Cabrinha Moto X Design Works Review | The Aluula Kite of Your Dreams?

Jake and Dustin had a chance to get out on a pre-release 2025 Moto X Design Works kite from Cabrinha, and it left them stoked. "Design Works" is the name Cabrinha has chosen for their premium line, and they started by giving the Moto X the Aluula treatment on both the leading edge and its three struts.

Flight Characteristics

The Moto X Design Works is very user-friendly, even for beginners. Thanks to the Aluula being stiffer, it's going to have an incredible wind range on each size. It's not going to be a dedicated big jumper, but it is a great do-it-all kite that's accessible for any rider.

Jake had it out in 25-30 knots, with gusts around 35, and he was still able to hold the kite down, even at the high end. That enhanced wind range really speaks to the advantages you reap from the Aluula build.

This kite flies quite far forward in the window, so you can edge out a lot of power, which also helps with getting that huge wind range. It makes the kite very lofty when you jump, which is a lot of fun, and it gives the kite the speed to Boogie Loop out of it or even just drive it forward in the window to pull yourself out of that rotation and land it almost every time.

The kite is accessible to all levels of rider, but very few are truly going to max out its performance capabilities. Ruben Lenten looped it twice, so it's not a kite you will outgrow. It's also not discipline-specific like so many Aluula kites are, so that just adds to its wide appeal as a kite for everyone. If you're a pro focusing on a particular discipline, then you're probably fine with spending so much on a kite that excels in that one area, but most people like to do a variety of things, especially if they live in an area where conditions vary day-to-day. The Moto X Design Works is good for freeride, freestyle, jumping, and even surf in the smaller sizes.

Moto X vs. Design Works Moto X

The addition of Aluula to the Moto X design erases a lot of the disadvantages inherent to the standard Moto X, which is still a very fun kite. However, you'll get better low end and faster turning with the Design Works version. It's stiff and the 14-point bridle system makes it a very pivotal kite. It's a great looper, and very reactive. The only downside is, of course, the price.

Sizes

At this time, the Moto X Design Works comes in 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12m sizes. The guys feel that it would have been nice to have a 10 and 14m option as well. Michigan gets a lot of light wind days, and the larger kites are often their session-savers. The lightness of Aluula can be a game-changer where its benefits really shine in larger kites. Now, if you're somewhere like the Gorge with consistent winds, then the Aluula will help you step up your loop game thanks to that added stiffness. You'll get higher jumps and better upwind. So depending on where you live and how you ride, the sizes offered may or may not be ideal. However, this is a very limited production run to see how this model is received, so we may see a larger range of sizes next year.

Summary

If you're brand loyal to Cabrinha or have been waiting for an all-around Aluula kite, this is your moment. It's the Moto X so many love, but dialed up to 11. Its looping capabilities are incredible and the jumps feel really good. The guys haven't had a chance to get it out on a foil yet, but it should perform well there too, being so lightweight. It's responsive, it's fun, and it performs very well without being too tech-y. It's a podium-placer, yet is accessible to riders of any level. If it's in your budget, it'll be a solid choice for all but the most discipline-focused riders.

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