EICMA’s over. The grandest show in the two-wheeled industry has come and gone and this year was quite spectacular. I’m extremely excited for next year and among all the bikes that debuted either as concepts or production models, five really stuck out whether for better or for worse. 

Some bikes were undoubtedly good, while others stirred up a bit of controversy. While Enrico and Janaki both loved the bikes that they listed, I’m listing five that either caught my eye, made me question, or split an entire fan base. You could say that these are the bikes that I loved thanks to the stir they caused whether on a personal level or an industry level. 

In short, I like a bit of drama. These are the five bikes that I found interesting to cover at EICMA 2023. 

2024 MV Agusta LXP Orioli 

Let’s start off with something easy. I simply love the LXP. Some people are so-so with the model, while I think it looks fantastic. MV’s middleweight adventurer is finally out and after years of teasing and coverage and even a 5.5 model that was canceled, a snide remark from KTM’s head, and even a rename, we finally have it. Five hundred for the initial run and then a full production version after that. 

The look of the LXP Orioli strikes me, and so does the inline-three cylinder motor that the brand fitted. Positioned as a versatile luxury adventure bike, it’s meticulously designed to be comfortable, but still capable. Also well-equipped, the bike has everything that you could want from a modern adventure-touring machine which also includes an inertial measurement unit and more. In fact, there were so many features listed in the press release of this model that I really had to sit down and unpack everything that MV Agusta had to say about it. It took me a while to write the article for this model, and as the first bike I covered from the show, it definitely left an impression. 

2024 MV Agusta Superveloce 1000 

While the LXP was more or less loved by all, the Superveloce 1000 that was also showcased split the fan base. On the one side, quite a number of people liked the design that MV displayed at this year’s show. However, others weren’t too happy with it. The Superveloce 800 was a well-liked model thanks to its simplicity and its neo-retro aesthetic. However, some purists didn’t take too kindly to the design of the 1000, writing it off as too complicated and not in keeping with the original design philosophy of Massimo Tamburini. 

Simplicity is key, and without going into it too deeply, the bike was simply overly designed with a lot of cuts, curves, and too much complexity. The Superveloce 800 had a simple and elegant design, but the Superveloce 1000 wilded out, so to speak. You could say that MV overdid it, but then again I do consider that the brand does up the ante when it comes to their liter-class motorcycles. If you ask me, I think that it’s a hair too wild. While I still like the fact that the Superveloce nameplate is getting another model, it’s not what I was expecting given how the Superveloce 800 impacted me when I first saw it. 

2024 KTM 990 Duke 

I am a KTM 790 Duke owner, and I like how my bike looks. I am biased here. I also used to own a 390 Duke, which I also liked. When the 2024 KTM 390s came out, I was quite excited to see what the Austrian brand had up its sleeve for its next-generation middleweight. I will admit that Team Orange’s design language is not for everyone, and while it appeals to me, it definitely won’t tickle everyone’s fancy, and it’s not as if the 790 Duke was a universally loved bike design-wise.