MV-AGUSTA BRUTALE 800RR (2018 - on) Review

It's at its best on track or quick roads. Just a personal thing - I've found its taken longer to feel dialled in to this bike than most of the others I've owned - judge the braking distances, understand how much you can abuse the throttle, feel comfortable moving around the bike. It does feel idiosyncratic but I suppose that's what you get with an exotic Italian brand. The suspension seems fine out of the crate, even though I am a fat lad. I thought the ABS was a bit keen on the road but, having had it on track, it's not that obtrusive. I don't go quick enough on track to notice the other electronics too much. The anti wheelie control does allow a bit of front wheel lift. On the road it's very comfortable with surprisingly little wind blast. I don't know how they've done that on a naked, it certainly strains the neck a lot less than my old Tuono. Luggage options are limited but I think you could tour on it if you sorted something out. A pillion could probably go a good 30 or 40 seconds before needing a break.

Like an angry demon fighting a swarm of wasps in there. Even with the standard exhaust, it sounds amazing flat out. Not as amazing as the Euro 3 and 4 versions do but amazing nevertheless. It rewards being thrashed and seems to like it the higher up the revs you go. Quickshifter very good. It's a powerful bike but not crazily intimidating. In rain mode it's quite a sedate experience. In race mode it's completely different and goes like the clappers.

Very well built and finished. I have had a bit of bogging in the midrange but that might be my riding in combination with rain mode. I fitted a Lithium battery so will have to see if that gets on with the electronics. The factory fitted tracker is a pile of shite and the insurance discount you get for using it doesn't cover the cost of paying for it, once its out of its free year.

It's not a bike you buy if you're worried about value for money - get a Street Triple instead, cheaper, bigger dealer network, easier getting parts , not dissimilar riding experience. However, it's an MV. You pay for not seeing a lot of other ones in the car park and because it looks beautiful. Fuel economy is not fantastic but, there again, you don't ride it with that in mind. Servicing costs remain to be seen.

Bar end mirrors are a bit fussy to set up in terms of getting them not to snag your gloves when you use the controls but they're better than the normal view of your own shoulders you get with the standard ones. SCS is great around town, particularly as someone whose last bike was an older Ducati. It takes a bit of getting used to but it's fine once you've adapted. Do not, as I did, forget and rev it at the lights or you will find yourself projected into the traffic. Cruise is v useful but you need a very long thumb to use it easily. Still haven't got the knack of that. Lights not that bright on new TFT dash and you can struggle to see them in sunshine. Yes, I can read what lean angle I'm doing but I'd rather know if I've left the indicator on. I can judge my lean angle without looking at a dash because, if it's wrong, I won't go round the corner. MV Ride app is fun, sort of.

The suspension out of the crate is stiff, which is fine on the track or those rare smooth public roads. There is enough adjustment available to make it more suited to your average British roads. The feel from the brakes is a little soft but I've changed the pads to EBC HH which seem to suit the bike better. Don't expect much from the rear brake. The pillion seat is more for show, I wouldn't fancy being perched on the back. This bike just wants to attack corners at speed. The chassis is small, light and slightly stiff but it's confidence inspiring with an excellent level of stability and loads of feedback.

A full fat triple that wants to rev and rev. MV have given us an engine which sounds like it means business, even at idle. It pulls pretty hard from a standstill and keeps going until you're high up in the rev range. The sound from the triple as you bang through the gears using the QS is intoxicating.

The quality is at the top end of the market. After 2 years the bike still looks new. The paint hasn't marked and still comes up with a deep shine after every wash. The only issue I've had was with the SCS, which needed adjusting to stop it pulling at a stand still.

Not the cheapest of bikes to own but servicing isn't that much more expensive than you pay for more mainstream makes. Petrol consumption depends on how you ride it.

The 2020 model doesn't have the TFT screen the newer bikes do, but who wants to look at the dash? It's a beautiful machine from every angle. I'm always getting people coming up and asking about the bike.

Not an all-round bike. It feels a lot like a naked F3: meant for track days. For the road is exhausting, without any protection and with an aggressive riding position. I had to give it a 4 because the breaking power is amazing.

The 2018 model has all the small electronic glitches of the older versions solved. The exhaust pipe is a work of art. The sound of the engine is the most similar to a V12 F1 I have ever heard. It is the first time it happened to me that I felt compelled to record the engine sound when accelerating and going up the gears, one by one, and send to my friends. It is MotoGP music. Addictive.

Italian bikes are now very reliable and the build quality it very good. The MV in particular is a premium product, where you get what you pay for.

Difficult to sell it for anything close yo what you have paid for it. Otherwise, good value.

The dashboard is a joke, difficult to read, probably a product of the past decade.

2.5 hour ride, no issues. I'm 5ft10 and it's like the bike was built for me.

The sound, throttle response, performance, everything is near perfect.

No issues as yet in first 1000 miles, not sure why MV gets such bad press.

The bike has no fuel gauge! Really MV? In 2018? But, very rarely look at the clocks anyhow when riding this bike.

This is not a touring bike. But I finish every ride with the biggest grin on my face.

So responsive.

Nothing you don’t need.