One of the motorcycle launches that was swallowed by the coronavirus outbreak was the debut of the BMW R18 – the german company’s giant air-cooled cruiser model.
There is a bit of irony in that fact, considering how long the German brand teased the bike in its near final form, only to see it production debut overshadowed by a global pandemic, but that’s the tough reality.
MV Agusta is making an interesting move in its sport bike lineup, announcing this week that they will be adding the company’s “Smart Clutch System” (SCS) to its Brutale 800 RR and Dragster 800 RR models.
For those that don’t remember the debut of the Smart Clutch System, it was built in collaboration with Rekluse, and first debuted on the MV Agusta Turismo Veloce Lusso sport-tourer.
Effectively, the implementation of the Smart Clutch System means that an MV Agusta rider needs only to use the clutch when firing up the motorcycle, as the clutch will auto-engage when coming to a stop, and isn’t necessary when shifting because of the up/down quickshifter.
We didn’t know how badly we wanted a scooter in the garage until we saw the Italjet Dragster at EICMA this year. The Italian brand is bringing back one of its most…unique models, with a decisive modern twist.
The funny front-end you see is Italjet’s patented Independent Steering System (ISS), which separates out the front suspension and steering forces, which the Italian company says filters out any roughness from the road, without transmitting any vibrations to the handlebars.
Honestly, we just think it looks cool, along with the exposed steel trellis frame and its aluminum plates.
While the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 Serie Oro is grabbing all the headlines, the Italian brand has released another Brutale model for our two-wheeled consumption, this one another special edition machine: the MV Agusta Brutale 800 RR America.
The concept should be pretty simple to understand. Like the Brutale 800 America that debuted last year, MV Agusta has again brought out the red, white, and blue livery – this time applying it to the Dragster 800 RR motorcycle.
Taking its name from the 1973 MV Agusta S America 750, this new motorcycle thus blends a bit of history with its modern electronics, components, and styling. As such, the MV Agusta Brutale 800 RR America makes a fetching homage by the Varesini brand, 45 years after the original debuted.
What would life be without another “limited edition” model from MV Agusta? This installment sees another collaboration between two Italian motorcycle stalwarts, as MV Agusta has partnered with Pirelli to create the MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR Pirelli.
At the core of the project is the MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR, with its three-cylinder engine that makes 140hp in stock trim, and was recently updated for the 2018 model year because of Euro4 homologation.
From there, the Pirelli machine is a cosmetic exercise, taking the freshly updated Dragster 800 RR streetfighter model, and adding design elements created by the Pirelli Design team.
These highlights include two models, one done in yellow and black, while the other is in a white and blue livery.
MV Agusta USA is recalling certain 2017 MV Agusta Brutale 800 Dragster RR motorcycles, for an issue with their rear wheel assembly. According to the recall documents, the issue stems from defective rear wheel rims and their nipples, which may allow the spokes on the wheel to loosen.
If the rear wheel spokes loosen, it may cause the rear wheel to wobble while at speed, and thus potentially affect the motorcycle’s handling. Only 45 motorcycles are affected by this recall in the United States, but this recall will be initiated worldwide as well.
Confirmed at the launch of the 2016 MV Agusta Brutale 800 in Spain, MV Agusta will bring the smaller sibling to its three-cylinder Brutale line in the second quarter of 2016.
Like the new Brutale 800, we can expect the updated Brutale 675 to be fully Euro4 compliant. We would also expect the 675cc to have the same mechanical and styling changes that are found on its 800cc sibling, namely a revised chassis geometry, updated MVICS 2.0 electronics (traction control, ABS, & quickshifter), and visual changes to the headlight, exhaust, and body.
In addition to the 2016 MV Agusta Brutale 800, the other big new model release from the Varese brand is the MV Agusta Dragster RR Lewis Hamilton, a bike that pays homage to the reigning Formula 1 World Champion.
The concept is pretty simple, take MV Agusta’s already attractive Dragster RR model, and let Mr. LH44 go wild on it. The idea is to create another collectable MV Agusta model, so things stay pretty much the same for the Dragster RR’s 140hp motor and steel trellis frame.
The rest of the bike though, gets a solid going-over, by Lewis Hamilton himself, if you can believe the MV Agusta press release.
You remember the MV Agusta Dragster RR right? The Brutale 800 without a tail section? Of course you do…it was pretty bold design from MV Agusta, which is probably saying something, considering that the Varese brand tends to lead with design, rather than follow.
It turns out that Lewis Hamilton is a bit of a fan of the machines from MV Agusta – it also helps that AMG has a 20% interest in the Italian brand, and Hamiliton is the team’s star F1 driver, at least when teammate Nico Rosberg isn’t around – so, in true MV Agusta fashion, a special limited edition machine must be produced, right?
Behold, the Lewis Hamilton Dragster RR: a collaboration between the F1 World Champion and the Italian motorcycle marque. MV Agusta hasn’t quite revealed the machine yet, but this teaser video does a pretty good job of getting the point across. We took some stills, just in case the edits were too much for you.
MV Agusta has announced that it will be recalling 223 motorcycles with production dates ranging from December 18, 2013 through March 10, 2014. The recall affects the 2014 MV Agusta Brutale 800, 2014 MV Agusta Brutale 800 Dragster, 2014 MV Agusta Brutale 675, 2014 MV Agusta Brutale RR, 2014 MV Agusta F3 800, 2014 MV Agusta F3 675, and 2014 MV Agusta Rivale 800.
According to MV Agusta, it was discovered that that some of its motorcycles were produced using a swingarm pin that is secured by a non-conforming fixing screw, which is subject to potential failure during normal use of the motorcycle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
The 2014 MV Agusta Brutale 800 Dragster finally broke cover today, if you haven’t already seen the bevy of photos we published earlier. We won’t belabor the fact that the Dragster borrows heavily from the established Brutale 800 platform, and differs primarily in aesthetic and purpose.
So down to brass tacks it is, the key technical specifications of the 2014 MV Agusta Brutale 800 Dragster are the following: