MV Agusta has been showing off this new adventure bike for a while now, but we’ve finally got some completed specs, and the announcement of a 500-bike limited edition run to get it out there.
The Lucky Explorer 9.5 name has been tweaked to the MV Agusta LXP Orioli – an echo of the Cagiva Lucky Explorer Dakar racer from a few decades ago and Edi Orioli who raced that bike.
It’s a very good looking bike – as was its ancestor from the 1990s. That bike used a Ducati V-twin motor, but now we get a bespoke MV Agusta 931cc triple,that makes 124bhp@10,000rpm and 102Nm@7,000rpm while weighing in at just 57kg (so it’ll be easier to lift out the frame if you blow it up).
It’s a variant on Agusta’s existing upper-middleweight engine, keeping the unique counter-rotating crankshaft and transmission setup, DOHC 12-valve head with DLC-coated valve gear and a 81×60.2mm bore and stroke, with 13.4:1 compression ratio. It also gets the family cassette-style gearbox, which seems fairly pointless on an ADV machine, but points to the original supersport roots of the three-cylinder powertrain.
The LXP frame is also bespoke, using a double cradle offroad design fabricated in steel. There’s a dual-sided cast aluminium swingarm and bolt-on subframe, and the suspension is high-end kit from Sachs. Both the 48mm USD front forks and rear monoshock are fully adjustable for damping and preload, and provide a healthy 210mm of travel.
The seat height is adjustable from 850-870mm – so stumpy folks might struggle a little. Brakes are top-level Brembo Stylema radial-mount calipers up front, with dual 320mm discs, and the wheels are tubeless-fit wire-spoked Takasago Excel parts, with proper dirt-friendly 90/90 21” front and 150/70 18 rear tyre sizes. Stock rubber is the Bridgestone A41.
MV Agusta never skimps on the electronics and that’s the story here too. The heart of the matter is a six-axis IMU-assisted ECU and ride-by-wire engine management, that controls the traction control, power modes, wheelie control, cruise control, engine braking and up/down quickshifter.
It also feeds into the Continental cornering ABS system with rear-wheel-lift mitigation and settings aimed at off-road tyres. The rider gets to access all these functions via a huge 7” colour TFT LCD dashboard that incorporates both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections to a smartphone. There’s also backlit switchgear and keyless ignition, making life even easier on what Agusta calls ‘the first all-terrain luxury motorcycle’.
The design is clearly aimed at recalling the white Cagiva racebike, sponsored by the US tobacco brand Lucky Strike. So you have just a hint of the red circle and gold border, but not too much… The bodywork is protected by hefty black crash bars, and there’s a beefy sump guard under the engine too.
Centre stand, pannier rails with alloy cases, rear rack and hand guards are all present and correct, and it’s fair to say that MV Agusta has produced another in a long list of extremely good-looking motorbikes.
Even better, with KTM now on board as part-owner, bringing its expertise and cash, expect things to be smoother with MV Agusta going forward, in terms of actually seeing bikes in dealerships and being able to buy them.
The LXP Orioli is limited to just 500 bikes, each one is numbered, and comes with a special kit including a Termignoni race pipe and indoor bike cover. No price on it as yet, but rumour suggests more than £25k, which is pretty steep… More info: www.mvagusta.com