Now under the stewardship of the Pierer Mobility Group, parent company of KTM and Husqvarna, MV Agusta is entering a new era with a brand-new model built around a 931cc three-cylinder engine.
MV became famous for its racing activities in the 1950s, ‘60s and early ‘70s, as the most successful brand in motorcycle Grand Prix competition. With 38 riders’ world championships and 37 constructors’ titles in that period, it was the dominant brand of the era – with the road going production machines seen as the most exotic superbikes money could buy.
The company stumbled following the death of its founder, Count Domenico Agusta, in 1971 and, like many Italian manufacturers of the time, has undergone a number of changes in ownership in the passing decades. Pierer Group recently acquired a majority shareholding, and this new adventure bike is the first model to be launched under the new structure.
Called the Enduro Veloce (veloce being the Italian word for fast), the £21,800 adventure bike isn’t exactly cheap – however by MV standards it seems relatively competitively priced against specced-up ADVs from other premium brands like BMW and Ducati.
It’s the production version of the £30,000 LXP Orioli, which MV Agusta launched at the end of last year, and shows the resurgent brand’s commitment to the popular adventure bike sector.
The new three-cylinder engine is said to be extremely light and compact, weighing just 57kg. It features a counter-rotating crankshaft, which MV Agusta says has a positive impact on the handling, with the gyroscopic effect said to create a very agile machine despite the 21” front wheel.
The 124bhp motor appears to be a serious evolution of the old 675/798cc triples, with a bigger bore-to-stroke ratio and new camshafts which are said to deliver a very broad spread of torque, with 85% of the 102Nm peak available at just 3,000rpm. Following the lead of Yamaha’s latest MT-09, which has been aurally tuned to accentuate the engine tone, the Enduro Veloce gets an exhaust bypass valve which opens to transform the exhaust note to something MV Agusta says is more akin to a superbike than an adventure tourer.
As is the case with any modern motorcycle worth its salt, the MV Agusta Enduro Veloce comes fully loaded with the latest electronics. Based around a six-axis IMU, the ride by wire throttle system facilitates four riding modes, eight levels of traction control, two levels of engine braking, launch control, cruise control and wheelie control. Interestingly the traction control can be further tailored depending on whether the rider has road or off-road tyres fitted, with Bridgestone’s Battlax Adventurecross AX41 designated as the homologated off-road tyre and the A41 as the pure street option.
Such are the customisation options, there are also two alternate ABS settings and rear wheel lift control, which basically reduces the ‘stoppie’ effect when braking hard. The large 7” TFT dashboard can also be customised to the individual rider, and can facilitate turn-by-turn navigation through the connected smartphone app.
The large 21” front wheel and long travel suspension does lead to a tall bike, with the adjustable saddle being able to be set for either an 850mm or 870mm seat height. Suspension comes from Sachs and, in a world of electronic damping and adaptive ride heights, it is a little surprising to see the Enduro Veloce featuring some old school mechanical pogos, albeit with full adjustability for rebound, compression and preload. Brakes are the de rigueur Brembo Stylemas found on pretty much any top end road bike these days, while the comprehensive accessories list includes MV branded luggage, a Termignoni titanium exhaust and off-road protection parts.
As you’d expect from an MV Agusta, it looks classy and, with a four-year warranty, the new owners are putting their money where their mouths are when it comes to guaranteeing the quality of their products.
It’s quite a long way from the racy bikes of MV’s past and, unlike many other Pierer products, the Enduro Veloce is not a badge engineered model. It’s a complete MV Agusta design, developed and built in Italy, with Pierer Group providing the logistical support.
Sound like a bike for you? The MV Agusta Enduro Veloce is due in dealerships this summer.
