MV Agusta has made a splash into the adventure bike segment by taking the covers off not one but two adventure bikes – the Lucky Explorer 5.5 and 9.5. The larger 9.5 is a completely in-house product, while the smaller 5.5 has been developed in collaboration with partner, QJMotor. Both models have similar styling and hark back to the Cagiva Elefant adventure bike of the ‘80s.

• Both models run on tubeless wire-spoke rims

• 9.5 gets 931cc triple engine making 124hp and 102Nm

• 5.5 and 9.5 have the same dry weight of 220kg

MV Agusta Lucky Explorer 5.5 adventure bike: details

The smaller 5.5 adventure bike was developed in conjunction with partner QJMotor, and as such there are a few components that have been carried over from existing QJMotor products. The liquid-cooled, 554cc parallel twin engine makes 47.6hp at 7,500rpm and 51 Nm at 5,500rpm. These figures aren’t too different when compared to something like the Benelli TRK 502 and the power figure is identical, although it arrives 1,000rpm lower in the rev band. 

The chassis found here is a tubular steel trellis frame (another similarity to QJMotor’s products) and the Lucky Explorer 5.5 tips the scales at 220kg (dry), placing it at the portly end of the scale. Suspension hardware is supplied by KYB in the form of a 43mm fork with rebound and preload adjustability and a fully-adjustable monoshock.

Braking hardware is comfortably the best in this segment with 4-piston radial calipers biting down on twin 320mm discs at the front and a twin-piston unit mated to a single 260mm disc at the rear, both courtesy of Italian specialists, Brembo. The 5.5 gets dual-channel ABS from Bosch as standard. Seat height is rather tall at 860mm, although it does pay dividends in the form of a 210mm ground clearance figure. Fuel tank size at 20 litres should ensure a considerable range between fill-ups.

The Lucky Explorer gets a 5.5-inch full-colour TFT dash which can show you turn-by-turn navigation and call alerts with your smartphone paired to the MV Agusta app.  

MV Agusta Lucky Explorer 9.5 adventure bike: details

The MV Agusta Lucky Explorer 9.5 is a completely in-house designed product and it uses brand-new ground-up engine desgin. The engine in the 9.5 is a liquid-cooled, 931cc triple-cylinder engine making 124hp at 10,000rpm and 102Nm of torque at 7,000rpm. The 6-speed gearbox it is mated to can also be had with the Rekluse Smart Clutch System. MV Agusta claims that the seat, handlebar and footpegs are adjustable between two positions to allow riders to fine-tune their position on the bike in different scenarios. 

The steel trellis subframe is bolted onto the double beam steel main frame itself and has been strengthened further to accommodate luggage as well as a pillion. Suspension is courtesy of Sachs, with a 48mm front fork and rear shock, both fully adjustable. Braking hardware is top-notch, as you’d expect, with twin Stylema calipers biting down upon 320mm discs at the front and a twin-piston caliper mated to a 265mm disc at the rear. Complementing the hardware is a Continental dual-channel cornering ABS with Rear Wheel Lift Mitigation as well. 

The Lucky Explorer 9.5 rides on tubeless spoked rims, although they are much more off-road oriented in their sizing. Wheel sizes are 90/90-21 at the front and 150/60-R18 at the rear, shod with dual-purpose rubber. The fuel tank size is the same as its younger counterpart, at 20 litres. Seat height is adjustable between 850mm/870mm and the ground clearance figure stands at a towering 230mm.

A full suite of electronic rider aids is on offer including traction control, launch control, cruise control and different rider modes. All of these are controlled through the 7-inch full-colour TFT dash which also shows turn-by-turn navigation and notification alerts when paired to your smartphone via its proprietary app. 

Would you go for the MV Agusta adventure bikes over their more established competition? Let us know in the comments section below.