EICMA 2021: MV Agusta Lucky Explorer range

MV Agusta has entered the lucrative and competitive adventure market swinging, with the unveiling of two serious-looking contenders which cover both ends of popular adventure spectrum.

Trading on the Paris-Dakar success of the Lucky Strike Cagiva Elephant – MV Agusta and Cagiva were both owned by the Castiglioni family, remember – the EICMA Motorcycle Expo in Milan staged the unveiling of both the Lucky Explorer 9.5 and Lucky Explorer 5.5, which form the two-tiered range.

The top-tiered 9.5 is powered by the firm’s trademark triple-cylinder engine, using the 800cc unit as a base but with the capacity increased to 930cc, hence the ‘9.5’ model designation.

Despite the capacity hike, which was achieved by both increasing the bore and lengthening the stroke, the 9.5 has a lower peak power output (123hp) compared to the 800cc engine, but it’s been tuned for significantly more torque which now peaks at 102Nm at 7000rpm.

An aluminium swingarm and steel frame make up the chassis, which rolls on a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel, while the 220kg (dry) bike is suspended on electronically adjustable units from Sachs.

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It has the full gamut of electronics, including lean-angle sensitive traction and ABS systems, rear-wheel lift mitigation and cruise control, all operated via a seven-inch TFT dash, while there’s cornering lights integrated into the carbon-fibre bodywork.

There will be two versions of the 9.5 available, one with a conventional manual transmission while the other will boast the firm’s electronically actuated Rekluse system.

At the other end of the scale, MV Agusta unveiled an equally attractive Lucky Explorer 5.5 powered by a 550cc parallel-twin engine. It’s the result of the firm’s association with Chinese manufacturer Qianjiang.

With a similar stance and bodywork as the high-end 9.5 version, weight is quoted at the same 220kg (dry), but it gets a steel frame and alloy swingarm similar to that found on Benelli’s TRK502 series which comes from the same Qianjiang factory.

While not as heavy on electronic aids as the 9.5, the 5.5 still boasts conventional ABS and traction control, quality suspension components from KYB and a Brembo braking package.

With an updated 550cc TRK expected from Benelli in the coming days, too, it’ll be interesting to see where both bikes – which are both distributed in Australia by Urban Moto Imports – are positioned in the Aussie market.