In November 2021, MV Agusta unveiled two adventure motorcycle concepts under its Lucky Explorer Project (meant to be an adventure sub-brand), called the 5.5 and 9.5. Announced at the 2021 EICMA, the special project showed MV Agusta’s clear intent to enter the ADV space. As for the name, Lucky Explorer, it is a tribute to Italian rallying motorcycle racer Edi Orioli, who took two Dakar wins (1990 & 1994) riding the Ducati-powered Cagiva Elefant motorcycle. The bikes also pay tribute to the Elefant with their Lucky Strike-inspired paint scheme. However, the project was ditched when, in November 2022, KTM AG purchased a 25.1% stake in MV Agusta.
Now though, MV Agusta has formally announced its entry into the ADV world by revealing its first production adventure motorcycle, dubbed the LXP Orioli (MV Agusta still paying tribute to Edi Orioli). Touted as ‘the first all-terrain luxury motorcycle’ by MV, the production version is based on the Lucky Explorer Project 9.5 Concept. With an expected price of around €30,000, the LXP Orioli will go on sale as a limited edition, as production is restricted to just 500 units for the first edition. Each unit will be numbered and personally signed by Orioli himself. Owners will also get a certificate of authenticity.
Powered by a 931cc three-cylinder motor, the engine is all-new except for the valves, oil pump, output shaft and some transmission components – these have been borrowed from MV’s current 798cc triple unit. Developed and manufactured entirely in Varese, the 931cc unit weighs just 57kg and delivers 124HP @ 10,000rpm and 102Nm of torque @ 7,000rpm. 85% of the torque is available from 3,000rpm.
The bike sits on a double cradle steel frame with a removable rear steel trellis subframe and a twin-sided cast aluminium swingarm. Suspension duties are managed by manually adjustable Sachs units at both ends, and braking is taken care of by Brembo equipment. It rides on 21-inch front and 18-inch rear tubeless spoked rims, shod with Bridgestone A41 road tyres (AX41s for dirt use), and offers 230mm ground clearance. The adjustable seat height can be set to as low as 850mm.
For its projected price, the LXP Orioli gets a fairly comprehensive suite of electronics. The list includes four ride modes (Urban, Touring, Off-road, and Custom All-Terrain), multiple on and off-road traction control and ABS settings, front lift and launch control, a two-way quickshifter, and cruise control – all managed by a six-axis IMU-based ECU. All settings, including those for Bluetooth & WiFi connectivity (for OTA updates), can be accessed via a seven-inch TFT display.
In addition, every bike will also roll out of the factory with a pair of aluminium panniers, LED fog lights, a centre stand, an engine skid plate, and crash bars. A lightweight Termignoni titanium exhaust is also part of the kit.