With some major difficulties sorted out, MV Agusta is working on a big comeback. We expect to see a renewed North American presence soon, hopefully including that Lucky Explorer ADV bike lineup.
Ch-ch-changes, challenges and KTM’s impact
For years now, MV Agusta has had one big problem: Money. This is no surprise, since money woes are the constant running sub-story across the Italian motorcycle industry, but from 2000 through 2016, MV Agusta shuffled through a series of owners and part owners, including carmarkers Mercedes AMG and Proton and even Harley-Davidson for a few months. In the background, the Castiglioni family generally held some ownership or influence, but after the British-Russian Black Ocean Group bought a 49 percent stake of the company in 2017, that group has exerted a continually-growing influence. Currently, Timur Sardarov of the Black Ocean Group is the CEO of MV Agusta.
The Italian manufacturer has done a great job of repackaging older engines into attractive new models, but that business model will only work for so long. Constantly-updating emissions laws, not to mention rapidly-developing competition from other Euro manufacturers, mean MV Agusta has to move forward with new designs, and the infrastructure to back up production. Photo: MV Agusta
Under Black Ocean Group, things seemed to be stabilizing in the years leading up to COVID-19’s disruption, but MV Agusta did not release any all-new platforms or shore up its North American business. While we saw gorgeous naked bikes and sportbikes from MV Agusta, they were based on aging engine designs. That changed when MV Agusta debuted theLucky Explorer 9.5 adventure bikeat the 2021 EICMA show, accompanied by the smallerLucky Explorer 5.5. Pre-sales werevery good; MV Agusta just has to actually build the bikes, and get them to market.
That’s where KTM comes into the picture. Out of nowhere, rumors started circulating in fall of 2022: KTM was allegedly going to make a deal with MV Agusta. When the dust settled, KTM’s parent company Pierer Mobility bought 25.1 percent of MV Agusta. As part of the deal, KTM also will help MV Agusta with supply chain and other production support, along with distribution and sales through its dealer network.
The three-cylinder Lucky Explorer 9.5, built as a throwback to the big-bore desert bikes of the Dakar’s glory days. Photo: MV Agusta
Expect new ADV bikes soon, then?
MV Agusta摩托宣布,截至1月31日,2023年,我t has finally got its debts sorted, a process that started all the way back in 2017 when Black Ocean Group bought in.
CEO Sardarov sounded very positive as he looked ahead to the company’s plans for coming years:
We must now look at the future with renewed confidence, comforted by the success of our new models. The partnership with KTM AG is already bringing new energy to our business on all fronts, from the production of new models and the expansion of our dealers network to the improve of the services quality for our clients. Our dark years are over, as we have finally created the conditions for MV Agusta to write a new chapter in the history of motorcycling.
实际上,这意思s MV Agusta motorcycles should be readily available at North American KTM dealerships in coming months. But does that include the Lucky Explorer adventure bikes?
We’d expect that, if KTM has helped MV sort out its supply chain woes.
