Brand management is not for the faint-hearted. Porsche risked its reputation as a premium sports car brand when it brought the Cayenne SUV to the market in 2002. While the faithful considered it the End Times, 22 years later, the two best-selling Porsches are the Macan and Cayenne SUVs. MV Agusta faced the same style of raised eyebrows when the Turismo Veloce was unveiled at 2013 EICMA. While the Turismo Veloce wasn’t a Cayenne-style sales juggernaut, it is still in the lineup nine years after its showroom debut. Now, MV Agusta is again challenging the expectations of its well-heeled customers with the all-new 2024 MV Agusta Enduro Veloce, the first general production adventure motorcycle from the luxury Italian brand.
With Pierer Mobility AG taking a majority interest in the Varese-based iconic brand, access to the KTM dealer network means the Enduro Veloce is well-poised to revolutionize MV Agusta. The marketplace will judge the success of the 2024 MV Agusta Enduro Veloce from a financial standpoint. Our job, of course, is to find out what the Enduro Veloce is all about as a motorcycle. We traveled to the south coast of Italy’s Autonomous Region of Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea to ride the Enduro Veloce on the endlessly twisting roads along the island’s storied rural rocky coastline and through the Sulcis Mountains. We even snuck in a few unpaved miles to get a sense of the Enduro Veloce’s mettle in the dirt.
- MV Agusta has moved into the adventure space with an all-new platform. Both the chassis and the motor on the 2024 MV Agusta Enduro Veloce are all-new, so long as you’re not counting the limited edition LXP Orioli earlier this year. That means a new 931cc three-cylinder powerplant puts out 124 horsepower at 10,000 rpm. The frame is a perimeter style with a double cradle for the support needed off-road, removable/replaceable subframe, and an aluminum linkage-equipped swingarm. Sachs takes care of the suspension chores, controlling 8.3 inches of wheel travel at each end. Also, there’s a comprehensive electronics suite and a seven-inch TFT display. At $22,998, the price of the Enduro Veloce is three bucks more than the Ducati DesertX Rally.
- The new triple is designed to accommodate aggressive riding on the street, while allowing the flexibility needed to navigate off-pavement excursions. MV Agusta has approached this goal in a few ways. The ride modes and adjustable electronic rider aids are designed to be used with the standard street-oriented Bridgestone Battlax A41 tires and the knobbier AX41s. Yes, the entire system changes operation based on which tubeless Bridgestones you have mounted on the 21-/18-inch wire-spoked wheel combination. Further, the motor delivers 85 percent of its 75 ft-lb torque peak from 3000 rpm to the five-figure redline—it’s always ready to pull.
- Warning: The sound of the inline-three is highly addictive. You will want to wind that powerplant up any chance you get, so keep an eye out for the ticket distributors. Even though the muffler doesn’t look stylish, the combined sound of the exhaust and intake is positively Italian. The quickshifter adds to the aural ecstasy.
- The ergonomics of the 2024 MV Agusta Enduro Veloce are spot-on, on- and off-road. Though the handlebar looks high when the bike is at rest and unmounted, once you’re on the motorcycle, the relationship of the grips, footpegs, and seat is perfectly natural. The Enduro Veloce is comfortable when seated and narrow at the waist when standing, save for a bit of frame intrusion on your boots at the ankle. The pegs have moveable rubber inserts if you know you’ll be in the wet or focusing on off-road travel. The hand and foot controls are exactly where you need them to be, whether sitting or standing. The seat height is a manageable 34.3 inches, which allowed me to almost flat-foot at stops with my 31-inch inseam. Shorter riders can drop the seat to 33.5 inches, though that raises the relative positions of the grips and pegs.
- Despite its intended off-pavement capabilities, the Enduro Veloce is a street motorcycle. Most of my testing, and all of the street riding, was done with the street-oriented Bridgestone Battlax A41 rubber. The tires help MV Agusta work some pavement magic, as the Enduro Veloce is an impressive performer on Sardinia’s unpredictable mountain and coastal roads, despite being led by a 21-inch front wheel. While you might expect some uneasiness when hustling through the twisties with a front tire just 90mm wide—25 percent narrower than a Brutale RR front donut—be prepared for a surprise.
- MV Agusta engineers managed to banish pitching of the Enduro Veloce when entering and exiting corners, in spite of the long suspension travel. Some smart choices were made for the springing and damping of the Sachs suspension units. They certainly don’t feel too firm when touring, so their ability to resist wallowing during cornering—from aggressive to casual—is impressive. The feel the front end gives and the stability during cornering highlights the Veloce in this Enduro.
- Don’t think that the 2024 MV Agusta Enduro Veloce’s stability in corners makes it stodgy. Although MV doesn’t release a rake number, the 4.6 inches of trail isn’t particularly short, and the 540-pound curb weight (wriggled out of an MV engineer) isn’t unusually light, so other factors give the Enduro Veloce its welcome agility. I look to the effects of the counterrotating crankshaft, smooth throttle delivery, a well-placed center of gravity, the narrow front tire, and the neutral ergonomics. A combination of all of the above likely makes the Enduro Veloce a winner on twisting roads of all radii and conditions.
- The three-cylinder motor is ready for sporting action, even though there’s no Sport mode. MV Agusta names the three preset IMU-informed ride modes Touring, Urban, and Off-Road, with Custom All-Terrain mode ready for you to set up for your needs. However, the preset modes can have their traction control (two levels), engine braking (two levels), wheelie control, and cornering ABS/rear wheel lift mitigation (both wheels or front-wheel only, or off in Custom) intrusion settings adjusted.
- A couple of Custom All-Terrain mode options will likely cause some confusion, at least initially, for 2024 MV Agusta Enduro Veloce owners—Gas Sensitivity and Engine Response. These are two ways of adjusting engine response to throttle input. Gas Sensitivity adjusts the progressiveness of the twist throttle—it has to do with the signal being sent to the motor, not the motor itself. Engine Response adjusts how quickly the motor delivers power. It is independent of the throttle, though the two are intertwined in practice. The system gives you two ways to speed up or slow down the power delivery. Blending the two adjustable parameters means more control over the power delivery, though it also requires more setup work on the part of the rider.
- For most riders, the three ride modes will be fine the vast majority of the time on the street. The Touring mode is the go-to, do-it-all riding mode. The throttle response is great fun without ever being abrupt or notchy. Traction control, wheelie control, and ABS are set at their maximum, with engine braking reduced. It all works, though I’m an engine braking fan and upped the level (an increase of about 20 percent). Showing respect for the rider, your settings don’t revert to standard when you shut off the bike. The engineers apparently have sway over the legal beagles at MV Agusta—as it should be.
- During aggressive riding, you can feel the rider aids at work positively. I triggered the front ABS a few times, likely due to the narrow front tire and virtuoso Brembo Stylema calipers with radial master cylinder and 320mm disc, so I was glad to have it on. Traction was generally good on the Sardinian roads, so I didn’t have much in the way of wheelspin from the A41s in the default level three of five dry street modes—raising and lowering the levels didn’t make that much difference for me. Wheelie control still allows a bit of front wheel lift; it’s a great feature, as it encourages a heavier throttle hand, knowing that the electronics have your back. As a reminder, all these settings are recalibrated when you install the dirt-friendly AX41s, though you must manually inform the system that you’ve changed the rubber.
- The quickshifter works in both directions with the throttle applied. If you’re on the gas but in too high of a gear, the quickshifter lets you downshift without cutting the throttle. As usual with a quickshifter, the more aggressively you ride, the better it works. The hydraulic clutch is smooth and predictable, which is especially helpful in technical off-pavement conditions.
- The seven-inch TFT dash is easy to navigate and read. A five-button array for your left thumb makes it easy to get around, though some functions feel a bit buried. The screen is customizable with plenty of technical information displayed, though I found the real-time lean angle readout distracting. Cruise control is activated by your left thumb and adjusted by your left index finger. Your right thumb switches through the ride modes via the combination start/kill switch, which might take a bit of time for some people to get comfortable with. Other right thumb dedicated buttons include ABS, launch control, and a programable speed limiter. There’s also the obligatory MV My Ride app for your smartphone, which pairs by Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The app has a broad range of capabilities, including route recording with technical details and turn-by-turn navigation (no GPS display, though).
- Touring is part of the 2024 MV Agusta Enduro Veloce experience, and feel free to ride all day. Between the seat, the comfortable upright ergonomics, the protection of the fairing, and the flexibility in power delivery, the Enduro Veloce does not wear you out, even when invoking veloce. The motorcycle will cruise along at triple figures if no one who writes tickets is looking, so you can make time should you need or want to. Vibration is impressively low, heat management excellent, the rearview mirrors useful, handguards break up the wind, and the cruise control intuitive—all adding to touring effectiveness. Panniers are optional, with MV Agusta offering fully appointed aluminum side cases with a total capacity of 71 liters.
- Although my off-road testing was limited, it was revealing. On stock tires on a good-quality gravel road, the Enduro aspect of the motorcycle shined. Yes, I’d wish for electronically adjustable suspension—I’m not going to break out to tools to change the damping and spring preload for short off-road excursions—but the action that worked on the street was fine on a good dirt road. The long-travel suspension is supple, so you don’t take any hits—a good thing on a 540-pound bike with street tires. Just click the Enduro Veloce into the Offroad mode and turn off the traction control, and you’re good to go. Standing up is a natural position, and I felt more confident than usual. As a frequent dirt bike rider, I’m spoiled off-road, so anytime I feel great on an ADV bike when the pavement ends, someone did something right.
- I had a short ride in technical off-road terrain with the dirt-friendly AX41s and was impressed. MV Agusta set up a separate bike with the AX41s and dialed in for some off-roading on a course that included rocky terrain, deep rain ruts, loose rocks, and elevation changes. That agility and ease of use in the twisties translate surprisingly well to tricky off-road conditions. I worked my way up some modestly rocky and steep inclines effortlessly, and at speed. I even managed to rail a berm leaned way over to avoid a nasty rut—something you rarely will see me try on an adventure bike. Make sure you keep the throttle under control; if you’re aggressive with your right wrist, you’ll be spinning up the rear AX41 in no time, or accelerating at an alarming pace. The suspension is plush and poised, and the ergonomics are on the money.
- I don’t have to tell you that the 2024 MV Agusta Enduro Veloce is an Italian beauty—the accessories department can help it stay that way. The motorcycle photographs well and looks outstanding in person. The fairing/radiator shroud is one-piece and hand-painted in Ago Red and Ago Silver—I don’t even want to think of what that will cost you should you drop the bike off-road. There are guards to protect that piece, as well as a heavier-duty skid plate for the soft underbelly—both must-have accessories for the truly adventurous.
- The 2024 MV Agusta Enduro Veloce is a rookie win for the historic brand. This stunning sport-touring motorcycle doesn’t make you stop riding should a gravel road be on the map. The Enduro Veloce handily delivers the MV Agusta experience of regal sporting and pride of ownership at a premium price, though not out of reach or unheard of in the segment. MV Agusta has taken a risk by entering a new market that devoted aficionados may find suspect. However, one ride will eliminate all concerns about whether this was a good move.
Action photography by Marco De Ponti and Simon Palfrader
Still photography by Rudi Schedl et al
RIDING STYLE
- Helmet: Arai XD4
- Jacket: Alpinestars AMT-10R Drystar XF
- Back protection: Alpinestars Nucleon KR-2I
- Gloves: Alpinestars Halo
- Pants: Alpinestars ST-7 2L
- Boots: Alpinestars RT-8 Gore-Tex
2024 MV Agusta Enduro Veloce Specs
ENGINE
- Type: Inline-3
- Displacement: 931cc
- Bore x stroke: 81 x 60.2mm
- Maximum power: 124 horsepower @ 10,000 rpm
- Maximum torque: 75 ft-lbs @ 7000 rpm
- Top speed: 143 mph
- Compression ratio: 13.4:1
- Fueling: Eldor Nemo 2.1 ECU w/ Mikuni 47mm throttle bodies
- Valvetrain: DOHC, 4vpc
- Transmission: 6-speed w/ quickshifter
- Clutch: Hydraulically actuated wet multiplate
- Final drive: Chain
CHASSIS
- Frame: Double cradle w/ removable trellis subframe and die-cast aluminum swingarm.
- Front suspension; travel: Fully adjustable Sachs inverted 48mm fork; 8.3 inches
- Rear suspension; travel: Linkage-assisted fully adjustable Sachs shock; 8.3 inches
- Wheels: Wire-spoke w/ Takasago Excel tubeless rims
- Front wheel: 21 x 2.15
- Rear wheel: 18 x 4
- Tires: Bridgestone Battlax A41 (optional: Bridgestone Battlax AX41)
- Front tire: 90/90 x 21
- Rear tire: 150/70 x 18
- Front brakes: 320mm floating discs w/ radially mounted Brembo Stylema 4-piston calipers
- Rear brake: 265mm disc w/ Brembo 2-piston caliper
- ABS: Cornering-aware Continental MK100 w/ rear-wheel lift mitigation
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
- Wheelbase: 63.4 inches
- Trail: 4.6 inches
- Seat height: 33.5 or 34.3 inches
- Ground clearance: 9.1 inches
- Fuel capacity: 5.3 gallons
- Estimated fuel consumption: 52 mpg
- Curb weight: 540 pounds (approx.)
- Color: Ago Red/Ago Silver
2024 MV Agusta Enduro Veloce Price: $22,998 MSRP
2024 MV Agusta Enduro Veloce Review Photo Gallery
