MV Agusta Brutale 800 first ride: "Instant grunt in any gear"

MV Agusta’s new Brutale 800 is currently being put through its paces by MCN’s Andy Downes in the south of France. These are his first riding impressions:

“I’ve been riding it for about an hour and I’ve got to say this new incarnation of MV’s triple is a hell of a motor: there’s just instant grunt in any gear – and it revs as well. It’s just much more instant and eager and seems about perfect for this kind of bike.

“It’s not without its foibles, though. Throttle response is a bit on/off, especially around town and the rear brake is overly harsh. But overall it’s a really nice package.

“It’s not so much a rival for Triumph’s updated 675 Street Triple as it is for the bigger Speed Triple 1050, both in terms of performance and spec, with its switchable engine modes, traction control and so on. It’s even reasonably comfy too.”

Read Andy’s full report in Motorcycle News soon