Aprilia shows off its Mana X concept

Click above for more shots of the Aprilia Mana X concept

Aprilia went out on a limb when it designed its brand-new Mana 850 by equipping the standard-style machine with a CVT shiftless transmission. The rest of the bike isn't quite as revolutionary, but interesting features such as a large storage unit big enough to house a helmet where the gas tank would normally sit and an electronic ride-by-wire system that features multiple throttle maps allow the bike to stand out as an excellent commuter. All of that technology, along with Aprilia's first in-house developed V-Twin engine, was most definitely expensive to develop, and parent-company Piaggio surely wants to recoup that money as quickly as possible.

Variations on the Mana's basic theme are to be expected, and the first one is the Mana X concept bike that comes from the EICMA show Milan. While the same basic chassis underpins the X, everything the rider touches has been tweaked or completely redesigned. It's tough to pigeonhole the X with one particular label, as its design seems influenced by dirt trackers, scramblers and supermotos. Whatever the case, it definitely looks like it would be a blast to ride.