Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1127887
P86 RIDE REVI EW 2020 MV AGUSTA BRUTALE 1000 PROTOT YPE their roadbikes than anyone else. It's not too sensitive, so you must do more than just brush your boot against the lever and need to make a decisive movement, but the cutout is infinitesimal in duration, and the gearshift completely seamless in nature in both directions. You do feel a step in the power delivery at 9500 rpm, just after torque has peaked, when it seems the accelera- tion kicks in even harder. This is unbelievably exhilarat- ing to experience—yet all achieved with minimal vibra- ELECTRONICS AND DIMENSIONS The new Brutale 1000 features a key upgrade with the installation of a much- needed RBW/ride-by-wire throttle absent from its predecessor, here incor- porating four riding modes regulated by an IMU inertial platform—Race, Sport, Rain and Custom—which can be selected on the go without closing the throttle, and a much more sophisticated electronics package. This includes eight-level TC/traction control, engine braking control, on/off anti-wheelie control, and a two-way power shifter (which MV was the first to fit to a production motorcycle five years ago). But this has involved choosing the spe- cific optimum supplier for each element, then splicing them together under MV's direction, says Gillen—so the RBW system with a quartet of 50mm throttle bodies is by Mikuni, which also sup- plies the lower of the two injectors per cylinder, with the upper top-spray injectors from Magneti Marelli. But MV's traditional part- ner Eldor supplies the ECU, with two of its engineers permanently working on the MV dyno to perfect the mapping, while switchable Bosch 9 Plus Race Mode Cornering ABS is installed, with RLM (rear wheel lift) control incorporated. Moreover, Ohlins latest- gen semi-active electronic suspension is fitted front and rear to vary damping auto- matically according to road and riding conditions, with both the 43mm NIX fork and TTX rear shock delivering 120mm of travel via electron- ically controlled compres- sion and rebound damping, and also spring preload on the shock (manual adjust- ment on the fork). The damping map also changes according to the rider mode selected, so for example Race has a quite different suspension response than Rain. The Ohlins steering damper is also electronically controlled, but this time it's simply velocity adjustable— so it's lighter at low speeds in town, automatically be- coming progressively stiffer as speed rises up to the 180 mph mark. This electro-suspension adorns a redesigned ver- sion of MV's usual compos- ite chassis, with a chrome- moly tubular steel trellis frame combined with twin aluminum side plates, in which the engine is carried as a fully stressed member. This delivers a 56.3 in. wheelbase with the fork sitting at a 24° rake with 3.8 inches of trail. The single-sided swing- arm carried in an adjustable pivot is a direct carryover from the previous model, says Brian Gillen, and is still cast in aluminums, rather than magnesium. Brembo's new range-topping Stilema four-piston monobloc brake calipers are fitted up front, paired with 320mm float- ing discs, with a twin-piston Brembo and 220mm rear disc combo. However, one electronic system that has, at first sight, surprisingly been re- moved from the new Brutale 1000 is the TSS variable length intake system, which MV Agusta says was made redundant after it produced too much usable torque and added an extra 3.5 pounds of weight. (Above) The single- sided swingarm carried in an adjustable pivot is a direct carry-over from the previous model. (Right) The dash is substantially improved compared to MV's of old. Comfort is surprisingly good for something so racy.