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MV Agusta Brutale 800 in the test

The Brutale’s big sister 675

MV Agusta is now providing the three-cylinder Brutale 675 with an additional larger sister: It offers more stroke (space) and fully adjustable spring elements. Can the 800 with identical dimensions and weight provide even more driving pleasure? Oh yes she can…

MV Agusta Brutale 800

South of France, Cote d´Azur. The promenade of Cannes, on which world-famous actors again stroll at the International Film Festival in May, is drowning in floods. Well, we’re still inside, journalists who work for M.Listen to V Agusta on the eve of the day of driving.

MV Agusta Brutale 800 in the test

The Brutale’s big sister 675

Brutal 800 was generated.

Hardly any new parts were needed for the power cure of the new B3 to 125 hp and 81 Newton meters. Because MV planned the three-cylinder as an 800 from the start. More stroke requires new connecting rods and pistons, including a modified crankshaft. Otherwise, the most compact engine in the entire mid-range – 52 kilograms light and 37.5 centimeters narrow – stayed the same as it was before.

Unchanged from the 675 are the cylinder head including steel valves (only the F3 has titanium valves) and camshafts, the throttle bodies including injection nozzles, oil and water coolers and the cassette gearbox with overlying gear shafts. Only the clutch has been slightly reinforced, better safe than sorry.

Okay, the upside-down fork and Sachs shock absorber are new on the 800 because they are fully adjustable. Otherwise, the 675 donated the complete “bodywork” – the tubular space frame with the aluminum plates for the swing arm, single swing arm, wheels, tank, handlebars, seat, lighting. “Mass centralization” reveals itself intuitively – all assemblies nestle tightly around the filigree trident of the engine. The three short organ pipes of the exhaust system made entirely of stainless steel are stylish. Cold metal can hardly release hot gases into the atmosphere more beautifully. It arouses driving desires, the Brutale 800, elegant, seductive, desirable. Whoever sees them wants to drive them. But when it rains?

The next morning the sun is blinking over the sea. The only dry day of the whole week! A wonder? Definitely a gift. Quickly get hold of an ignition key. Passion has a color, especially in Italy: red. At MV Agusta in combination with silver as the traditional factory color. The three other aesthetic color combinations are also attractive. Mount up! As delicate as the 800 looks: drivers between 1.65 and 1.95 meters will find a very suitable arrangement. The wide, straight and conically tapered aluminum handlebar is well at hand. Front wheel oriented, combative and yet relaxed. One looks into the eyes of the ladies, bored with their wealth. And the 16.6-liter even offers space for long legs under its bulges. Compared to the early 675s, the engine is mechanically much quieter and absolutely inconspicuous. No scraping, no grinding. Sounds healthy. The exhaust sounds throaty. Not loud, but unmistakably a triple, with a smoky base note. The switching paths are a bit long. The flyweight starts moving like a bicycle. With a full tank of around 185 kilograms (as with the 675, MV calls it 167 kilograms dry weight), the emotional engine has an easy time of it. Below the triple is user-friendly because it is very elastic. It runs smoothly in sixth gear even at 50 km / h.

MV Agusta

Icon, work of art and aesthetics: The unobstructed view of the rear wheel thanks to the single-sided swing arm and the three short exhaust pipes magically attract admirers.

But if you pull the gas violently in second gear at this speed, the Italian’s front wheel becomes quite light. This pressure from below, this torque is much higher than with the 675. Compared to it, the final gear ratio of the 800s is longer if the fuel consumption is to be lower.

It needs less speed, although it allows a maximum of 13,000 rpm. The increased three-cylinder already kicks in in the middle of the engine speed and feels powerful.

Apparently the bore-to-stroke ratio harmonizes very well in the new configuration. The Italian’s Japanese 47 Mikuni throttle valves are purely electronically controlled; the throttle only serves as a potentiometer for the on-board computer. This allows four selectable maps ("mappings") for ignition / injection and an eight-stage traction control.

The throttle response works better than with the first 675s. MV worked feverishly on finely tuned software with faster control intervals and improved fastening of the throttle body. The ride-by-wire is still not perfect, however: the on-board computer reacts with a slight delay, especially to gas-to-gas-to-gas-to in low revs. Which takes some getting used to at the apex of curves. The motor implements control commands more directly in S mode; but then jumps out of the push mode harder and harsher on the gas. Turning out is impossible on the often still deeply flooded streets. Especially since there is curve to curve here.

In addition to the traction control, the good wet grip of the sporty Pirelli Diablo Rosso 2 also gives a lot of security. Freshly peeled cork oaks fly by. You can hardly ever get over third gear. The agility of the chassis can be impressive. The way this “Speedster”, its Vmax should be 245 km / h, stabs into the corners is sensational. The Brutale 800 folds down ultra-directly, making course corrections child’s play. In this way, the MV can be wonderfully circled around too deep puddles or alluvial debris at the last moment. This is where ultra-compact, short wheelbase meets steep steering head angles, short caster and low weight. A poem! This driving behavior turns on.

Just like the landscape: evergreen maquis in contrast to the azure blue sea, rust-red rocks and the white peaks of the Maritime Alps in the somewhat small rear-view mirrors. On rough mogul slopes, the tightly tuned Sachs shock absorber is rather chunky. It serves short, hard road heels hand-tight dry.

MV Agusta

Curve miracle: The around 185 kilograms light powerhouse circles incredibly handy around radii of all shapes. The clutch on the 800 is reinforced. Unfortunately, ABS won’t come until the end of 2013.

It’s a shame, no time to try out the adjustment options. Even in the basic setting, the Marzocchi fork works more comfortably. Simmerrings from SKF, which are exclusively tuned for the 800 series, are designed to improve the response. The four-piston brakes operated radially are no brutally angry walkers. But always strong and easy to dose enough to bring the flyweight to a standstill quickly and in a controlled manner.

Unfortunately, ABS will not be available until September 2013. With anti-lock protection at the latest, the Brutale 800 should attack both the Triumph Street Triple and the Speed ​​Triple as the new active driving center. Well, the comparison with the Street Triple R will follow in MOTORRAD 3/2013. Incidentally, the 675 Brutale remains in the MV program. The 800er costs just 1000 euros more than the little sister – 9990 instead of 8990 euros. The classy 800 roadster of the 675 Baby Brutale could easily overtake the rank of the most built MV: Around 2500 of these have been made since spring 2012. The 800s can be even more beguiling, even if it is perhaps almost too cheap for the rich and famous from the jet set of the Côte d´Azur.

What’s different about the 800 Brutale?

MV Agusta

Most expensive and noble Brutale 800: the white-blue "Italia".

  • Stroke increased from 45.9 to 54.3 millimeters, bore remained at 79.0 millimeters
  • Displacement now 798 instead of 675 cubic centimeters
  • Compression increased from 12.3: 1 to 13.3: 1
  • 125 hp at 11600 rpm and 81 Newton meters at 8600 rpm instead of 110 hp at 12 600 rpm and 64 Nm at 8600 rpm
  • Coupling reinforced by an additional friction disc due to higher torque
  • Longer final ratio: rear sprocket with 41 teeth instead of 43 teeth
  • Connecting rod, piston and crankshaft: connecting rod now 105.3 millimeters instead of 109.3 mm
  • Fully adjustable fork from Marzocchi; (675: not adjustable)
  • Sachs shock absorber with expansion tank, fully adjustable (675: only spring base)
  • Other series tires: Pirelli Diablo Rosso 2 instead of Angel ST
  • New colors and variants: silver / white with a red tubular space frame, red / silver and white / red with a black tubular space frame for € 9,990 each; Versions with shift assistant cost 10,390 euros each; The "Italia" version (photo) with white wheels and blue seat, including the standard gearshift assistant, costs 10990 euros

Technical specifications

Blacksmith

The informative, not easy to read cockpit is one of the many components that are unchanged from the 675.

engine
Water-cooled three-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine, one balance shaft, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, wet sump lubrication, injection, Ø 47 mm, regulated catalytic converter, 350 W alternator, 12 V / 9 Ah battery, hydraulically operated multi-disc Oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, O-ring chain, secondary ratio 41:16.
Bore x stroke 79.0 x 54.3 mm
Displacement 798 cc
Compression ratio 13.3: 1
rated capacity 92.0 kW (125 hp) at 11,600 rpm
Max. Torque 81 Nm at 8600 rpm

landing gear
Steel tubular frame, load-bearing motor, upside-down fork, Ø 43 mm, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, single-sided swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, four-piston Fixed calipers, rear disc brake, Ø 220 mm, two-piston fixed caliper, traction control.
Cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 5.50 x 17
Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 180/55 ZR 17

Dimensions + weights
Wheelbase 1380 mm, steering head angle 66.0 degrees, caster 95 mm, suspension travel f / h 125/125 mm, seat height 810 mm, dry weight 167 kg, tank capacity 16.6 liters.
Two year guarantee
Colors gray / white, red / silver, white / red, white / blue
Price 9,990 euros
Additional costs 275 euros

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