MV Agusta have hit the adventure market for the first time with this $38k-plus Enduro Veloce. But is it up to scratch? Our man Chad heads to Sardinia to find out. Here's his Enduro Veloce test...

I got the chance to ride the prototype to the Enduro Veloce, then called the Lucky Explorer, exactly two years ago in July of 2022. The bike was in a basic state of development, with no rider aids and crude engine mapping. But it did allow me to get an idea of what to expect…

I was impressed and predicted MV was onto something special, especially considering this was the Italian’s first attempt at producing a road-going adventure bike. However, as that was two years ago during the early stages of development, meaning that the arrival of the full-production Enduro Veloce brought with it a plethora of questions.

“I was impressed and predicted MV was onto something special, especially considering this was the Italian’s first attempt at producing a road-going adventure bike”…

Had, for example, Euro5 regulations restricted the prototype’s spine-tingling induction and exhaust sounds? And how would the rider aids and MV’s electronic package perform in the adventure arena? I couldn’t wait to throw a leg over the MV again and find out.

When I first rode the prototype, I was impressed by the inline-triple motor, complete with counter rotating crankshaft, and that is still the case today. The 931cc triple engine of the Eduro distinguishes itself from the highly-tuned 789cc three-cylinder engines commonly found in MV Agusta models by prioritising torque and refined power delivery.

Peak performance figures stand at 124hp at 10,000rpm and 75 lb-ft of torque at 7000rpm. Notably, a substantial 85 per cent of peak torque is available as early as 3000rpm. But first, though, the sound. I know it’s unusual to start a road test with comments about the noises a bike makes, but the Enduro Veloce delivers acoustic magic by the bucket load.

I’m unsure how MV has managed to sneak it through the Euro5 noise tests because it sounds not only fantastic but also notably louder than similar road legal machines. Blip the throttle and the hairs on the back of your neck spring to life. The gargle – or is it gurgle? – on the overrun, the cheeky pop of backfire between clutchless race shifts…  music to the ears.

“If you hear the bike before you see it, you’d swear a snarling supersport race bike was approaching”…

If you hear the bike before you see it, you’d swear a snarling supersport race bike was approaching, not an adventure machine with long-travel suspension and a 21-inch front wheel. It is legal and Euro5+ compliant, of course, but it is on the edge. So much so that one foreign journalist I spoke to thought it was irritating – but I disagree. I love its sound and character.

Beyond that intoxicating exhaust, the triple delivers on two levels. On the first, there is a wide and fulsome spread of torque from low down. MV claims that 85 per cent of the engine’s 75 ft-lb is available from as little as 3000rpm and I’d agree that the lower and mid-range drive is impressively strong for the class. Even in the full power Touring mode the throttle response is relatively soft, and nowhere near as abrupt as some of the MVs of the recent past, making the Enduro Veloce reasonably smooth and a pleasure to ride in traffic – not something you could say about many machines to come out of Varese.

But, on a second level, when you rev the triple and start to work the (standard equipment) up-and-down quickshifter, the engine comes alive. The revs flow so freely from 7000rpm to 10,000rpm that you could be on race bike. On paper, the performance figures of the MV aren’t too different to those of the Africa Twin and KTM 890 Adventure, but the Italian would show both a clean pair of heels on top-end performance on the road. The triple spins seemingly without friction, builds power instantly, and feels far stronger than the quoted 124bhp. And did I mention how wild it sounds in the process?

During the press launch, MV made the claim that the Enduro Veloce would be just at home on a racetrack as would climbing a gravel-strewn mountain pass…

So MV’s racy DNA is present and correct. Chasing bigger bikes will be enormous fun. But with so much usable torque, there is, in reality, no need to rev the MV; no need to let the revs rise above 7000rpm, unless you want to ditch your mates or drench the countryside in Italian music. The upper reaches of the rev range are an option, not a necessity, although I for one was constantly up and down the butter-smooth gearbox, just so I could make that triple sing.

During the press launch, MV made the claim that the Enduro Veloce would be just at home on a racetrack as would climbing a gravel-strewn mountain pass, which raised an eyebrow or two.  However, it’s true: the MV wouldn’t feel out of place on a trackday. For a bike with long-travel suspension (210mm), a 21-inch front wheel, and the chassis geometry and riding position of a committed adventure bike, the handling is sharp, controlled and brilliant fun – and complements the sporty sounding triple. I’ve ridden a few adventure bikes recently that hide their off-road potential behind excellent road handling, but the MV does this better than them all, it feels more like a rather oversized supermoto.

“MV does this better than them all, to the point that it feels more like a rather oversized supermoto.”

At 224kg dry and around 250kg with a full tank of fuel, the MV is no lightweight, but it carries its kilos exceptionally well, to the point where I had to double- and triple-check the official figures with the factory engineers. It turns crisply, flicks directly from left-to-right easily ¬– you can throw it around without any meaningful effort.  MV say that the triple’s counter-rotating crank largely offsets the gyroscopic inertia of the large-diameter front wheel. I not only agree but also reckon it plays a major role in making the whole bike feel lighter on the move.

At 224kg dry and around 250kg with a full tank of fuel, the MV is no lightweight…

With 210mm of travel front and rear, you’d expect the Sachs suspension to be on the limit when pushed hard on demanding B-roads, but both ends of the bike remain controlled and full of feedback. You have lean-sensitive rider aids, ABS and TC, should you need them, but with so much feel and grip I don’t believe they once became active during the on-road part of our tests. The Enduro Veloce handles without any of the vagueness associated with some adventure bikes; so much so at times I had to remind myself I was riding an off-road capable mile eater running on all-round rubber. Ground clearance, meanwhile, is excellent for this type of bike.

Braking power is provided by Brembo Stylema monobloc calipers and finessed by changeable electronic engine brake strategies, both of which you’d normally associate with a high-end superbike. The on-paper weight of the Enduro Veloce suggests the stoppers are in for a tough challenge, but in reality offer copious power and feel, along with cornering ABS just in case.

The faster I rode the Enduro Veloce, the better it got, leaving me in no doubt that MV are not joking:  the new Enduro Veloce adventure bike would be fun and fast on a trackday. Its taut, direct handling, flexible engine and state-of-the-art rider aids combine to make one of the most enjoyable and arguably the best handling bikes we’ve yet seen in this class. But there is a but.

“Riding it on slow, technical trails is like walking an angry dog on a short lead”… It wants to be let loose on fast open tracks.

We only had a brief taste of what to expect off-road and, in a slow and low-grip environment, the throttle was a little too responsive, even in the dedicated off-road mode. It’s all too easy to dial in too much drive on a whiff of throttle, which gets the rear tyre spinning or the TC working overtime as it desperately cuts the torque and sounds (while sounding like a machine gun).

Even short shifting didn’t much ease the strain on the dedicated off-road Bridgestone rubber (MV used two specialist bikes with AX41tyre fitted, more off road biased rubber for the sandy photoshoot). Ultimately, the TC does control the sliding and spinning but the feeling on test was that the Enduro Veloce wants to be let loose on faster open trails. Riding it on slow, technical trails is like walking an angry dog on a short lead.

I have no doubt it would run rings around bikes like the KTM 890 Adventure R and Honda Africa Twin on the road, but off-road it would be the opposite. At slow speeds the weight that is so well disguised on asphalt is suddenly all-too noticeable on dirt. The centre of mass feels too far forward and higher in the chassis than you might expect, making the MV imprecise and unwieldy at slow speeds. Stir in that throttle response – again, so blended and sorted for the road but a tad aggressive for the trail – and the traction control works full time to keep everything moving forwards and pointed in the right direction.

“I have no doubt it would run rings around bikes like the KTM 890 Adventure R and Honda Africa Twin on the road, but off-road it would be the opposite”…

You can ride it off-road but it feels a bit like you are forcing it to do so. It doesn’t even like to wheelie over obstacles or puddles. But perhaps none of this really matters; after all, who, in the real world, is going to ride this stunningly beautiful AUD $38,000 – plus Italian motorcycle through a river or over tough rocky terrain? [Pretty much every Aussie to be honest – Ed].

The level of spec is high, as it should be for the high asking price and, with launch control, engine brake strategies and wheelie control, distinctly sporty. The very clever TC is calibrated to work with both on- and off-road rubber and the cruise control, up and down quick-shifter and backlit switchgear are standard equipment. The generous 7-inch dash is visually lovely and easy to navigate. You can opt for a sporty display that illustrates live data such as lean angle, brake pressure and acceleration from the six-axis IMU. You can connect to the MV app and share data – including your lean heroics and TC intervention history! – and routes. In the past MV haven’t had the best instruments or most intuitive switchgear but this set up is excellent.

“The suspension is excellent on the road but when you change riding modes it does not automatically adjust to suit”.

However, you can’t ignore the fact that the Sachs suspension on this premium adventure bike is conventional, not semi-active. The suspension is excellent on the road but when you change riding modes it does not automatically adjust to suit. Switching from Touring mode to Off-road mode will alter the mapping and rider aids for dirt use but the suspension will make no such concessions unless you get off and do it yourself. Ducati, BMW, Triumph or KTM offer their similarly priced larger adventure bikes with semi-active suspension. You could argue they are not competing with the MV as they are larger more powerful adventure bikes with 19-in front wheels, but the fact remains that for a similar price you could opt for the Ducati Multistrada V4 S with semi-active suspension.

Our exclusive test ride in Sardinia was on superb roads that invited sporty riding, so our economy figures were always unlikely to be representative. Add that ridiculously seductive exhaust note, which compelled me to continually go up and down the gearbox for no other reason than I wanted to hear the bike sing, and an average 5L/100km is not too bad at all. After a 235km ride, the fuel light hadn’t illuminated but must have been close. Other riders on the same route experienced poorer figures and less tank range. MV claims 4.8L/100km, which in theory extracts 400km from the 20-litre fuel tank, but it’s hard to ride the MV slowly…

We didn’t get the opportunity to churn out any long motorway miles, but the non-adjustable screen offers ample wind protection while cruise control, which is easy to activate, is standard. The well-balanced motor is barely breaking sweat at motorway speeds and, in theory, the MV should be just as good on the freeway as it is carving up a mountain pass.

I found the seat reasonably comfortable and the riding position roomy, but taller riders said the ‘pegs were too close to the seat, while some heavier riders would opt for the optional comfort seat if given the option. As a short rider, the 870mm seat height wasn’t an issue for me. The seat is relatively narrow, which means I was secure enough coming to a standstill – just. However again at low speeds, the weight was evident.

This is MV’s first mass-market, road-going adventure bike, and the Varese factory has done a hugely extraordinary job. I’d suggest, it’s the most charismatic, best-sounding adventure bike, and possibly the best handling adventure bike with a 21-inch front wheel, too. Its spicy but flexible engine also makes the Enduro Veloce one of the most entertaining to ride. It’s not just MV’s racy version of the adventure genre either. Cruise control comes as standard, while the 7-inch dash and simple to use backlit switchgear are splendid.

The rider aids are excellent, especially the TC, which is calibrated for both on and off-road tyres, and you even get launch control – yes the quarter-mile is calling. Comfort is sufficient, the list of accessories is long, and the overall level of finish is very high. You could argue this is the most desirable bike in this segment. Ok, other adventure bikes are superior off-road, and at slow speeds you notice the triple’s weight. But how many adventure bikes in this price bracket are ridden hard off road? Would an owner really risk trying to jump it or battle a river crossing?

However, the MV’s biggest downfall is the price, which can’t be ignored. BMW’s all new R 1300 GS is lees expensive, and if you want Italian, Ducati’s DesertX is lighter, cheaper, more compliant off-road, and nearly as fun on the road. If you want the fun, excellent road handling MV then you are going to have to dig a little deeper into your pockets.

2024 MV Agusta Enduro Veloce Specifications

mvagusta.com.au

Price: TBA (from $38,206 AUD in UK)
Warranty: TBC
Colours: Ago Red/Silver
Dry weight: 224kg
Fuel capacity: 20L
Power: 91kW@10,000rpm
Torque: 102Nm@7,000rpm
Fuel Consumption (measured): 5L/100km
Claimed Fuel Range: 354km

Engine: 931cc liquid-cooled four-stroke, 12-valve DOHC inline three-cylinder four-stroke, 81 x 60.2mm bore x stroke, 12.5:1 compression, Integrated ignition – injection system MVICS 2.1 (Motor & Vehicle Integrated Control System) with three injectors. Engine control unit Eldor Nemo EM 3.0 Throttle body bore 47mm diameters full ride by wire Mikuni Pencil-coil with ion-sensing technology, control of detonation and misfire. Torque control with four maps.
Gearbox: Cyborg electroactuated gearbox + Electronic quick shift MV EAS (Electronically Assisted Shift Up & Down) Clutch: Wet multidisc hydraulic clutch + SCS (Smart Clutch System)

Chassis: Main frame: double beam frame structure, composed by high-tensile steel pipes and forged components. Bolt on double cradle. Rear frame: trellis structure, composed by high-tensile steel pipes and forged components
Suspension: 50mm Sachs USD telescopic hydraulic fork with rebound – compression damping and spring preload adjustment, 210mm travel. Progressive, Sachs shock absorber with rebound and compression damping and spring preload adjustment, 210mm travel.
Brakes: Double floating disc. 320mm radial-type monobloc Brembo Stylema caliper with four-pistons, single steel disc 265mm Brembo caliper with 2 pistons
ABS: Continental MK100 with RLM (Rear Wheel Lift-up Mitigation) and cornering function.
Wheels & Tyres: spoked 2.14 x 21, 4.25 x 18 90/90, 150/70 Bridgestone Battlax A41 tyres.

Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 1610mm
Seat height: 870mm
Ground clearance: 230mm
Length: 2360mm
Width: 990mm

Electronics: TFT 7in Full HD Dashboard – Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity – Cruise control – Launch control – 8 level Traction Control- GPS sensor – Immobilizer – Full led headlight with DRL and bending function – Full led tail light – Fog light – MV Ride app with turn by turn navigation system, engine and vehicle setup.

UMI

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