Dirt Débutant

We get an early taste of MV's exciting first-ever adventure bike

- Adam Child 'Chad'

MV AGUSTA CREATE uncompromising masterpieces. Taut, sharp, focused, fast, loud, beautiful... and expensive motorcycles which, with the odd exception, ride like race bikes with lights. But now, for the first time in their long road and track-focused history, the Italian manufacturer has popped the stopwatch back in the cupboard and is developing its first-ever production adventure bike, complete with a 21-inch front wheel and exciting off-road potential.

This is MV, so racing is not completely forgotten. The Lucky Explorer 9.5, which will go on sale next year, pays homage to the famous Cagiva Elefant that claimed victories at the Paris-Dakar rally in 1990 and 1994. Twin headlights, snug-fitting bodywork, and that distinctive mouth-open "face" will transport those of a certain age straight back to the Saharan dunes.

This test bike is only an early prototype-the rider aids, exhaust, and switchgear, for example, are work in progress but the engine and chassis are not too far away from what we will see on sale in 2023.

The in-line triple is derived from the 800 (798-cc) unit that powers the F3, Brutale, Dragster, Turismo Veloce, and Superveloce. Capacity has increased to 931 cc. Power is a quoted 123 hp at 10,000 revolutions per minute (rpm) with peak torque at 102 Nm at 7,000 rpm.

The engine also receives a new cylinder-head, steel intake and exhaust valves, a new head gasket, a steel (counter-rotating) crankshaft, new pistons... plus a raft of detail updates. There is also a new cooling system, oil feed, clutch, generator, starter motor, and gearbox covers. So, not much of the 800 donor unit remains.