‘Hooning in someone’s garden feels cool’ HERE’S A FIRST: an MV Agusta on long-term test. It shows two things. First, MV actually want to flog bikes. Second, they’re confident the bikes are no longer fickle and hard to live with. This new Brutale 800RR has the most refined fuelling of any MV, ever. The 140bhp engine is flexible, fast, and an aural feast. ‘Less noise, more sound’, say MV, and it’s true – new internals and engine covers mean less mechanical clatter, so you hear the wailing exhaust and roaring intake. The two-way quickshifter is super-slick, and the front brakes ripple tarmac.
Unfortunately some bits remain old-school MV, like the rock-hard ride, non-functional rear brake, fussy clocks and footpegs with no heel space. It’s also sensitive to tyre pressures, handling…
