There's just something about Italian motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta. I can't quite put my finger on it, but with every new bike the company produces, I sit back, look at it, and inevitably say, "Damn, I need more money."
Maybe it's the brand's sense of style? Maybe it's the company's dedication to the craft? Or maybe a bike is just inherently cool whenever you throw the words "MV Agusta" onto it? Whatever the case may be, the company has been producing banger after banger and its latest creation is no different.
Say hello to the MV Agusta Enduro Veloce. Mama mia.
The Enduro Veloce is very much in the same vein as Ducati's Multistrada V4 RS, in that the MV Agusta is a grand-touring, off-roader but done up in a way that prioritizes power and performance. As such, the heart of the machine is a 931cc three-cylinder producing 124 horsepower and 75 pound-feet of torque. That twist might not sound like a lot, but given its dual-sport aspirations, MV Agusta made sure you'd get 85% of that torque at just 3,000 rpm. Plenty for off-road fun.
MV's Electronically Assisted Shift (EAS) transmission allows for both flat-out up and down shifts, the whole of which can still be completely removed from the motorcycle via the right side of the bike.
The motorcycle also has a suite of electronics to keep you grounded to the ground, including a multi-level traction control, four riding modes (Urban, Touring, Off-Road and Custom All-Terrain), launch control, Front Lift Control (wheelie control), Cornering ABS, Rear Lift Control, Cruise Control, and programmable ABS. To go along with its off-road prowess, MV included Bridgestone Battlaxs, either dual-sport or full knobbies.
The Enduro Veloce makes use of Sachs-supplied suspension both front and rear, with a 48mm fork at the front that's adjustable for compression, rebound, and pre-load. While the rear shock has pre-load adjustments. Dual Stylema calipers stop Brembo rotors at the front, with a dual-piston caliper at the rear.
And as with any MV Agusta, the brand paid special attention to what the motorcycle sounds like. According to the press release, "The sound of the Enduro Veloce transmits excitement thanks to an exhaust system complete with bypass, the valve of which, when open, makes for a sound closer to that of a Superbike replica than an adventure bike." However, a sports exhaust is available for more of that soul.
Where the Enduro Veloce truly shines, however, is in its design. I mean, just look at it. Everything about the motorcycle screams MV Agusta, but the lines, the colorway, and the overall presentation demand you pay attention. It has to be the prettiest adventure motorcycle on sale. Perhaps the prettiest adventure motorcycle of all time. According to MV, the Enduro Veloce features "The heritage and grandeur of the past [as it] lives on in a radically contemporary object."
That said, of the entire design of the motorcycle I think the one low point is the exhaust system. The optional sports exhaust looks better than what seems like an afterthought of a stock can.
What's also interesting about the Enduro Veloce is that even though KTM's parent company now owns MV, the brand had little to do with the Enduro Veloce. All that occurred, according to MV, was that KTM took two for validation and then essentially said, "Yeah, these are solid."
The Enduro Veloce will be available at dealerships by the end of May, beginning of June, and MV Agusta has stated that the company won't be limiting production. That said, it'll cost you a pretty penny, with a starting price of $22,998. That isn't out of the realm of reality, but it ain't chump change either.
You can't, however, deny that it's gorgeous and I'm going to be lusting after this motorcycle for quite some time.
