2015 MV AGUSTA 800 TURISMO VELOCE
FIRST RIDE
P64
standard, and is very easy to use.
Indeed, while the Turismo
Veloce's fairing doesn't protect
your shoulders at all, it's ad-
equately protective as a whole
without being cumbersome.
So it doesn't prevent you from
choosing to within a millimeter
the line you want to position the
good-steering MV tourer to fol-
low in a fast, flowing sequence
of bends. The wide one-piece
taper-section handlebar mount-
ed on tall risers delivers the
leverage to swap from side to
side fairly effortlessly—enough
to overcome the slightly heavier
steering provided by the 190/55
Pirelli Scorpion Trail rear tire that
MV has decided to fit to the bike,
compared to the more agile Stra-
dale's 180/55. That's presum-
ably aimed at better absorbing
the increased curb weight of a
passenger and a week's worth
of luggage that the Veloce is
expected to carry. Although I'm
slightly surprised Pirelli didn't
insist on fitting the Angel GT
as a more touring-focused tire.
The Ducati Multistrada has the
Scorpions as standard too, but
that has notional off-road pre-
tensions, which the MV Agusta
most assuredly doesn't.
The Marzocchi/Sachs sus-
pension package felt taut but
well-damped, compliant enough
to cover long distances in com-
fort with sufficient ride quality
to satisfy this bike's undoubted
sporting instincts. And without
allowing too much pitch or roll in
turns getting on or off the gas,
or slinging it from side to side
through a satisfying sequence
of bends. It's a good setup, with
easy adjustment of the Sachs
shock's spring preload via an
external knob when needed to
accommodate luggage or a pas-
senger.
One thing fortunately not
carried over from the Stradale is
its slightly weird elbows-out far-
forward riding position. Here, in-
stead, Morton's Turismo Veloce
design delivers a wonderfully
comfortable and very rational
stance that's fairly upright yet
untiring. That's thanks to the
high 'bar whose grips that are
adequately pulled back to allow
you to relax, and the comfort-
able, well-padded seat that's
narrowed at the front to allow a
5-foot-9 rider to put both feet flat
on the ground at a stoplight. At
33.4 inches in height, the seat is
