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.
One year on, the Moto Morini XCape 650 remains my only motorcycle. Until a month or two ago, there was the more accessible, lighter and puppy dog friendly Himalayan for school runs or neighbourhood errands. There wasn’t any need to take the bulky Italian Adv to the bazaar. The Himmy’s been sold now however, and it’s only recently that I’ve started fully immersing myself in the Moto Morini X-perience! 😀
Getting X-Perienced on the Moto Morini!I wouldn’t call the XCape an everyday motorcycle, unless your commute involves roads like these!
I’ve listed here, some essential accessories which I added over the course of the year to make the motorcycle comfortable, accessible and more user friendly.
A good quality Aluminium top box (Hexa GT)
Hand Guards (Aftermarket)
Touring Screen (OEM)
Radiator Guard (Givi)
Tank Ring for Givi tank lock bags
Phone Mount (RAM/ Peak Design)
Side Stand Extender (Ducabike)
Auxiliary Lights (MadDog Scout)
Engine and Fairing Guard (OEM)
Engine Heat Shield (OEM)
While this isn’t a very big list, these accessories took time to come by, with the Italian stuff (Givi, Ducabike) taking months to get delivered. The delay was primarily due to the ‘make on order’ nature of the parts as these are not fast moving products. This gave me an idea about the rarity of this bike across markets- something one must consider, if you wish to own one.
With the ever popular Himmy 450- the XCape still needs to work its way into the global market. The touring screen adds to the big bike feel. Extremely good wind protection on the highway. The heat shield really works in gnarly Bangalore traffic!
How’s life with it, you may ask. I’d say ‘It’s alright’. This one ticks all the boxes. So far so good. No major issues. Some days of heavenly twin cylinder magic. Have not really felt any need to do any performance mods- filters, exhausts, ECU remaps and the like. I wouldn’t call the engine sweet- it’s a bit guttural, but smooth. It does the job.
What’s to watch out for in the everyday, you may ask. ‘Well everything’, I’ll say. For starters, it’s a heavy bike, which reveals itself in crawling, bumper to bumper traffic on our infamous ORR. Learn not to tip it over, else you’ll be handling roundabout 230kgs of dead weight, amongst unforgiving commuters.
The XCape manages to hold its own in the company of its larger cousins.
I’m super conscious of now parking the bike the right way- by reversing into the parking bay, especially by the side of the road. Not only does it give me greater visibility, it ensures I don’t struggle with the road camber while pulling out.
When does it shine then, you may ask- does it ever bring a smile to yer lips? Oh mostly every time, I’ll say. In any ride, there’s oodles of comfort, with the excellent suspension taking everything you throw at it. The clear screen and display is a joy to behold. The robust build quality of most parts is reassuring. And while throttle response is smooth and linear on the whole , once in a while, if you need to hustle, it won’t disappoint!
Standing with a Ninja 650, somewhere in TN. The engines are similar, with the Morini’s detuned to make better low end torque.
Should I buy it then, you may ask. Aye, but be well informed. Get yourself a sorted service centre first. Check out the accessories you may want to install and ensure they are available. And decide if you are comfortable owning what may be the first and last of its breed (I hear the XCape 700 is out, whether it makes it to India, is another story). And while you’re at it- get fitter, this ain’t no lightweight scrambler.
The Morini will happily take you to the end of the trail, to spots like these.
This weekend, I have finally let my beloved Royal Enfield Himalayan go. While it was not an easy decision, for once it wasn’t so much driven in the interest of economy.
The Himmy on its way out from my parking lot for the last time
I may have found a good owner for it, as time will tell. The decision to put the bike up for sale was a slow one. I was finding days to devote to motorcycling, few and far between, what with work and home commitments taking centre stage.
Essential Highway Companion
As I got more comfortable with the bulk, comfort and performance of the Morini, the Himalayan was getting sidelined as a choice of motorcycle on weekend rides. Moreover, a punishing commute to the busiest part of town, hampered by construction of the new Metro transit system, discouraged the use of either motorcycle for full week commutes.
To have two able horses in the stable and not use them effectively, is criminal. Hence decision to let go.
I’ll sorely miss the Himalayan but will fondly remember times spent with it.
This also marks the end to my considerably long association (13 years) with Royal Enfield, first while owning a Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 500 and then the Himalayan. I may not be done completely with RE though– some promising new launches on the next two years may prompt me to empty my pockets once more! 😀
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!
yonder blue mountain... 