8 hours with the MV Agusta Brutale 800 10/24/14

So....I haven't been street riding much at all in the last 5 years. Trail and dualsport has been what's been keeping me busy on two wheels during most of that time span. I had the same little street bike for 23 years, but finally began to outgrow its quaint "retroness", leaving it in the garage for most of the time, only to roll it out, clean the carbs, replace the battery, take a couple of rides on it, and then leave it in the garage again for a year or so. Finally, the shock seals started to dry out and leak, the turn signal stalks just cracked and broke for no particular reason, and the bike was in need of yet another carb freshening and battery. So, off it went for cheap to another SDAR member who put it into good order and more use than it was getting from me.

Meanwhile, I had no dedicated street bike. I borrowed Warp9's BMW sport touring last fall for a ride. Stylish in a way that can only be called "all BMW", and easy riding, I had a good time on it, but the bike didn't really fit me very comfortably. Some day I was going to get another street bike, but it would be something more exotic than the Japanese bikes I have always owned, and more sporty than the XLH883 that I had, too.

My last three purchases were Italian Husqvarnas. The TE was built by MV Agusta. I concluded that it would be nice to keep it "all in the family". when I raised the money for my next street bike, so I was casually perusing the MV Brutales over at Moto Forza in Escondido. It was there that I was offered the unique opportunity to spend the day with a gently used magazine test bike that they had, thanks to Kris and Balz. So I arranged to get the machine for last Friday. By 9:15, The Machine was sitting on my driveway, while I hurriedly wriggled into my new (E-bay find) sport leathers. It was going to be an exciting day!

One friend met me in Escondido, then we added a second friend in Temecula and headed out highway 79. One of the first features I tried on the bike was "speed shift". This feature doesn't seem to have too much real world usage on the street, but would be great for track sessions, or any time you might want to drag race your friends. Simply hold the throttle open and upshift, without backing off or using the clutch, the bike will do the rest, and the other people in your group will quickly shrink to small dots in your rear view mirror. The Brutale 800 is a very quick bike, but deceptively smooth. It's a good way to end up in squid mode on tight "techincal" roads like Sage road. Tough to get your timing right and make the tight and abundant power delivery work in harmony with the ultra responsive handling of the bike. Later on, the bike became easy to lay over in the turns, when I reached the stretch of twisties between Hemet and Mountain Center. There, the track like nature of the machine started to shine, as it had room to rev, stretch out and flow properly. It is definitely a track bike dressed in street bike clothing, with a high revving muscular powerband and massive, smooth brakes. Well, and it's sexy looking, too.

During the ride, I left the ignition mapping set in a custom curve, although I had scrolled through the various options available. One friend left us, the other continued to lunch in Idyllwild where we joined a couple of locals for lunch at La Casita. After lunch, my friend Greg and I moseyed up to Humber Park, then down the highway through Garner Valley with a quick stop at Lake Hemet. Another stop at the DQ in Anza for some ice cream, and a fill up for the somewhat thirsty MV. Back in Temecula, Greg had to split off for home, and I found myself wandering over to Rice Canyon and Couser. I knew I wasn't going to get too much love from the bike on these roads, but that was okay. I just putted along and enjoyed the scenery. Really, the machine's ergonomics were that good for me. The seat was comfortable enough to ride all day long without making my hiney go numb. The footpegs were far enough away from the saddle so that my knee joints didn't cramp. The handlebars were almost like dirt bike bars, comfortable to hang onto, and I didn't have to stretch forward or lean down too much to reach them. My feet touched the ground flat, the pegs weren't in the way, the kickstand was easy to find and deploy without any real thought.

The only things that come to mind that were on the downside were few. The clutch is not hydralic, and while that of itself is not a problem, the clutch pull is heavier than I like, and the "ramp" or engagement duration is sort of short. That makes the bike somewhat less than a joy to ride around town, in traffic and at signal lights, and it's part of what makes the bike a little difficult to ride on really tight routes.

At 5:30, I rolled the 800 back into the shop, one tired and happy camper. I would have liked to have gotten to know the machine a bit better, explored some the ignition mapping options and such, but overall, it was a great experience. I really liked the bike. It's best features topped the list of things that are important to me for a bike that I would want to spend the whole day riding in the mountains. The suspension was good, but the rear was too stiff for me. I hear that the smaller 675 has softer suspension and a slightly friendlier power delivery, so when I get all my pennies saved up, that will most likely be the way to go for my needs. And no more cleaning out gunky float bowls! But of course with a bike like a Brutale, I think that I would be spending more time going for street rides anyway.

Nice looking machine! Finding a canyon cruncher that doesn't make you lose comm with your backside on long rides is a good thing. Don't think you'd miss the ponies if you downsized? Are you REALLY sure? Optional luggage available? Once you find something you can ride all day, you'll start planning on not having to come home.

The smaller displacement will make the bike more manageable in the tighter sections. The machine is based off of the F model, which is ALL track oriented, so this more comfort loving version as nothing to do with any touring features or accessories.

Ahhh, haven't looked at MV stuff for a while. Glad you're having fun and looking into getting back into street riding with something to stir your soul.

I want this Brutale

I really like the 675 motor idea, Triumph or MV. They just sound perfect. I always had 600cc sportbikes and these triples seem to make up for the things i didnt like about the 600's. Just seems a little more useable. Thanks for the review. Nice to read about a normal rider on bikes most of us can only dream of

Yes, these are dream bikes. But some of them end up as leftovers, or like this test bike with low miles, sold as new with a full warranty for a few thousand bucks less than brand squeaky new. There are always really clean, low mileage used ones on the floor, too. I have checked the prices on some of the mid sized and larger Japanese sport bikes, and they are getting up there on MSRP. So for a little more, we can get something with a lot more personality.

Yeah Ducatis and everything like them used to be unobtainable. Seems theres not much difference anymore. At the same time, my 06 gsxr600 had a cheaper msrp then a new Husky 450 lol. It really hurts seeing prices of bikes now in general . Good luck on the street bike purchase, you have found quite the replacement

Great write up. Bike looks like it fits you well and the full street "leathers" are a great idea, smart. All these bikes make so much power there is little need for bigger. I love the MV idea. Triples are cool. Do it.

I actually already had 5 sets of leathers hanging in the closet. A touring set, a couple of sport sets, a custom made track 2 piece track suit and a brand new, never worn 1 piece track suit. Most all of these suits date back to the 80s and early 90s, when I spent a lot of time on GPZs, Ninjas and FZRs. Unfortunately, 2009 was about the last time I could manage to squeeze into any of those. They will all be going onto E-bay, shortly.

Yeah, it does look sort of like a mini bike in that shot for some reason.

Same thing for me. There was a F4 sitting in a Honds/triumph/ducati dealer forever. Even next to the Ducs it was a piece of art