It Is always excItIng to see a
new adventure motorcycle being launched in
the Indian market. with the x-cape 650, the
Moto Morini brand is offering two variants,
standard and x, which will allow customers to
choose on the basis of on their riding style.
the x variant is more off road-focused and
sports a set of spoked wheels as compared to
the cast alloy ones on the standard variant.
Both bikes get a 19-inch wheel at the front and
a 17-inch one at the rear. while we did not get
a ride on the standard variant, we spent a very
limited time astride the 650x.
the bike has a commanding stance with
those split leD headlight and daytime
running lights (DRl) giving it a unique
character. It sports a large 18-litre tank which
promises to ensure a good range before
refuelling is required. with a seat height of
845 millimetres and a kerb weight of 215
kilograms, the x variant is slightly tall and
heavy, even so it was manageable through the
slushy trails.
Powering the x-cape 650x is a 649-cc,
twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled motor that puts
out 60 hp at 8,250 revolutions per minute and
a peak torque of 54 nm at 7,000 rpm. this
motor is paired with a six-speed gearbox. we
are not in a position to comment on the nature
of this motor because we spent most of our
time on slippery off-road trails and were only
able to shuffle between the first and second
gears. From the little taste of the bike that I
got, it does have a decent amount of power
and was quite capable off road, too, although
there were a few vibrations post 5,000 rpm.
suspension duties are handled by a fully
adjustable Marzocchi upside-down (UsD)
fork at the front and a monoshock that is
adjustable for preload and rebound damping.
the two-piston Brembo calipers paired with
the dual 298-mm disc brakes provide great
stopping power and the Pirelli scorpion stR
tyres give a rider more confidence off road.
In terms of features, the x-cape gets a
really good-looking and large seven-inch
tFt dash with a lot of information and
premium switchgear to complement it. there
are two riding modes wherein the anti-lock
braking system (aBs) can be switched off in
the off-road mode. the bike supports phone
connectivity but misses out on navigation,
although there are two UsB charging ports
for added convenience on long rides. what
needs to be seen is the durability of the
product and, considering that this is a new
brand in our market, there will be limited
touchpoints for servicing. It does seem to be
a promising package but we need to test it
properly on road as well to bring you
further details.