MV Agusta Brutale800 Dragster – road test

We may be a country in crisis, but in terms of design and ability to create objects like the MV Agusta Brutale800 Dragster which we are about to try we are still unreachable. There are no Japanese or Germans who can hold their own, we are faced with a motorbike which, at least in the eyes of an enthusiast, is a work of art, pure excitement just by observing it still on the easel. Entering the MV Agusta headquarters in Schiranna (VA), which was historically the headquarters of Cagiva, is a bit like visiting a happy island. There will not be the huge capital that is behind the main competing companies, but you can still feel the taste of true passion for two wheels, something that is disappearing nowadays, replaced by the laws of marketing and strategic planning. The same flavor that we find in the Dragster, which on the one hand is a concentration of technology, with top engine and electronics, on the other hand reveals an originality and craftsmanship in its creation which is now almost unique in the motorcycle panorama. Even today, the CRC logo is present on the MVs, an acronym born as the Cagiva Research Center, whose last letter is now an abbreviation of Castiglioni, given that the historic brand of the Varese family is currently "stopped in the pits". All the MVs of recent production were developed by this San Marino company, from the rebirth of 1997 with the F4 onwards, but previously other innovative models, which have become important pages in the history of two wheels, were born thanks to their design, one of them being the Ducati 916. After the F4 in 2001 it was the turn of the Brutale, the second and last model of this new production phase. Unfortunately, then the economic difficulties of a group that included two other historic brands, Cagiva and Husqvarna, took over. After the sale of the latter to BMW Motorrad (which in turn got rid of it shortly thereafter, but that's another story), in 2008 it seemed that the acquisition of MV Agusta (including the Cagiva brand) by of Harley Davidson could benefit the company's fortunes. This was not the case and, given the poor results obtained, after taking it over for around 70 million euros, it was "returned" to the Castiglioni family for the symbolic price of one euro after around two years. The return to the origins this time may have unblocked a situation that appeared compromised. Having set aside, at least for now, the Cagiva brand, efforts have concentrated on MV, with the return to competition and the launch of 4 new models, F3 in 2011 (born as 675), Rivale and 800 variant of the F3 in 2013 and the combined Turismo Veloce and Brutale 800 Dragster in 2014, although the latter is more of a reinterpretation, above all aesthetic, of the Brutale 800 than a model. For now the results seem to be arriving, with production more than doubling since 2010 (less of 3.300) to 2013 (approximately 7.500).

Aesthetics and finishes:

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Two-wheeled art, with a breath-taking Dragster B-side

We said it, we want to say it again: Italian taste has no equals, only we could have created a motorbike like this. The attention to aesthetic detail, the choice of materials and aesthetic/technical solutions, but above all the lines and general look of the Dragster are spectacular. It doesn't matter if you then use it to discover that some solutions, which are aesthetically beautiful and are part of a certainly successful overall result, are anything but comfortable and functional. An example are the mirrors, Hypermotard 1st series style, which, in addition to conspicuously protruding from the shape of the motorbike, are essentially unusable, because they continually move at the mercy of vibrations and air at high speeds. You end up forgiving her for some small flaws, because the more you look at her, the more you run the risk of falling in love with her. Some details are spectacular, like those clip-on handlebars with adjustable opening, which allow you to modify the inclination by as much as 7°, radically changing the driving position, with an operation that takes just a few seconds. In fact, the Dragster is nothing more than a Brutale 800, but with a rear in line with the name given to it. The pigtail in fact becomes minimal and truncated, to say the least given that it is practically non-existent, while the tire goes to an acceleration monster size, with a 200/50 which gives it a decidedly evil appearance. The rear is further enhanced by the single-sided swingarm (the same as the Brutale 800) that it features on display is an asymmetrical circle, with ten thin spokes on one side and on the opposite side a huge, completely smooth channel, stuff that would make it win a contest, if it were a special, but it's a production bike! The rest does not undergo major changes, with the chassis and frame of the “standard” Brutale 800, including the beautiful Marzocchi up-side-down with 43 mm stanchions at the front, combined with radial calipers and also the 3 into 1 into 3 exhaust with very short terminals, which on this version seem even more aggressive. The instrumentation and handlebar controls are also confirmed, with an essential aesthetic and reduced dimensions for the instrument panel, but lots of electronics (latest generation as on the Rivale 800) that can be managed comfortably without moving your hands from the grips.

Engine and performance:

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3 cylinders, 125 horsepower and a unique character

When you see a motorbike like this, praise aside, you immediately think that it will be the classic "object" to show off at the aperitif. If only aesthetics mattered, there would be little to discuss about the engine. In reality the Dragster is a Brutale 800 with a bad rear. This means that it is equipped with a 800 cc inline three engine (798 to be precise) capable of releasing 125 horsepower of the bad kind, at 11.600 rpm, and 81 Nm at 8.100, combined with one refined electronics, latest evolution than what has been proposed to date for the Brutale 800, with well 4 mappings (3 preset and one customizable) to "sew on" the character of the engine, modifying the gas response of the Ride-by-wire type and therefore partly the delivery, the engine braking and the intervention of the limiter. Beyond that you can manage 8 levels of intervention of the traction control (TC) system and also the intervention ofBosch 9 Plus ABS, which can be switched off, whether you don't want to take a stoppy before getting off the bike... Jokes aside, we are faced with one important evolution of electronics, previously pointed out as not flawless, but which is now truly excellent. For those interested, it is a firmware upgrade, available for all Eldor Em2.0 control units, which MV Agusta has been using for about 3 years now on its three-cylinder 675 and 800. When driving, the engine convinces immediately and never change your mind. Turns out full and ready for bass, brutal (how could it not be) without ending up being grumpy, with a very progressive response compared to the opening of the throttle. The excessive on-off that many associate with MV Agusta motorcycles until the very recent past, seems to have almost disappeared, even using a rather sporty configuration. There is only where it is necessary that the delivery is aggressive even to excess, in sport mode, without however becoming too annoying. What stands out are the back and the draw length that the 800 has: when you open the throttle the front immediately becomes light and points upwards even in third gear, if it is kept open. In fact, the action of the traction control separates the anti-wheeling from the actual control, and allows for controlled wheelies, which the geeks will really appreciate. The thrust is so vigorous that by closing and reopening the throttle the wheel always rises again. Even the most assiduous admirers of single-wheelers will end up never setting it to "candle", because with the throttle open it doesn't show signs of going down even if the wheel is raised only a few centimeters, guaranteeing the lust for full acceleration with a "nib" that makes MotoGP so special... Having closed the parenthesis of behavior to be observed only on roads closed to traffic, the vigorous torque of the 3-cylinder MV makes the declared 125 horsepower seem like little. The engine is almost infinite in road driving, to the point that when exiting corners the Brutale 800 Dragster recovers meters from whatever bike is behind it, with disarming speed. If all this wasn't enough the gearbox is equipped with quick shift disengageable, which allows “rattle off” the six gears without closing the throttle, and without practically ever interrupting the brutal acceleration, indeed with a further push forward every time the very short cycle of a gear shift ends, which closes and reopens the throttle for a very rapid fraction of a second, only for the bare minimum necessary to "release ” the lower gear and enter the next one. Defects? Practically none, they are two small flaws: the quick shift, if used at too low speeds, is not always flawless, more than once we found ourselves without gear between fifth and sixth, and the engine gets really hot when the bike is stationary. In city traffic it becomes annoying if the outside temperatures rise.

Ride and handling:

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An "aperitif bike" that also goes strong on the track

We defined it as an "aperitif", because jokes aside, if you show up at the bar with a motorbike like this, you will definitely attract attention. However in addition to aesthetics there is certainly a great engine, but not only that. If anyone thought that with such an exaggerated tire on the rear it would make the Brutale 800 Dragster seem clumsy and unwieldy when driving, they would be wrong, because surprisingly the Dragster doesn't mind a turn on the track and is very stable on fast speeds. Some small problems are only noticeable between the bends and on the winding streets with tight bends to be taken at slow speeds, where pushing to the limit we also found ourselves fighting with some bouncing of the front when engaging. Perhaps an intervention on the adjustments (which are basically slightly different compared to the Brutale 800) of the Marzocchi fork or the Sachs rear monocle would have been beneficial, as would the riding style which requires a minimum of initial apprenticeship for a motorbike which is not exactly conventional, but not this seemed to us to be his ideal terrain. The chassis and dimensions are identical to the Brutale 800 from which it derives, with the front fork 43mm reversed stems, fully adjustable, combined with Brembo 4-piston radial calipers, 320 mm floating discs, Bosch ABS (however disengageable) with a marked sporty setting. The wheelbase of 1.380 mm and the trail of 95 are also unchanged. weight, with a very low 167 kg, which allows it to be amazingly easy to handle and responsive to drive as soon as you get on the saddle. After experiencing some difficulty on the hairpin bends it was able to amaze us again in the bends, where it is stable even at extreme speeds. Remains a motorcycle without compromises, that he loves the fast more than the narrow, it turns out surprisingly more stable and easier to push to the limit in a turn in fourth or fifth gear rather than in one in second gear. The Dragster is to be used strictly alone, because the passenger seat is only for short or emergency trips, unless you are a masochist. However, it does not suffer from touring speeds, because the engine never becomes nervous and picks up well even at low revs. A note on a detail that ends up being convenient even if it would seem out of place on a sports bike: the Speed ​​Limit is among the functions that can be selected in the instrument menu, we consider it very useful to avoid surprises with tutors and speed cameras scattered along the motorways and state roads, where with a motorbike like this it is easy to find yourself far above the permitted speed with a moment of distraction. Compared to the classic cruise control, its action is more irregular, because by keeping the throttle wide open the speed does not remain constant but small increments and decelerations follow one another, but the result is still obtained.

Price and consumption:

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Beauty and quality are paid the right price

The price list of the new Dragster is 13.490 euros, approximately 1.800 more than the "standard" Brutale 800 ABS, quite a lot, especially in light of differences related only to the rims, the rear wheel and the new tail. Having to choose in a less rational way, looking at the two bikes side by side, the matter becomes more complicated, because the impact of the Dragster's rear is truly one to make one go crazy... You can choose white, as well as in matt metallic aviation gray of the sample under test. The tank capacity is good, 16,6 litres. The consumption item, if anyone needs it in the rational evaluation of a motorbike who really doesn't want to be rational, shows "honest" values, with averages always above 15 km/l even when pushing the pace a lot. Thanks to the latest release of the electronics, the values ​​are in fact aligned with those of the Rival, with which it shares it.

PROS AND CONS

We like it:
Extreme aesthetics and style to spare, engine and electronics delivery, braking and stability on fast speeds

We do not like it:
Challenging driving on the strait, hot in traffic

MV Agusta Brutale800 Dragster: the Motorionline Report Card

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Handling:
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Consumption:

Test clothing:
Jacket: Dainese AVRO C2 LEATHER
Trousers: Dainese DELTA PRO C2 LEATHER
Gloves: Dainese Druids S-ST
Boot: Dainese TR-COURSE OUT AIR
Helmet: X-Lite X-702GT

Thanks for the photos to Matteo Zuccolo, a restaurateur with a passion for motors and photography.