VOL. 50 ISSUE 45 NOVEMBER 12, 2013
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best MV Agusta streetbike thus
far. There are several reasons for
this, but the two key factors are
the revised engine tune that's
resulted in a much torquier package, and the completely different
RBW mapping strategy that's almost totally resolved the previous issues with inconsistent fuelling and snatchy pickup from a
closed throttle.
But first the engine. Although
the Rivale version of the 800cc
engine delivers the same 120
(1) The 798cc three-cylinder produces
125 horsepower at 11,600 rpm with a wide
spread of power. (2) The turn signals are
nicely integrated into the seat cowling.
(3) The Rivale gets extra-wide handlebars
and bar-end mirrors that work as good as
they look. (4) The new MV gets a 43mm
Marzocchi fork with more travel than
normally found in a sportbike – 5.9 inches.
It also gets top-notch Brembos.
horsepower at 12,000 rpm as the
Brutale 800 (with the same maximum torque of 84Nm/8.6kgm
produced at 8600 rpm), it has
a completely different and much
meatier torque curve, with 77Nm
already available at 7000 rpm,
and the same again at 11,000
rpm. This comes thanks to a revised header pipe design, altered
mapping for the Eldor ECU, and
a different inlet tract leading both
into and out of the smaller airbox
necessitated by the closed-up,
more aggressive styling, says
MV's Platform Director, Brian Gillen.
"We had certain target values
we didn't want to fall short of in
terms of engine performance,
even though we had to work hard
at meeting them," he says. "We
achieved the 120 horsepower
target quite easily, though getting
the spread of torque was more
difficult. But we made it."
The result is a more forgiving
engine that will allow you to en-
