MV-AGUSTA BRUTALE 1078RR (2008 - on) Review

Don’t think that this is just ‘another’ Brutale: the new 1078RR is very, very different. The Italian firm has been known to release a bewildering number of Brutale variants since the first 750 was released in 2003. As well as that original 750 and the later 910, there have been ‘S’ and ‘R’ versions and commemorative bikes, like the ones to celebrate Italy winning the World Cup two years ago. There was even the comically-named Brutale ‘Wally’, a limited-edition run of bikes named after the Monte Carlo yacht builder. The 1078RR is savagely fast with explosive power, but for the first time it’s friendly too. The suspension is now plush and dialled into the real world and the throttle response smooth. It’s one of the best super-nakeds in the business.

The new suspension is by far the best bit of the 1078RR and a massive U-turn from how Brutales used to be before. Gone is the old racetrack-stiff set-up, which crashed and bumped over the slightest ripple in the road, blighting the old bike and the previous F4 superbikes on anything other than the track. The supple new suspension now lets the Brutale glide serenely over road surfaces, giving a brilliantly smooth ride. Riding the MV slowly or around town is now an utterly pleasurable experience. Thanks to an impeccable set-up by MV’s test riders, the suspension also offers lots of control when you push too, so there’s not a weave or wallow in sight when you’re riding hard, even on the magnificent Pirelli Super Corsa tyres.  

Shoehorned into the MV Agusta Brutale’s exquisitely hand-made chassis is the engine from the F4 RR312 superbike, retuned to give more mid-range thump. With a furious, rasping 154bhp pushing it along, the MV Agusta Brutale has the kind of acceleration you imagined a 500cc two-stroke GP bike would have when you were a kid. It’s impossible to get the throttle to the stop all the way through the revs in the first three gears because the MV will loop-the-loop. With that kind of violence available at your right wrist you start to think that the name Brutale is an understatement. The MV Agusta F**king Mental would be more apt.
There’s less vibration from the new engine compared to the old 910 and 750, and the fuelling is a massive improvement, too. The improved throttle response and the more supple suspension completely transform the character from racetrack refugee to comfortable, friendly sparring partner.

Build-quality is superb and we haven’t heard of Brutales breaking down either. There’s now a new UK importer (www.motogb.co.uk), which should give you piece of mind that parts and servicing won’t be an issue. And now that MV Agusta is owned by Harley-Davidson, the constant threat of MV’s closure has gone.

We’ve ridden lots of new super-nakeds in 2008. The Speed Triple is the best all-rounder and the Bimota DB6R the purest and best balanced. And now there’s the Brutale 1078RR, which is by far the most insane of the lot, but it has a soft side making it far friendlier to live with. Costing Ducati 1198S money, the Brutale is by no means cheap, but if you can afford it, you won’t be disappointed. Find an MV Agusta Brutale 1078RR for sale.

The 1078 RR has exquisite, hand-built attention to detail and expensive cycle parts like Brembo Monobloc calipers, a fully adjustable Sachs rear shock, 50mm Marzocchi forks and adjustable rearsets. You get a rasping, angry soundtrack to die for and a view over the clocks like you’re perched on the edge of a cliff. It’s on the small side too, so while a six-footer fits it pretty well (although the exhaust stops your right foot from doing tip-toes on the peg), it would be more ideally suited to someone smaller. Compare and buy products for the MV Agusta Brutale 1078RR in the MCN Shop.