At Eicma 2021 MV Agusta presented the Lucky Explorer Project, which already from the name evokes the legendary scenarios of the Paris-Dakar of the Eighties and the victories of the Cagiva Elefant, twice before at the finish line of the Pink Lake in Dakar. It is an initiative that aims to bring together rally and off-road enthusiasts around the historical legacy of the Schiranna company, starting with two new adventure motorcycles, which are called 5.5 and 9.5. Two motorcycles that represent the contemporary interpretation of the myth of the great desert races, which since the mid-1980s have marked the imagination of motorcycle sport. The 9.5 has an attitude clearly aimed at off-road, thanks to precise choices of chassis, starting from the pair of wheel diameters: 21 “for the front wheel and 18” for the rear, and the wheelbase of 1,580 mm.
If the original Elefant used the Ducati twin – at the time owned by Cagiva – this new 9.5 has the MV Agusta in-line three cylinder with an effective displacement of 930.63 cc but without changing the overall dimensions of the 800 engine currently in production. The compression ratio is 12.5: 1 and the crankshaft is counter-rotating to improve driving dynamics and reduce inertia. The removable gearbox is also offered in an unprecedented electro-actuated configuration, specially designed for this model. The maximum power and torque values are respectively 123 HP at 10,000 rpm and 102 Nm at 7,000 rpm, while the complete mass of the engine is only 57 kg (that of the bike 220 kg). The frame of the 9.5 is made of steel, with a closed double cradle structure composed of forged and extruded elements, to offer the best balance between road use and off-road performance. The swingarm, on the other hand, is made of aluminum as are the fork plates.
The 5.5 was developed with Chinese partner QJ. Despite the medium displacement, the appearance is that of a higher category motorcycle. Compared to the starting model – the best-selling Benelli TRK 502 – both the electronics, the mechanics and the chassis have changed. The engine is a two-cylinder in-line, 4 valves per cylinder and liquid cooled, with the displacement of 550 cc expressly dedicated to the Lucky Explorer. The design clearly distinguishes the 5.5, as can be seen from both the superstructures and other elements such as the optical groups. The stylistic inspiration is common to the 9.5 but the peculiarities of the 5.5 are many. The design elements common to the two new models are: the front area and the handguards painted black, the radiator with side panels and the disc cover that covers the front brake discs. Finally, the instrumentation consists of a 7 ”color TFT panel, with Bluetooth connection and Wi-Fi for updating. Prices and availability will be communicated later.
