All Tests – Test of the Brutale 675: the austerity plan of MV Agusta – First test of the Brutale 675

Brutale 675 test: MV Agusta’s austerity plan

All Tests - Test of the Brutale 675: the austerity plan of MV Agusta - First test of the Brutale 675

Compact, firm, vigorous: these adjectives define the little roadster just out of the MV Agusta factory. It is also in Varese that the Italian manufacturer invited us to test drive his Brutale 675, or B3 for close friends…. Test !

First test of the Brutale 675

The first contacts with the new MV Agusta are at the very least direct and frank: the clutch, we have just glimpsed, requires a grip and will quickly tire its driver – or driver ?! – during the gymkhanas sessions towards work.

Likewise, it only takes a few kilometers to realize that the saddle was not designed for the purpose of traveling long and far. However, the ciabatta board has the advantage of being low (805mm), allowing the short legs to touch the ground on both sides..

Conversely, the depth of the saddle allows older children to seat themselves well back and slightly limit the flexion of their knees. The reception of the thighs is excellent for all: extremely thin, the tank is also perfectly flat, so that the grip of the motorcycle by the legs is efficient and pleasant.

The slight lack of progressiveness of the left lever can surprise at the very beginning, just like the Mikuni electronic injection which, on a small opening of throttle, makes the engine speed oscillate slightly when the clutch is released. After, however, the engine is convincingly smooth..

Available from idle, the "Trepistoni" begins to lengthen the stride from 4000 rpm. The total absence of vibration in its speeds is one of the rare qualities of this MV Agusta in town. We can add the absence of whistling: unlike that of its designated rival, the Triumph Street Triple, the Italian 3-cylinder purrs without piercing its ears..

We should also recognize that the low weight of the motorcycle greatly facilitates handling and changes at low speed and / or in traffic. "The B3 weighs 167 kg dry (without battery or fluids) distributed as follows: 86.4 kg on the front and 80.6 kg on the rear", tell us the technicians of Varese. The attentive readers of Site – oops, pleonasm – will have noted that, as for the price," variations "are however possible since the French commercial sheet of the motorcycle indicates 163 kg…

"Without gasoline, the mass reaches 172 kg", specifies us for his part Paolo Bianchi. Once the 17.5-liter tank is filled with gasoline, the little Brutale therefore does not exceed 190 kg … And you can feel it on the handlebars !

Very light, the new MV Agusta roadster is also very compact. Its wheelbase of 1380 mm and its frame angle of 23 ° (against 1410 mm and 24.3 ° for its English rival) give it tremendous agility.

A pure and "tough" streetfighter

Too bad the turning radius is a bit large, otherwise the scooters could hang on! On this same occasion, we retain the absence of warnings.

Likewise, everyday bikers will soon complain that the suspensions – the non-adjustable Marzocchi fork, like the Sachs shock absorber adjustable in preload only – lack the ability to filter out small bumps and other obstacles peculiar to our cities: back donkey, fittings, manhole cover, etc..

Summer has come – the real hot one! -, these same "commuters" will undoubtedly rail against the prominent and high clutch housing which overheats the right thigh, and against the radiator fan warming the left knee copiously…

The selection of the gearbox (extractable!) Is a little rough but does not tire the ankle. In order to rest the left forearm, you can even change gears without worrying about the clutch control.

The handlebars are ergonomic. The front brake lever – adjustable in spacing – for its part triggers a measured bite of the Brembo calipers on their 320 mm discs: a good point for a roadster without ABS … but equipped with traction control !

Fortunately, in our idyllic test conditions, the system turned out to be useless: the Pirelli’s grip on the beautiful roads around the MV Agusta factory was just perfect. Note, however, that the traction control is adjustable to eight positions, plus a ninth which deactivates it: exactly like on the sporty F3 !

To come back to braking, if the feel of the front lever is very satisfactory, this is not the case with the rear brake pedal: far too hard – never "two without three", after the saddle and the clutch! -, the control makes it difficult to dose and can cause furtive wheel locks if you are not careful…

At MNC, we therefore decided to forget the rear brake and concentrate on its front counterpart. And while the pace increases and the turns multiply, we discover, after the gentle attack of the two discs, a welcome power !

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