For many of us, it is Tuesday, October 24, 2023. However, for the participants in EICMA 2023, today marks exactly two weeks until the opening date of the most important event of the year in the world of motorcycling. Although they have undoubtedly been preparing their new machines and exhibits for months, time is running out to showcase all the innovations to the public.
But do not worry about MV Agusta. The Varese team has officially confirmed a rumor that has been circulating on their social media for some time: They will finally bring their three-cylinder ADV bike to EICMA 2023.
To directly quote the person responsible for the social media posts of MV Agusta, the text says: “On November 7, the spotlight will be on this bike. The “Project 9.5″ will be revealed in its final form at EICMA 2023”.
For some time, it was not clear if MV Agusta would launch this model. For those who are not familiar with the context of the Lucky Explorer project, here is a brief summary.
In November 2021, MV Agusta first revealed to the world their Lucky Explorer project. Although MV Agusta’s history in the 2000s did not include anything remotely resembling an adventure bike, both MV Agusta and Ducati have Cagiva in their lineage of Italian motorcycles – and both claim the Cagiva Elefant as a kind of moto-ancestor. Produced between 1984 and 1998, some version of the Elefant is undoubtedly the first image that people who remember Cagiva have when they mention that name.
As the ADV segment has grown in popularity in recent years, it’s not hard to see why both Ducati and MV Agusta wanted to get in on the action. Ducati went their own way with the DesertX, while MV Agusta has been working in recent years to get their Lucky Explorer project in order.
The project takes its name from the 1990 Lucky Explorer Cagiva Elefant 900ie, with the “ie” denoting a fuel-injected machine rather than a carbureted one. In the hands of Edi Orioli, this was the bike that won the 1990 Paris-Dakar Rally. It used a specially adapted Ducati 900cc engine, which had been increased to 944cc, among other modifications. The name Lucky Explorer, as well as the logo, come from sponsorship by Lucky Strike cigarettes.
Fast forward to 2021, MV Agusta announced plans to create a Lucky Explorer with a 950cc three-cylinder engine, as well as a 550cc version with a two-cylinder engine developed by QJ Motor.
By the end of 2022, KTM acquired a 25% stake in MV Agusta. KTM’s parent company, Pierer Mobility, also owns motorcycle brands Husqvarna and GasGas, as well as other non-motorcycle related interests including Felt and R Raymon in the bicycle sector.
Although it is not a controlling stake, the back and forth that followed in the media about the possibility of KTM acquiring MV Agusta and adding it to its portfolio of brands produced a lot of drama and numerous articles – mainly because the CEOs of both companies made public statements about the likelihood of such an acquisition.
At one point, Stefan Pierer, director of Pierer Mobility and KTM, said “MV Agusta doesn’t need the Lucky Explorer.” Even though the company does not have a controlling stake in MV, it is clear that his opinion is important – so naturally, the motorcycle world began to wonder if this meant the project was completely lost or if it could just receive a new name.
Now, MV Agusta has posted a photo on social media revealing its upcoming ADV model, which will be presented at EICMA 2023.
