Test Ride Prototype
The Lucky Explorer 9.5 isn’t ready yet. The machine you see here is a prototype; a development mule still some way from sign-off on final specification. Riding modes and rider aids are still with the boffins in the lab, while the exhaust, switchgear and paint scheme are clearly pre-production.
The engine and chassis, however, are ‘95%’ close to ready, and pretty much as they will finally appear when the 9.5 goes on sale in 2023.
A day in the saddle chasing MV’s development riders along glorious roads and the odd gravel track near the manufacturer’s Varese factory showed that the adventure bike market – the midweight segment especially – is soon to be joined by a serious new player.
Aiming for flexibility
The new DesertX stirred things up earlier this summer by bringing Ducati’s engineering and sporting values to the dirt, and the 9.5 promises the same from MV. It wails and howls like all MVs, and excites on the road like only an Italian triple can, while its twin headlights and close-fitting bodywork pay homage to the Cagiva Elefant
