A potential new middleweight adventure motorcycle has been unveiled, as the Moto Morini X-Cape ADV-R is announced. The bike is being touted as a concept for now, although it doesn’t take a vivid imagination to see this being Moto Morini’s next halo model.
Launched earlier this year, the Moto Morini X-Cape was the Italian firm’s first modern-day foray into the middleweight adventure sector. That said, its definition as an ADV bike was a little misleading, with Morini themselves pointing out that the machine was aimed at on-road touring and ‘light’ off-road work.
That direction could be altered in the future though, as Moto Morini has flipped the road sign and pointed the X-Cape down a dirt track, and the ADV-R is revealed.
The basis of the bike is very close to that found on the stock machine, although the concept wears aggressive off-road hoops, engine and bodywork protection bars, an increase in the seat height, and a trick SC-Project Racing exhaust system. More changes come in the form of revised bodywork, offering more protection to the rider, an aluminium sump guard, and shrouded brake discs for the rough and tumble of off-road riding. On the technology front, the ADV-R also gains a top-fairing extension that is fitted with an off-road-ready Garmin satnav to keep you on the right track.
Will the Moto Morini X-Cape ADV-R make it to production?
It’s not clear what the purpose of the ADV-R is at this time, and it could go one of two ways. Either the firm will see the light, hear the call of adventure motorcycle fans and put the thing into production, either as a limited-run machine or not. Or, they may ride on the wave of enthusiasm of the news of the bike and use it to peddle some aftermarket accessories, effectively giving riders the chance to spec-up their existing X-Cape to ADV-R level.
For more information on the Moto Morini X-Cape range, head to the official website.
