Thursday, May 7, 2009
Riding Impression: MV Agusta Brutale 1078RR
Before the Ducati Streetfighter came along and knocked the MV off its perch, the Brutale 1078RR was pretty much the hottest Italian naked around. Even now, with its 1078cc inline-four, which produces 154 horsepower and 117Nm of torque, the Brutale 1078RR is a force to reckon with. The guys are Motociclismo recently tested the bike and here are some excerpts from what they have to say about this very beautiful machine:
The Brutale 1078RR is the fourth iteration of a bike that was launched in the year 2000. Engine has grown – from the original 750 to the 910 to the 989 and now the 1078 – but in terms of the styling, the Brutale remains unchanged. Then again, the Tamburini magic still works and the bike quite retains its appeal. In fact, the Brutale’s design is often imitated by other manufacturers for their naked sportsbikes…
Coming to its dimensions, the Brutale 1078RR is very compact and features robust, high-spec components. The 1078cc engine is simply marvellous – it produces enough power to propel this bike to a top speed of 252km/h, which is not bad at all for a naked. The acceleration feels incredible and it’s virtually impossible to avoid pulling big wheelies in first and second gear. Also, the mid-range if very strong. To give you an idea of how strong, the Brutale 1078RR accelerates from 60km/h to 160km/h in 7.6 seconds, which a Yamaha R1 does in 9.2 seconds.
Yes, the MV’s throttle can be a bit hard to modulate – you need to be careful while accelerating hard in the first two gears and/or while exiting fast corners. However, the gearbox is outstandingly accurate and works very well with the bike’s slipper clutch.
The Brutale feels extremely rigid – there isn’t a hint of flex on this bike. The 50mm Marzocchi fork and steel tube trellis frame impart a rock-solid feeling to the 1078RR. The steering is very quick – the front wheel moves in accordance with the slightest movement of the handlebars, so you need to be careful with your steering inputs.
Strong, rigid, compact and very well equipped, the MV Agusta Brutale 1078RR is a terrific naked sportsbike. It certainly isn’t for beginners and can be a bit hard to master, but its beauty, performance and unique character make it worthwhile. At 20,000 euros (US$26,500), it’s not cheap, but then there is no other bike that’s quite like the 1078RR.
Hot Italian naked, loves being ridden hard...
MV Agusta Brutale 1078RR: Tech Specs
Engine: 1078cc, DOHC, 16-valve inline-four
Power: 154bhp@10,700rpm
Torque: 117Nm@8,100rpm
Chassis: Tubular steel trellis-type, with single-side aluminium swingarm
Front suspension: 50mm USD Marzocchi fork, adjustable for preload and compression and rebound damping
Rear suspension: Sachs monoshock, adjustable for preload, high/low-speed compression and rebound damping
Brakes: Brembo, twin 320mm discs (front) with four-piston radial-mount callipers, single 210mm disc (rear)
Gearbox: Six-speed
Fuel tank capacity: 19 litres
Dry weight: 195kg
Wheels and tyres: 17-inch wheels, 120/70 (front) and 190/50 Pirelli Dragon Supercorsa tyres
Performance:
Zero to 100km/h: 3.9 seconds
Standing kilometre: 20.9 seconds
Average fuel consumption: 9.0 litres/100km
The Brutale 1078RR is the fourth iteration of a bike that was launched in the year 2000. Engine has grown – from the original 750 to the 910 to the 989 and now the 1078 – but in terms of the styling, the Brutale remains unchanged. Then again, the Tamburini magic still works and the bike quite retains its appeal. In fact, the Brutale’s design is often imitated by other manufacturers for their naked sportsbikes…
Coming to its dimensions, the Brutale 1078RR is very compact and features robust, high-spec components. The 1078cc engine is simply marvellous – it produces enough power to propel this bike to a top speed of 252km/h, which is not bad at all for a naked. The acceleration feels incredible and it’s virtually impossible to avoid pulling big wheelies in first and second gear. Also, the mid-range if very strong. To give you an idea of how strong, the Brutale 1078RR accelerates from 60km/h to 160km/h in 7.6 seconds, which a Yamaha R1 does in 9.2 seconds.
Yes, the MV’s throttle can be a bit hard to modulate – you need to be careful while accelerating hard in the first two gears and/or while exiting fast corners. However, the gearbox is outstandingly accurate and works very well with the bike’s slipper clutch.
The Brutale feels extremely rigid – there isn’t a hint of flex on this bike. The 50mm Marzocchi fork and steel tube trellis frame impart a rock-solid feeling to the 1078RR. The steering is very quick – the front wheel moves in accordance with the slightest movement of the handlebars, so you need to be careful with your steering inputs.
Strong, rigid, compact and very well equipped, the MV Agusta Brutale 1078RR is a terrific naked sportsbike. It certainly isn’t for beginners and can be a bit hard to master, but its beauty, performance and unique character make it worthwhile. At 20,000 euros (US$26,500), it’s not cheap, but then there is no other bike that’s quite like the 1078RR.
Hot Italian naked, loves being ridden hard...
MV Agusta Brutale 1078RR: Tech Specs
Engine: 1078cc, DOHC, 16-valve inline-four
Power: 154bhp@10,700rpm
Torque: 117Nm@8,100rpm
Chassis: Tubular steel trellis-type, with single-side aluminium swingarm
Front suspension: 50mm USD Marzocchi fork, adjustable for preload and compression and rebound damping
Rear suspension: Sachs monoshock, adjustable for preload, high/low-speed compression and rebound damping
Brakes: Brembo, twin 320mm discs (front) with four-piston radial-mount callipers, single 210mm disc (rear)
Gearbox: Six-speed
Fuel tank capacity: 19 litres
Dry weight: 195kg
Wheels and tyres: 17-inch wheels, 120/70 (front) and 190/50 Pirelli Dragon Supercorsa tyres
Performance:
Zero to 100km/h: 3.9 seconds
Standing kilometre: 20.9 seconds
Average fuel consumption: 9.0 litres/100km
MCN's riding impression of the Brutale 1078RR
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