MV-AGUSTA BRUTALE 1000 RS (2021 - on) Review

It might be six grand cheaper than the full spec RR, but the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RS is still eye-wateringly expensive. You can get a better-equipped super naked, not to mention cheaper and significantly more refined one, from any of MV Agusta’s rivals. Ride quality isn’t as plush as the RR’s and it does without its carbon trinkets, but the riding experience is similar, albeit more comfortable thanks to its more spacious riding position.

Styling won’t be to everyone’s taste, nor will its firm ride or aggressive engine character, but drama, decadence, exclusivity and one of the wildest soundtracks in biking is guaranteed.

⏱️ Join @Neevesy33 for #60secondswith the MV Agusta Brutale 1000RS. pic.twitter.com/ZmASKa3M8Z

— Motor Cycle News (@MCNnews) November 2, 2021

In the same way Aprilia gave the base 2021 Tuono V4 1100 a more road-biased riding position, the Brutale 1000 RS is also more spacious and less extreme than the RR’s race-rep layout.

Clip-ons are higher, pegs are lower and the seat more padded. It makes far more sense on the road, especially for tall riders, although the seat is still on the firm side.

Mirrors are moved from the bar ends to a more conventional position, which work well and it also has a basic (but fiddly to operate) cruise control system.

Unlike the Brutale 1000 RR, or the top spec Tuono or Ducati Streetfighter V4 S there’s no semi-active Öhlins (apart from the steering damper). Instead, the RS has chunky 50mm mechanically adjustable Marzocchi forks (the RR’s are 43mm) and Sachs shock. It also rolls on cast, rather than forged ali wheels.

You might not be able to change the way the suspension performs at the touch of a button or within the rider modes, but out of the box the RS is at its happiest nuzzled into a corner. It’s what it does best.

Steering is sweet, Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP trackday tyres are grippy and while the MV is unapologetically stiff (the chassis more than the actual suspension) and the ride firm, the payback is a feeling of invincibility at full lean on smooth tarmac.

MV claims the same 186kg dry weight figure as its more expensive sister (its wheels are heavier, but simpler suspension lighter). We put the RR on our scales last year and it weighed 218kg full of fuel, so expect a similar figure, but you notice its bulk more paddling it about than on the move.

Brembo Stylemas are retained from the RR and are loaded with the kind of immense power and feel lacking from even the best brake-by-wire set-ups now.

The Brutale RS’s 998cc inline four-cylinder engine is the same as the R’s and still a peaky blinder. It has a decent amount of power at low revs, but nothing really starts happening until 9500rpm, at which point you should really be on track.

Big cube V4s, V-twins and triples have significantly more grunt and the RS wouldn’t see which way a 163bhp BMW S1000R went in a top gear roll-on contest.

MV have improved their fuelling over the years, but the RS seems to have gone backwards. The engine hunts at a steady speed and its clunky on/off throttle response all the way through the revs is a distraction.

But you can almost forgive the ride-by-wire’s lack of refinement for the violence of acceleration, the orchestral pops and bangs from its up/down shifter and blood-curdling warble on the overrun - exciting in small doses, but it can soon wear thin.

Its engine might always be spoiling for a fight, but its smooth, gyro-controlled electronics, taken from the RR are the calming mediators, especially its wheelie control which is forced to work the hardest when you’re going for it. It also has lean-sensitive traction control and ABS, eight rider modes and launch control.

MVs have come a long way in recent years and our online reviews of the RR version are positive.

The whole MV range also comes with a three-year warranty.

The MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RS will still set you back a cool £23,250, so despite being an ‘affordable’ version of the RR, it’s still more than a £20,995 Ducati Streetfighter V4 S, limited edition £21,499 KTM 1290 Super Duke RR and many pay slips more than an Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory, Triumph Speed Triple 1200RS and KTM 1290 Super Duke R.

Watch MCN's 2021 super naked shootout

Plastic might replace the RR’s carbon fibre, but the RS is still elegantly finished and detailed with wings, four Gatling gun exhausts and a sculpted rear wheel. You also get fully adjustable suspension, Brembos, a full complement of electronics and its Bluetooth-enabled multi-function 5.5” TFT colour display is the same as the RR’s.

It will do everything from linking to your phone for sat nav and setting rider aids. But you can get far more goodies for your money from many of its super naked rivals, which means you’re paying a lot for the badge.