With its meaty new 910cc lump, has the new MV Agusta Brutale now

dbangers’ ball
With its meaty new 910cc lump, has the
new MV Agusta Brutale now got the
muscle to destroy its super naked rivals?
BY MICHAEL NEEVES PICTURES BY HOWARD BOYLAN
T
HERE are very few bad things you could ever say
about MV’s 750cc Brutale. With gorgeous
Massimo Tamburini-designed bodywork wrapped
around an exquisite F4 750 rolling chassis, the
Brutale isn’t just one of the most beautiful naked bikes in
the world, it’s one of the most stunning creations ever.
But its in-line four cylinder F4 750-derived motor was a
peaky little bugger when it lived in the Italian firm’s
superbike, and was little better in the 750 Brutale, despite
altered street-biased gear ratios and mid-range tuning.
Having to scream the bolts out of the motor in each gear
to get anywhere made it truly electrifying to ride, and the
blood-curdling roar it made at full chat was just incredible.
But when you wanted to ride it normally its complete lack
of low rev power made it a pain, especially compared to
the gruntier Triumph Speed Triple and KTM Super Duke.
So for more oomph, MV have given the Brutale some
steroids to boost it to 910cc. It’s got 2mm bigger pistons – as
in the F4 1000 superbike – and a 6mm longer stroke.
Unfortunately, they just couldn’t shoehorn the 154bhp
F4 1000 engine into that steel trellis frame. Shame.
Aside from bigger muscles, the Brutale also gets a quickrelease rear sprocket, adjustable footrests (from the F4
1000) and a 70-profile (up from 65) 120-section front tyre.
But does the 910cc capacity make all the difference and if
so, how does it compare to its headbanging naked rivals?
FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT
THE beauty of all three of these bikes
is their versatility. On the one hand
they don’t take things too seriously like
sports bikes do; you can just blat down
to the shops or round to your mates as
and when the mood takes you. But if
you fancy dressing up like a Power
Ranger and tearing round at warp
speed everywhere, they’ll oblige thanks
to the superbike-levels of performance
they have on tap.
It’s the Triumph that’s the easiest to
jump on and feel comfortable with
straight off the bat. Once aboard, it’s
roomy and comfortable, and aside
from its lack of wind protection (that
fly screen is pretty useless over 90mph)
it’s a bike you could spend all day on
with no aches or pains.
Although potent, its in-line threecylinder motor churns out its power in
a linear fashion making it very
predictable, which is good news for
novices and wheelie merchants alike.
Add in smooth controls and a slick
gearbox (a big improvement on
previous models) and riding the
Triumph is a grand experience.
The KTM takes a bit more getting
used to simply because it’s big – you
can tell it comes from a company who
build cross-continent off-roaders. The
seat height is the tallest of the three at
855mm, compared to the Triumph’s
815mm and the MV’s 805mm.
Its wide, motocross-style handlebars
took the smaller riders on the test
some getting used to, but for sixfooters the KTM is one of the
comfiest bikes around.
TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE
COST:
£7699
TOP SPEED:
152mph
ph
POWER:
112bhp
p
WEIGHT:
189kg
The controls (gearbox, clutch,
switchgear etc) are without doubt the
smoothest and lightest of the three,
and – combined with the silky power
delivery from its fuel-injected 999cc
motor – life with the KTM is very
peachy indeed.
It’s got the best wind protection, too,
with the windblast only managing to
bend your neck back horizontally at
120mph instead of the sub-100mph
speeds of the other two.
Go straight to the Brutale from
either of the other bikes and you won’t
believe how small it feels. You start to
get used to it after a while but for taller
riders it’s still very restrictive – like a
150mph straight jacket.
The tank is very short and there’s
very little of the bike in front of you.
It’s like riding a supermoto, or peering
over the edge of a shiny red cliff.
Compare the bikes to sitting on an
airline; the Brutale is your cramped
yellow plastic Ryanair seat; the
Triumph is Virgin Business class;
while the KTM offers all the legroom
of BA’s first-class leather recliners.
With the Brutale’s new-found
mid-range poke, the gears don’t need
stirring as much as the old 750, which
is a good job as the gearbox on our test
bike was stiff. In fact, after a while the
lever hurts your left toe and you don’t
want to change gear any more.
The engine is rough and vibey at low
speeds compared to the smoother 750,
so although MV have injected realworld usability into the Brutale, the
stiff gearbox and those vibes diminish
the advantage.
WHAT ABOUT PLAY-TIME?
ALTHOUGH the Brutale isn’t the
intense rev-monster it used to be when
it was a 750, the tortured wail from its
upswept exhaust has still got what it
takes to make you smile. It’s less of a
noise, more a carefully orchestrated
Italian concerto. It’s also devilishly fast,
so much so that you don’t care about its
gearbox or how cramped it is when
you’re on a mission.
The intense power punch of the 750
at high revs has gone, to be replaced
with mid-range grunt instead. The
910 runs out of puff at 10,500rpm
(instead of screaming to 12,000rpm
like the 750) and then abruptly
headbutts the rev-limiter. So,
ironically, you have to ride it like a
twin or triple, riding the torque.
Ride the Brutale 910 in isolation and
it doesn’t feel as fast as the old 750
Continues over
AUGUST 10, 2005 MOT
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CYCLE NEWS | 29
ROAD TEST
MV AGUSTA BRUTALE 910 H KTM SUPER DUKE H TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE
www.motorcyclenews.com/bikereviews
from previous page
because it’s all torque and no top end.
It’s only when chasing the other bikes
that you realise just how easy it is to go
fast without trying. Without having to
stir the gearbox you can easily stick to
the rear tyre of the KTM or Triumph
what ever road you’re on.
The Brutale has always been tasty in
the handling department and the 910
is no different. You can feel it has been
put together using the F4 superbike’s
DNA of neutral steering, unflappable
chassis and loads of confidenceinspiring grip. The brakes offer all
you’ll ever need on the road.
Packed with more meat than Fray
Bentos, the Speed Triple’s engine
seems to have power everywhere in the
rev-range, regardless of what gear you
happen to be in – making it easy to
maintain speed through fast A and B
roads, not to mention being fellow
MCN tester Kev Smith’s favourite
wheelie bike by far.
The Speed Triple really sums up
what a street-fighting super naked
should be all about; it’s aggressive,
noisy, angry and fast. It’s not as planted
as the race-bred MV through the
twisties because of its softer set-up (but
it’s easier to live with as a result), and
the brakes aren’t in the same league as
the MV’s Nissin or KTM’s Brembo
set-up in terms of feel and bite.
It’s on the tighter roads where the
KTM is the clear champ. With its high
bars, well-balanced chassis and WP
suspension it’s as flickable as a
supermoto. The V-twin’s grunt lets
you keep it in third or fourth gear on
B-roads, allowing you to roll on and
off the throttle letting the torque do
the work while you concentrate on
where you’re going.
The smooth engine characteristics
maximise the grip from its Pirelli
Diablo tyres, which are already better
than the other bikes’ Michelins in
terms of grip, confidence and warm-up
times. You can take diabolical liberties
with the KTM and it will grip and grip.
With little of the rider’s weight over
the front wheel, due to its upright
riding position, the KTM gets a bit
flighty, wobbling and weaving through
120mph-plus corners. Without a
proper fairing this is compounded as
windblast tugs at your torso and
handlebars, unsettling the bike further.
It’s never dangerous; it’s simply the
KTM’s way of telling you to back off a
bit. The others do it too, just at higher
speeds; the Speed Triple around
130mph, the Brutale 10mph faster.
VALUE FOR MONEY...
WHEN it comes to value for money,
the Speed Triple takes some beating. At
£7699 it’s a grand cheaper than the
KTM and a whopping three grand
cheaper than the MV. It’s only a group
14 insurance rating too, compared to
the KTM’s 16 and MV’s 17.
You get all the ‘right’ bits on it; a
single-sided swingarm, upside-down
forks, radial-mount brakes (the only
bike of the three to have them) and
brutal looks. Although the finish is a
bit crude in places compared to its
counterparts – like its simple tubular
steel subframe – it’s solidly built and
looks like it will stand the test of time.
Our test bike had a few bolt-on
Triumph extras too: Tribal paint job –
fly screen, belly pan, rear seat cowl and
tank (£1200) – carbon heat shield
(£200), frame cover (£50) and sports
exhaust cans (£300).
The KTM is another step up in
terms of quality of components,
proudly wearing suspension from its
sister company WP, Brembo brakes all
round, and Renthal handlebars. Even
at £8645 it’s still excellent value, and
you get a lot of sexy bike for your cash.
Then there’s the MV. While it’s got a
new engine and other new goodies it’s
the same price as the 750; good news
until you realise it will leave a £10,500
hole in your bank account. So the 910
can have all the grunt in the world, but
few are lucky enough to afford one.
But the lucky few get exclusivity,
Italian style, a delicious exhaust note,
fully-adjustable 50mm Marzocchi
Magnum USD forks, Sachs rear shock,
Nissin brakes and a single-sided
swingarm. Every inch of it has a
beautiful curve or clever design touch,
right down to the lovingly-crafted,
handlebar-mounted choke lever...
l Thanks to Jack Lilley (01784420421) for the loan of their Speed
Triple.
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30 | MOT
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YCLE NEWS AUGUST 10, 2005
YC
THE SCIENCE BIT
POWER:
1 BRUTALE 910: 122bhp
2 SPEED TRIPLE: 112bhp
3 SUPER DUKE: 111bhp
(BRUTALE 750: 108bhp)
TORQUE:
1 SPEED TRIPLE: 68ftlb
1= SUPER DUKE: 68ftlb
2 BRUTALE 910: 65ftlb
(BRUTALE 750: 51ftlb)
TOP SPEED
1 BRUTALE 910: 155mph
2 SUPER DUKE: 153mph
3 SPEED TRIPLE: 152mph
(BRUTALE 750: 151mph)
MV claims the 910 only makes 9bhp
more than the 750 (136bhp at the crank),
but they must have been at the Chianti
the day they printed their brochures
because on our dyno it easily wins the
power race against the Triumph and
KTM – while making a full 14bhp more
the 750cc Brutale.
THE 750 Brutale, with just 51ftlb of
torque, feels gutless when you just want
to pootle somewhere. Although the
Brutale 910 has the least grunt of the
three, it’s a big step up from the 750 –
remember it’s still got the smallest
engine – 140cc less than the Speed
Triple.
HARDLY anything separates them in the
top speed department, it’s more about
aerodynamics than power – and they’re
all about as slippery as a bungalow at
these speeds. The Brutale’s smaller
profile helps it slip through the air
easiest, and interestingly the speedos all
over-read by about 10mph when flat-out.
MV AGUSTA
BRUTALE 910
HHHHH
COST:
WEIGHT:
£8345
185kg
Available: Now
Colours: Red, black/red or silver
New for 2005: New model
Insurance group: 17 (of 17)
Info: Three Cross Motorcycles –
01202-823344
FUEL: Avg 32mpg, 19 litres, 135 miles
TRIUMPH
SPEED TRIPLE
HHHHH
KTM 990
SUPER DUKE
HHHHH
Availability: Now
Colours: Black, blue or yellow
New for 2005: New model
Insurance group: 14 (of 17)
Info: Triumph – 01455-251700
Availability: Now
Colours: Orange or black
New for 2005: New model
Insurance group: 16 (of 17)
Info: KTM UK – 01280-709500
COST:
WEIGHT:
£7699
189kg
FUEL: Avg 32mpg, 18 litres, 125 miles
RAKE:
COST:
WEIGHT:
SEAT HEIGHT:
855mm
WHEELBASE: 1410mm
WHEELBASE: 1429mm
WHEELBASE: 1429mm
TECHNICAL SPEC
TECHNICAL SPEC
TECHNICAL SPEC
Engine: Liquid-cooled, 909cc (76 x
50.1mm), 16v, dohc, four-stroke inline four. Fuel injection. Six gears.
Chassis: Tubular steel trellis
frame. Fully adjustable 50mm
Marzocchi Magnum upside-down
forks and Sachs single rear shock.
Brakes: 2 x 310mm front discs with
six-piston calipers. 210mm rear
disc with four-piston caliper. Tyres:
120/70 x 17 (F), 190/50 x 17 (R).
Engine: Liquid-cooled, 1050cc (79
x 71.4mm), 12v, dohc, four-stroke
in-line triple. Fuel injection. Six
gears.
Chassis: Tubular aluminium
perimeter frame. Fully-adjustable
45mm upside-down forks and
single rear shock. Brakes: 2 x
320mm front discs with four-piston
radial calipers. 220mm rear disc
with twin-piston caliper. Tyres:
120/70 x 17 (F), 180/55 x 17 (R).
ALTHOUGH the Brutale ties with the
KTM for its quarter-mile time, it’s going
an extra 7mph when it gets there.
TOP GEAR ACCELERATION,
(40-120MPH)
1 BRUTALE 910: 12 SECS
2 SPEED TRIPLE: 15 SECS
3 SUPER DUKE: 16 SECS
(BRUTALE 750: 16 SECS)
I’D say that’s mission accomplished
from MV’s point of view. Here’s
absolute, datalogged proof that the
Brutale’s extra cubes give it the grunt it’s
always cried out for. Crack the throttle
open in top gear and it just disappears
off into the distance.
VERDICT
£8345
189kg
FUEL: Avg 38mpg, 15 litres, 125 miles
RAKE:
SEAT
805mm
STANDING QUARTER-MILE
1 BRUTALE 910: 11.23 secs
@ 127.99mph
2 SUPER DUKE: 11.23 secs
@ 120.13mph
3 SPEED TRIPLE: 11.39 secs
@ 120.04mph
(BRUTALE 750: 11.45 secs
@ 122.51mph))
RAKE:
23.5°
TRAIL:
84mm
Engine: Liquid-cooled, 999cc
(101mm x 62.4mm), 8v, four-stroke,
75° V-twin. Fuel injection. Six
gears.
Chassis: Steel trellis frame. fulladjustable WP 48mm USD forks.
WP rear shock adjustable for
preload, rebound and high and
low speed compression damping.
Brakes: 2 x Brembo 320mm front
discs with four-piston calipers,
240mm rear disc with single-piston
caliper. Tyres: 120/70 x 17 (F),
180/55 x 17 (R).
AT the beginning of our test we
asked if the Brutale’s new-found
grunt was sufficient to keep up with
its main rivals: the Super Duke and
Speed Triple. There’s no question
that on the dyno, and out on the test
track, the answer is a wholehearted
yes.
It’s faster, accelerates quicker and
has more grunt than the competition,
too. And on the road, it’s easier to go
faster than the old 750 and there’s
none of the frantic gear changing
required to keep the 910 on the coat
tails of the KTM and Triumph.
But even if all the bikes here cost
the same, the Brutale would still
‘Even if they
cost the same,
the Brutale is
still last...’
finish last. Its diminutive dimensions
rule it out as a choice for taller riders;
the stiff gearbox is a pain and the
engine feels too crude at normal
speeds.
The MV is the perfect bike for a
Sunday morning thrash but the KTM
and Triumph are far easier to live
with for the rest of the time.
The KTM is my favourite just
because it fits me properly and it’s
the B-road master. I even like the
way it wobbles through high-speed
corners. But it finishes second on this
test for those same reasons. Many
will prefer the Speed Triple and
Brutale’s better high-speed stability
and be put off by the KTM’s size – it
also costs a grand more than the
Triumph.
Which still leaves the Triumph as
the best all-round super naked you
can buy. It’s affordable, surprisingly
cheap to insure, has loads of
character, is still wickedly fast,
handles well, looks great and... it’s
British too.
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