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/1335637
2021 MV AGUSTA SUPERVELOCE 800 R I D E R E V I E W P70 Like so many goods emanating from the birthplace of pizza and pasta, the Superveloce commands a pretty hefty price tag. You're looking at $20,998 MSRP to park one of these in your garage, which is certainly on the steep side. You can buy a base-model Yamaha YZF-R1, Kawasaki ZX-10R or Suzuki GSX-R1000R with change for that money, but it's not really fair to compare the Superveloce to the superbike master-blasters. It's a different animal. It's got performance more in line with machines like the $16,795 Ducati Panigale V2, or the limited-edition Triumph Daytona Moto2 765 at $17,500, all of which cost significantly less. It's even about 20 percent more expensive than the bike it's based off in the $16,798 F3 800, which is something owners will most certainly have to reconcile with at purchase. Let's be honest. You're paying a premium for the styling, and that's totally fine. The performance of the Superveloce is more than enough for most riders, especially in this age of ever-decreasing speed limits and increased radar presence. In my eyes, it's nothing short of gorgeous. There's been a lot of effort and thought put into the design and for a few moments I seriously envisioned having one of these permanently in my garage to take out for the occasional Sunday coffee ride. That's where the Superveloce belongs. It's a fashion accessory, and the older (and slower) I get, the more this sort of thing appeals to me. We all know sportbikes have been in decline for years, so MV should be congratulated for creating a bike that's capable of giving you some weekend jollies while looking damn fine in the process. If you want an MV and you're only concerned with performance, you're going straight to the F3 800, or the 675, or the plainly bonkers Brutale 1000RR range (can't wait to try those ones!). However, none will get the attention of the Superveloce, and that's the point. CN SPECIFICATIONS 2021 MV AGUSTA SUPERVELOCE ($20,998) ENGINE 3-cylinder, 4-stroke, VALVETRAIN DOHC, 12 valves DISPLACEMENT 798cc BORE X STROKE 79 x 54.3mm COMPRESSION RATIO 13.3:1 COOLING SYSTEM Liquid POWER (CLAIMED) 148 hp at 13,000 rpm TORQUE (CLAIMED) 65 lb-ft at 10,600 rpm EXHAUST 3 into 3 TRANSMISSION 6-speed with quickshift CLUTCH Multi-plate wet clutch with mechanical slip system ELECTRONICS Eight-level traction control, ABS with race mode, cruise control, four engine maps (Rain, Road, Sport, Race) CHASSIS Tubular steel trellis FRONT SUSPENSION Marzocchi 43mm inverted fork, fully adjustable REAR SUSPENSION Sachs monoshock, fully adjustable FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL 4.92 in. REAR WHEEL TRAVEL 4.84 in. FRONT BRAKE Brembo radial 4-piston calipers, dual 320mm discs, Bosch 9 Plus with Race Mode and RLM (Rear wheel Lift-up Mitigation) REAR BRAKE 2-piston Brembo caliper, single 220mm, Bosch 9 Plus with Race Mode and RLM (Rear wheel Lift-up Mitigation) FRONT TIRE 120/70 - ZR17 M/C (58 W) Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II REAR TIRE 180/55 - ZR17 M/C (73 W) Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II WHEELBASE 54.3 in. SEAT HEIGHT 32.6 in. FUEL CAPACITY 4.36 gal. WEIGHT (WET, MEASURED) 458 lbs.