MV Agusta’s CEO had a conversation with Motorcycle News (MCN). The interview brought to light a few things from the recent developments in MV’s headquarters pertaining to the Lucky Explorer. The adventure bike from MV Agusta was supposed to come in two flavors, a twin and a triple, but only one is almost due for prime time while the other has been put “on the back burner.
We reached out to MV Agusta in our respective locales as well, and the distributors stated that the Lucky Explorer 9.5 is a go, while the 5.5 may not see the light of day just yet or ever. While some are saying that the project is a bust, MV’s CEO has clarified in an interview that “the 5.5 is on temporary stop,” which is to say that the project has been put on hold.
The reason why MV might have hit the pause button on the Lucky Explorer 5.5 is because the brand is evaluating the market conditions for the model within the KTM sales network. Right now, Team Orange has been doing a lot of work with MV Agusta, using its resources to help the Italian brand handle MV sales and networks in various countries.
Gallery: MV Agusta Lucky Explorer Project 9.5 and 5.5
When the project was first announced, MV proudly presented two new adventure-touring motorcycles to add to its lineup and to meet the growing demand for these do-it-all machines. The 9.5 was a shoo-in for most MV fans, but the 5.5 did raise a few eyebrows. MV announced that the 5.5 models will be built in partnership with QJ Motor in China and it is based on the Benelli TRK502.
After that announcement, KTM got more involved with MV Agusta, buying a 25.1 percent stake in the Italian brand. The deal involves Team Orange lending MV a hand in terms of its distribution and dealer network, and it appears that Pierrer Mobility (KTM’s parent company) is looking to get more involved with the brand, perhaps against Saradarov’s stance on MV’s independence from the Pierrer Group.
“The main principle is for MV Agusta to stay independent from design language and the engineering of KTM Group of products [and] companies. MV Agusta is not going to be part of the cross-platform and cross-branded platform style that KTM is known for,” Saradarov stated.
Saradarov confirms that the inline three will be retained in the Lucky Explorer 9.5, and not replaced by the 890cc twin from KTM. MV Agusta will retain its independence in terms of technology. MV Agusta will produce 500 special editions first before mass production starts for the 9.5. The 5.5’s fate, however, is uncertain as it is no longer scheduled for production. Will we ever see it? Saradarov hasn’t totally closed that door yet, and he even stated that MV and QJ Motor are both still working together on other projects.
For now, the MV Agusta Lucky Explorer 9.5 is set to start production by October 2023 for the 2024 model year and we’re eagerly anticipating its launch.
