MV Agusta Brutale Gladio
MV Agusta Brutale Gladio

Test MV Agusta Brutale 800 2013: A Strong Character!

After B3 675 of line entry, MV Agusta declines its roadster general public in a version more strengthened and equipped better for 2013. But priced 1 000 €, moreover than the “Brutalina”, this MV Agusta Brutale 800 is worth to really it (on) cost? First brief replies after a much sprinkled test…

The life is sometimes badly made! Today, it falls from the cords on the Riviera, which is rather perfectly normal in then beginning of the month of December 2012. Except it, precisely we test an innovation with the announced sporting potential i.e. MV Augusta Brutale 800 2013.

Thus to spread out too much over the frustration which submerges us, this first meeting with the new diva of Varese will at least enable us to validate some of its characteristics.

Binocular of the 675 impetus this year, B3 800 has the same plastic, the same frame and the same base engine. On the other hand, its cycle part differs by the means of an increase in cubic capacity, where power and couple were re-examined upwards. What to gum the weak points raised by the station on the 675?

Let us check that without more delaying.

Best in completion for Brutale the 800 but…

Bleated girl, MV Agusta Brutale 800 2013 is a motor bike whose MV Agusta does not have to undoubtedly be redden. The shape of its tank, via the design of its mono-arm, the quality of its paintings, its equipment or the form of its atypical exhaust, this is obviously a sporting roadster and is really tempting. Compared with Brutale the 675, its completion is improved besides a few certain points.

The connector industries being close to the steering column, which shocked us on the Benjamin, for example are camouflaged better on this MV Agusta Brutale 800. Even reported for wiring on the level of the handlebar or of the sensors of the shifter (in option) placed behind the engine and henceforth isolated. At least, the factory thus heard us and worked in the right direction.

At least, for a few hundred Euros moreover, of the carbon fiber accessories are available to the catalogue MV Agusta. However, one finds nothing there to dissimulate the ugly hose connections which run on the motor casing right side or some large sheathed cables in a little coarse way under the tank.

In spite of a notable evolution while manufacturing, the purists are likely to squeak of the teeth, whereas the amateurs less fussy can enter the prestigious universe of MV Agusta: posted 9 990 € (price of factory, lira further), this MV Agusta Brutale 800 rest the ticket of entry (with the 675) in the Italian range.

Brutale … especially for big guys

The presentations are a formality. Installed on a saddle of most accessible and indented, the pilot discovers a well thought position, not too rocked forwards because of the proximity of the broad handlebar. The thighs are coiled easily against the sides of the tank and find support on the return of the upper part.

And if base is cut in same wood as that of the 675, the flexibility of the suspensions at the beginning of race is a pleasant surprise for the sifts.

In good sporting roadster, Brutal the 800 folds up a little much the legs of your servant (of 1.83 m), while the heels of the boots run up against the momentary footrests. Better is thus worth to be made small to appreciate the animal…

The panel instrument from Brutale 800 is illuminated. On enlightened block LCD retro out of orange, information abounds. First of all, it endures a lack of visibility and all that more under the rain.

Taking into account the apocalyptic conditions of this test and in remembering some 675, to choose the Rain mode, starting appears more careful, at least for the first kilometers (the anti-skid one is then regulated on its highest level, in spite of a soft plastic order step obvious to handle).

Fortunately, the startup of Trepistoni of 800 Cm3 brings the essence back for us. In a sonority of most raucous and not of most discrete – nice! – It already expresses its rage with the idle.

Understand us well: the rotted conditions weather of the south of France last Friday would have had already what to discourage many bike riders… Then imagine the same scenario with the handlebar of a motor bike as exclusive as this Italian diva! Thus, those which hoped to overcome this MV Agusta “of line entry” like the first come Japanese woman revise their specifications… Brutal, it is written above! And the 800 Cm3 of this innovation 2013 do not change anything with the history.

Already not very obvious on the 675, the proportioning of the handle of accelerator is not as much on the big sister for the moment, and in spite of its famous Wrinkles by Wire, supposed to directly connect the pilot to the aft wheel.

With in one more engine it is always not very prompt, expressing itself under the 4,000 tr/min – in Rain mode he means himself -, one understands that to evolve at low speed with the MV Agusta Brutale 800 patience as much as concentration requires, especially under the rain. Add to that a at the very least important turning radius, and you guess already that the roadster 3-cylinders is not more instinctive downtown, in spite of a feeling of omnipresent lightness and the not very awkward vibrations of the three cylinders.

Side braking, on roadways softened and strewn with broad ultra-slipping markings (us were spoiled!); we would have appreciated to have ABS. But although it is programmed (we saw its site on different sketches at the time of the presentation), this one is not yet available on the B3 range. Fortunately, Pirelli Diablo Rosso 2 offers an acceptable grip on wet.

Mistrust all same, if braking before fact proved for a good progressiveness, the back tends to him to block… on wet almost instantaneously. Go; leave this ground of desolation to insert us in the back-country resident of Cannes.

MV Agusta Brutale Gladio
MV Agusta Brutale Gladio

An exceptional promptness

The city is now behind us, the Rain mode given up with the profit of the cartography Sport. The small steep and typical roads of the area enabled us to open in “almost large”, vigilance obliges. Good news, the three-cylinders on line tractor draws now as of 3,000 tr/min, offering an exceptional promptness. Full with ardor, it sinks up to 7500 tr/min, and then a layer beyond it rushed literally gives from there towards the red zone a little before 13,000 tr/min!

Direct consequence: that rises to the engine at bottom in first and second! And yet, the anti-skid one, regulated on the third level on 8 possible, is activated.

Identical to that which equips the Benjamin with Brutal, it is one of the most sporting markets, allowing the wheel indeed before taking not at bad height before entering in action. At all events, with a renewal of very sensitive “trunk”, the resumptions with bottom and mid–modes are strengthened on this 800 than out of the 675.

Here is which helps to control the machine the days of small form, even if the system wrinkles by wire always functions in way ON/OFF and not instantaneously. At exit of curve, on wet, one thus has sometimes the feeling to play Russian roulette…

On their side, the adjustable suspensions offer an appreciable supplement of progressiveness on imperfect coating and all the more, when it is a question of accelerating under the rain. As a result, the Brutal news appears from the start less stiff than his/her little sister. For as much, the 800 is not less nervous and to cling to its handlebar is to be proscribed.

With a softened roadway, drains in the middle of the turns, we definitively could not test dynamic qualities of this innovation without risking the abyss… However, the lightness of the machine, it’s very incisive, its precision and its rigor on the angle forecast are at the very least explosive behavior under ad hoc conditions.

Assessment: Yes, but…

Attaching by its sturdy character (ah ah…), MV Agusta Brutale 800 is obviously cut to allure the amateurs of sporting roadsters in search of singularity. More filled and suspended better than the 675, this B3 news also progresses in manufacturing, even if all is not yet perfect. Let us specify that this Brutal 800 is the ninth model to enter range 2012/2013 of Varese: there were of them only five for year 2010/11.

As a result, even if the Italian manufacturer wants to be reassuring obviously, it will nevertheless remain to judge it over the duration. The sales of the mark would indeed have doubled between 2011 (3 687 sold motor bikes) and 2012 (estimated at 7,500 units), and with this new platform three-cylinders 800 inter alia, they would not be less than 12 000 MV Agusta which would leave the chains in 2013!

In short, MV Augusta is logic of “volume” which inevitably will require re-examining and/or adapting its sales strategy to fulfill the requirements of new consumers, in particular in France, the second market of the mark. Because even if MV Agusta Brutale 800 rest one MV “accessible” Agusta, it does not remain about it less one motor bike top-of-the-range medium/which must respect criteria of reliability, of manufacturing as well as customer service also higher than the average. For the moment, MV Agusta announces a rate of satisfaction customer of 94%.

Finally – and already approached to us on the station -, in view of its new ambitions, the mark must re-examine its tariff policy. Indeed, Brutale 800 is announced with a tariff of 9,990 €, which is interesting in the absolute, except that this price is posted with leaving the Italian factory.

With convey and the various expenses of startup, it is necessary for example to hope almost 1,000 € to acquire this motor bike on Paris (and perhaps less or more in other concessions). That change gives it, inevitably.

MV Agusta Brutale Gladio
MV Agusta Brutale Gladio
MV Agusta Brutale Gladio
MV Agusta Brutale Gladio


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