Page 17 - St George Branch March 2022

tire called the Unique Puncture-proof Tyre
based on the company’s 950 cc triple. That’s the engine
used in the Lucky Explorer 9.5 (which debuted at System, or Uptis, which should be in production
EICMA). In addition to this rally raid tribute machine, MV by 2024.
Agusta says it plans to bring the engine to other bikes, The odd-looking tyre which holds no air and has
including naked bikes and sportbikes. Along with the springy rubber arms rather than sidewalls is said
new 950, Sardarov told MCN that MV Agusta also plans to be inherently safer than regular rubber. And
to still offer the 800 series in the future as well. because they won’t rupture or wear irregularly,
airless tyres also have the potential to be much
However, hardened sportbike fans will not be so excited
about that triple, as it’s based on a fairly old design at greener than what we currently use. Although
this point. For the true performance junkie, MV Agusta “we” in this case seems to mean drivers;
instead says it will bring out a four-cylinder litrebike in motorcyclists might not be ready for the
the future. The brand’s fans should be rejoicing, as the potentially… interesting… behaviour of the Uptis
F4 inline-four is now past its best-before date. Not that
it can’t offer thrills, but other manufacturers have left it
behind with their latest superbike updates.
We’ve heard all this before, though, and yet we’re still
waiting. MV Agusta’s shaky financials have caused delay
after delay, and it seems the beancounters are making
sure that any forward progress is done at a financially
viable pace. So, we wait.
We’ll wait for the new Lucky Explorer adventure bike as
well. While the smaller 5.5 model might be released to
showrooms fairly soon, as it’s based on a Chinese
design, the big-bore 9.5 version is not expected to sell tyres in corners.
before the spring, MV Agusta’s chief told MCN. No Published with permission of Adventure Rider.
surprise—the photos out of EICMA were obviously not a Author The Bear 23/2/2021
street-ready bike, and we didn’t see the usual videos of
fast-paced desert test riding.
Top 11 electric motorcycle brands you need

to watch

There is a growing number of brands that
are racing to become the Tesla of
motorcycling. Who will get there first?

Electric motorcycles are coming, and they will
likely be here to stay. Some will love it, many
will hate it, but we're all going to have to get
used to it.

We'll be waiting until summer, before the Lucky Explorer
9.5 shows up in showrooms. Photo: MV Agusta And while the general motorcycling public is still
a little hesitant about a post-internal
combustion future, motorcycle manufacturers
around the globe are not prepared to wait –
Here’s to Science..Tyres
instead, they are working tirelessly to establish
I thought it was about time I brought myself and you up themselves in the incoming Electric World
to speed on the latest scientific advances and Order.
discoveries with application to motorcycling.

Uptis is a word that looks odd. It means, however, that
the Michelin Man should be puncture-proof in future.
Good ol’ Mich is working with General Motors on this

The magazine of the St George Sutherland Branch of the Ulysses Club | 17