The Lucky Explorer concept goes far beyond the proposal of new models. It is a symbolic container of emotions, memories and all that Schiranna production offered riders in the 80s and 90s, ready to guide enthusiasts into the future by combining the real world with the opportunities afforded by the virtual world of social media. The project envisages two brand-new bikes, the 9.5 and the 5.5, with the latter, a baby adventure inspired by the heritage of the Elefant, set to be launched in February 2023. Although a mid-sized bike, it looks bigger. Designed for those who love to travel, it is more than able to win over the European rider who seeks adventure.
LUCKY EXPLORER 9.5
Dedicated feature stories and covers from the world’s specialist press saw the 9.5, the forefather of the Lucky Explorer Project, play a starring role at the 2021 edition of EICMA. A year on, and this bike has gone from concept status to a model that will come off the assembly lines in Schiranna and land in dealerships at the end of next spring, ready to measure up against maxi-enduro segment frontrunners. It does so by remaining aesthetically and structurally faithful to the characteristics of the much-admired prototype, designed to represent the ideal evolution of the Elefant, which twice dominated the exhausting Paris-Dakar in its original layout, in 1990 and 1994.
The entrance into the adventure segment marks a generational change for MV Agusta that, with the 9.5, enters a segment that is new, but only at first sight. While current production revolves around high-performance road bikes that are works of art, the adventurous approach is an integral part of company DNA. Let’s not forget that today’s bikes are produced in Schiranna, just like the production Elefants and race bikes of yesteryear, real desert GP machines that would ‘navigate’ the dunes at over 200 km/h. Some of the people who worked in the historic factory thirty or more years ago are still there, testament to a glorious past.
Born from a clean sheet design, one that harnesses the latest development technologies, where rider and passenger are centre stage. The five contact points (footpegs, handlebar and seat adjustable to two positions) served as the starting point, allowing for a natural position that is efficient from a dynamic standpoint. A design that, in reality, goes beyond the classic five points of a road model, as it was also important to consider the stand-up riding typical of off-roading situations, which requires contact points for the knees and ankles but also freedom of movement, with no obstacles when standing up and moving forward and back on the bike.
The comfort and aerodynamic protection of the 9.5 have been studied as if working on the development of a GT for long-range trips, combining computer simulations and wind tunnel flow with road tests in all climatic conditions. The result is a protected zone for users of all heights, even at speeds in excess of those permitted on the motorway, with the added support of a height-adjustable windscreen. The aim was to prevent any jolting of the helmet at high speeds, a target that is also extended to the person sitting comfortably on the rear portion of the saddle.
The 9.5 stands out for its typical off-road stance, emphasised with its spoked wheels, 21” and 18” in diameter, as well as its 1580 mm wheelbase. Having made these decisions, the biggest challenge was to achieve handling combined with the necessary stability to travel safety at full load on the motorway. The dual personality of the three-cylinder is highlighted by the possibility to mount either road or knobby tyres, in that both are homologated and cited on the vehicle registration certificate
With the 9.5, the three-cylinder engine was not obtained by simply revising the bore and stroke of the renowned 800 but was specifically developed for this model, combining versatility and power with a weight of just 57 kg. Most of its components are new, starting with the crankcase and the lubrication and cooling systems. The packaging is almost identical to that of the 800 engine currently in production, while the crankshaft, starter and gearbox differ, as does the throttle control, now with counter rotation. The latter is an element common to all 2023 model year MV Agusta bikes, introduced to offer a response that is less ‘virtual’ when closing, which gives a more comfortable perception. The exhaust system is complete with valve integrated into the silencer so as to favour either torque or power depending on the conditions of use.
The four stroke in-line three-cylinder is liquid cooled and equipped with a double overhead camshaft and counter-rotating crankshaft to improve the riding dynamics and reduce inertia effects. The extractable gearbox is specific to this model. Maximum power and torque values come in at 124 hp at 10,000 rpm and 102 Nm at 7000 rpm, with specific power equal to 132.25 hp/litre and a hydraulic wet clutch. The electronics package exploits the base of an advanced inertial platform, with functions specifically conceived for the all-purpose use of the 9.5. Urban, touring and off-road mappings are combined with Continental Cornering ABS with various functions. The ABS can be totally deactivated during off-road use or disabled only at the rear wheel.
The closed double cradle steel frame is designed to offer the best compromise between the comfort required for road-going touring and the stiffness needed to ensure maximum off-road performance. The structure includes forged and extruded elements, with a swingarm in light chill-cast aluminium alloy so as to obtain the
very best resistance/weight ratio. The Sachs suspension is externally fully adjustable. All materials and their finishes are state of the art.
The TFT dashboard is developed according to automotive standards in terms of its readability and completeness and boasts an advanced level of connectivity. The display comprises a 7” colour TFT display with Bluetooth connection and Wi-Fi in order to update and communicate with the MV Ride app, the various functions including route planning, data acquisition and anti-theft with geolocation.
Equipment on the 9.5 also includes a full LED light system, while all on-board services are managed with a CAN-bus standard to reduce the amount of wires to a minimum for greater reliability and simpler maintenance.
LUCKY EXPLORER 5.5
Lucky Explorer is synonymous with a world of emotions, memories and values. It is a way of being. A return that off-road fans have been eagerly awaiting, but also a new start and a leap into the future, as confirmed by the thousands of followers who have already shown their loyalty to the luckyexplorer.official Instagram profile. The first bike on the Lucky Explorer schedule to enter production is the 5.5, which offers the perfect interpretation of MV Agusta family heritage. The most advanced technologies are decanted into this model but without ever losing sight of the primary goal, or rather to create a mid-sized model that is potentially unbounded, able to take on any kind of terrain or route with ease.
Development of the smaller 5.5 is now complete and the model is ready to arrive in dealerships starting in February 2023, positioning itself as the entry level in terms of its engine size and cost, but flaunting a particularly high level of quality for the segment in which it places. The 5.5 stands out for a design that is not just a symbolic reference to the Elefant, two-time winner of the original Dakar, which would begin in Paris on 1 January and conclude in Senegal after crossing scree, desert and savannah.
Various details of the 5.5 have been refined along the path to industrialisation. Designed in CRC and developed with partner QJ, it retains all the spirit of the Elefant family and serves as the gateway model to the new Lucky Explorer family, just as the 350 paved a way to the world of twin-cylinders in the 1980s. A mid-sized bike, it nevertheless looks bigger, with style details and graphics that directly recall the dakarian models of the past.
The base model has been significantly updated in its electronics, mechanics and chassis, with the Schiranna technicians striving for very particular specifications. The engine, a liquid-cooled in-line twin with double overhead camshaft, has been revised with the aim of further increasing an already impressive level of performance. Displacement reaches 554 cc (with 70.5 mm bore and 71 mm stroke) for a torque curve that is even more robust with respect to the point of departure, ensuring full, regular delivery at all speeds. The electronics have also been optimised to ensure the best compromise between performance and safety.
The graphics white colour scheme with stylised Lucky Explorer logo, has been customised with superstructures and other essential elements to underline the family’s style stamp with specially designed light clusters. It shares its style influence with the 9.5 and is clearly inspired by the legendary desert races, but the 5.5 still has many exclusive characteristics of its own. With its distinct personality, this model proudly lays claim to a technical, conceptual and aesthetic identity that will allow it to stand out on an increasingly crowded landscape of mid-sized twins with an adventurous vocation.
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