickable, and I remember an earlier occasion where I rode comfortably through town in dense traffic, without breaking a sweat. The second big positive is the heat management- I never felt the engine heat near my legs. I would venture so far to say, that the cooling system is better than any other similar bike I’ve ridden. I prefer the bigger bike feel and touring friendliness of the older model – we had a 2013 model on the ride with us. This one with its single sided rear monoshock, taller windscreen and flamboyant green and black livery, is to my mind, a beautiful motorcycle. This would have also been a great bike to pick up as a second owner, had it come with ABS as standard. In this day and age, for a decently agile and fast sports tourer like this, it’s a big miss. The latest Ninja 650 has righted these wrongs, and is a delight to ride, but somehow is not as evocative as the previous model.
This breakfast ride in the company of larger bikes, and a subsequent one on which I rode my Himalayan to TM Hills, with the gang, got me thinking. While for the moment, the Himalayan is an answer to all my motorcycling needs, some time in the near future, I do aspire to add a larger hearted sibling to give it company. Which then, would be the second set of wheels I should start planning for?
When thinking about the another bike, I’m certain about this. The bike has to be a machine for everyday use. I know enough motorcyclists, who’ve spent big bucks to acquire their dream machine, but use it sparingly on weekends to avoid struggling in city snarls in the ever evolving traffic situation. The seasonal condition of our highways dictates the route chosen for these weekend outings as a straight run down the interstate to a coffee stop and a boring, straight run back. Head off the highway, onto smaller dirt roads, and the bikes start showing their limitations. If they’ve bought a large cruiser (read Harley Davidson), its a beast to handle. If they’ve bought a sports bike, it starts showing its delicate side. The suspension’s not up for it, and neither are your wrists or butt. Granted, my friends on their Multistradas would be grinning and gunning at this point. But they would be cautious too, as the trail gets tougher- the last thing they can afford is the thing ending up on its side. This is where I feel, the Himalayan has been a really good fit for me. Its a daily use bike. And it can take punishment without punishing your wallet. But it has its own limitations. On good roads, I need it to be generating upwards of 40 horsepower, which it woefully does’nt. And its fabled low end torque, is just not enough for a full fledged tour with pillion- as many folks have told me.
The Himalayan is great on trails…and adequate on tarmac… as long as you are riding solo. With a pillion its 20 horses short, at the very least.
All this ruminating has got me convinced, what I really need is decent middle weight. A 500cc to 800cc twin cylinder motorcycle that does’nt weigh a ton. A bike that’s as easy to flick round a street corner, as round a bend in the trail. A motorcycle that has enough torque to carry rider, pillion and hard luggage all the way to Timbuktoo, at a decent clip. A bike I can improve my DIY skills on. A machine to look long and hard at, every time I come back from a ride. A machine to love more, every single day. A choice of wheels that does’nt warrant second thought for the tarkari run to the bazaar, or to a client meeting in Bangalore’s Central Business District. A vehicle that’s always preferable to my car.
It’s a tall ask. And these are trying times. However, 2020 has been the year of some promising new launches. And 2021 promises to be even more so. So I’ll keep adding to the brief. And hope that some day soon, in sunnier times, little Himalyan can ride out with a bro he can really look up to.
yonder blue mountain... 