ROAD NEWS
Suspension utilises a long-travel fork supplied by KYB , while the rear shock is from Öhlins . The braking system goes to premium Brembo brakes over the J . Juan units found on the current 800MT . CFMoto has a lot more in the works , with an allnew 675cc triple which puts down over 100hp at a screaming 12,300rpm also announced at the same time . Watch this space to see if the Chinese manufacturer delivers on what looks to be a middleweight adventure unicorn .
MV AGUSTA ’ S ADV GARAGE QUEEN
Limited to just 500 examples , we ’ re not quite sure what to make of the MV ’ s latest limited-run machine , the LXP Orioli . When we first saw MV Agusta ’ s lineup of Lucky Explorer adventure bike concepts at last year ’ s EICMA , we let out a collective shout of joy . Finally , the Italian manufacturer was going to make not only bikes that are practical but also for a range of riders who want more than a pretty bike to look at . Sadly , two years on , the attainable Lucky Explorer 5.5 concept has been axed , and the cool 9.5 version has morphed into a limited-run machine that will be lucky to ever see the dirt . Limited to just 500 examples with pricing rumoured to be around € 30,000 ( approx $ 55,000 ), each of which comes signed by Dakar legend Edi Oiroli , it is fair to say that what MV has delivered has opinions divided . As with the Lucky Explorer 9.5 concept , the LXP Orioli is powered by a three-cylinder engine rather than the big V-twin of the Cagiva Elefant it draws inspiration from . Measuring in at 931cc and pumping out 124hp of peak power and backed by a solid low-down torque spread , the engine has been developed and manufactured entirely in Italy according to MV . For a sub-1000cc machine , the LXP Orioli is pretty heavy with a dry weight of 224kg . That puts its wet weight with a full 20 litres of fuel plus oil at over 245kg . For reference , two of its main competitors - the KTM 890 Adventure R and Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro weight in at 210kg and 222kg wet , respectively . In true Italian fashion a “ racing kit ” consists of a homologated titanium exhaust , co-designed and developed by MV Agusta and Termignoni . This is paired with a carbon fibre end cap and heat shield for a total weight saving of 4kg . Suspension comes from Sachs with the adjustable 48mm USD fork sporting 210mm of travel , while out the back the similarly adjustable Sachs monoshock offers the same . Curiously for a bike purporting to be “ all-terrain luxury ”, the suspension is manually adjustable rather than electronic . Electronics-wise , the LXP Orioli features a TFT dashboard , keyless ignition , quickshifter , multiple rider modes , five levels of traction control intervention and cornering ABS . Brembo Stylema calipers and 320mm twin discs are up front , while at the rear is a twin-piston Brembo caliper and 240mm disc . With a seat height measuring 850 / 870mm , you ’ ll need legs as deep as your pockets to swing a leg over the new MV adventure machine . Then again , with MV August renowned for creating “ Motorcycle Art ” maybe the limited edition LXP Orioli was never intended to be used as an actual adventure machine .
KIWI RIDER 101