Back in the early 90s, the Cagiva Elefant made history when it became the first, and to date only, Italian made motorcycle to claim overall Dakar Rally victory, not just once, but twice.

As a result of those two sensational victories, Cagiva produced a limited run of Rally Replica machines, dubbed the Lucky Explorer. At the time Cagiva was a powerhouse who owned several brands, including both Ducati and MV Agusta, over the years that dynamic has changed rather a lot. Today it is MV Agusta, who after laying dormant for numerous years have incidentally risen from the Cagiva ashes to become a force to be reckoned with. Ducati on the other hand, who could argue they have stronger ties to the Elefant having supplied its engine, have changed hands several times but have found success within the Volkswagen Group.

These two companies that used to be under the same roof have indeed evolved into fierce rivals, so by laying claim to the Lucky Explorer name, MV Agusta have fired the first shot in what is sure to be a battle for a percentage of the ever-growing Adventure bike market.

A Brief History Of The Cagiva

Cagiva Elefant 900ie 90-2
Motorcycle Specs

Over the years Cagiva made several Elefant dual sport motorcycles, ranging from 125cc all the way up to 900cc.

None would stand out quite like the 900cc Pantha engined Elefant though, a bike that crossed over from the dual sport segment into what is now known as an Adventure bike. No stranger to the Dakar, having entered bikes into the event through the 80s, the big 900 was the first machine that was truly competitive at the event. Victory in 1990 assured the bike a place in history, with few able to believe a bike powered by a Ducati engine could finish the grueling Dakar Rally. As if to prove that feat wasn’t a fluke, Edi Orioli would then ride the bike to a second victory in 1994.

After the first victory, Cagiva were quick to capitalize and launch the Lucky Explorer version, a good deal more expensive than the stock bike but well worth it with all the upgrades it got, not to mention the collectability today.

Related: A Detailed Look Back At The Cagiva Elefant

Ducati Vs Cagiva

MV Agusta 9.5
Cycle World

Over the last couple of months, Ducati have been working diligently building attention for their upcoming DesertX bike, with many thinking they would draw attention to the role they played in developing the old Elefant.

By launching the two Lucky Explorer bikes, MV Agusta didn’t just steal their thunder, they pretty much scored a direct hit in terms of marketing. As much as Ducati has that as part of their history, they obviously only played the role of engine supplier whereas Cagiva own the name, who are indeed now owned by MV Agusta, so there is little they can complain about.

They can indeed feel just a little frustrated about the timing of this launch though, which was clearly intended to undermine the Ducati release, essentially making it old news before it becomes actual news at all. If Ducati dares play on the connection they have to the Dakar they will also risk looking like copy-cats, to say the least, which is not ideal.

Related: These Are The Most-Winning Dakar Rally Riders Of All Time

The Carbon Clad 9.5

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Rider Magazine

The two bikes couldn’t be more different, instead of taking aim at the middle of the market it seems like they are rather going in the opposite direction and taking aim at the top and bottom end with two distinctly different products.

It is an interesting decision that other manufacturers may well follow, but for now the 120 horsepower 9.5 has clearly set its sights on the bigger premium offerings like the Africa Twin. Although it has a 930cc displacement, this is very much their 800cc triple bored out and stroked, tuned for torque delivery as opposed to overall horsepower; it now achieves a respectable torque figure of 75 lb-ft. These power figures put it right on par with the other premium offerings and the optional Rekluse automatic clutch, it is pretty clear they want a slice of Honda’s DCT market. It is a high quality offering with several premium components, including some carbon fiber bodywork.

Related: Here's Everything We Know About The 2021 Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin

The 5.5 With Chinese Roots

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ADV Pulse

With the incredible specs on offer with the 9.5, it is quite impossible to compare these two bikes. This 5.5 is very much a more beginner-friendly offering.

Related: Here's Everything You Should Know About Benelli Motorcycles

It is an interesting development considering how quality focussed MV Agusta has been up until now, the 5.5 parallel twin is made by the Chinese manufacturer Qianjiang. In fact, pretty much the whole bike is from them, as it seems to be the same engine and frame found doing duty for the Benelli TRK 502. The engine is uprated to 550cc, likely with the input of some MV Agusta technicians, and the bike gets some top shelf components, but at first glance it seems like this machine is very much going to be their most affordable motorcycle to date.

If it goes well, we will likely see several other budget minded offerings based on this platform, but only time will tell how well this chinese MV Agusta will be received.