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Brutale 800 - New Bike Review

Great write up. Doesn't convince me to pony up the $$$, but certainly makes me want to take one for a spin.

Should this be put in the reviews section? Its going to get buried in a week, otherwise.
 
I hear it has terrible fueling problems. So the throttle is herky jerky. Like riding a bucking bronco
 
Thank you for letting me try it out!

It's definitely quite a bike, unique in looks, very striking - like nothing else. For myself, I'm happy we got the FZ-09 (even though I'm becoming increasingly unhappy that it isn't my bike! :) ). It's a better fit for me, as a bike, in a few ways. But I can see where the appeal of the MV is.
 
vizcarmb said:
I hear it has terrible fueling problems. So the throttle is herky jerky. Like riding a bucking bronco
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Definitely not that bad. I had read horror stories about the earlier fueling issues. Right now, the fueling is good. From what I can gather reading the forums it's gone from absolutely awful to somewhat acceptable to pretty good.

If you go on the MV Agusta website they let you know the date of the most current fuel mapping. That way, you know when an update is available. The updates are always free.

I'd say the mapping is not as good as my Triumphs and on par with the stock mapping of my Aprilia. There is some surging at ~2,500 rpm. This is parking lot riding speed and maybe VERY slow lane sharing/splitting speed.

If the fueling on my Triumphs is an "A" I'd give the MV somewhere between a "B" and a "B+". It's good; not great but good.
 
FourT2Infinity said:
Man, I remember when Triumph factory mapping updates sucked ('99 & '02 955i). My previous 675R, however, was perfect out of the box...
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As of now I think Triumph really has it figured out. My 2010 Speed Triple and 2009 Daytona 675 were both perfect.

I don't get to ride as many bikes as the magazine reviewers, but all of them always note that Triumph fueling is really good.
 
I have never seen so much agreement on BARF!

Who knew we were all closet MV wannabes! :laughing
 
Hmm .. just read about the Dragster 800 today. Here's hoping I can pick my "lowly" Brutale up cheap in a year or so when dealership needs to make room for them.
 
Squidly McSmearstain said:
If the fueling on my Triumphs is an "A" I'd give the MV somewhere between a "B" and a "B+". It's good; not great but good.
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Update.....

After riding the bike for a while I'd like to change my grading on the fueling to a "C". There was (note the past tense) a MASSIVE flat spot at about 4,000 rpm in 4th gear that was honestly unacceptable for a bike in this price range.

HOWEVER.......

I had the latest map installed at the dealer last week. With the rains I haven't been able to ride a lot, but the impression that I have right now is WOW this is a LOT better. The engine seems a bit more calm and not nearly as psychotic, but it's a lot more tractable and and the annoying flat spot seems to be gone. As I get more miles with the new map I'll add some info.

Also, there's a surprisingly decent after market for this bike. I've added MV Agusta frame sliders that are (in my opinion) the best integrated after market frame sliders I've ever seen. They're very unobtrusive and look like they were installed at the factory. I also added a tail tidy becuase......well because it was raining and I got bored and wanted to do something with my new bike. The kit was REALLY well designed, and while somewhat involved to install the directions were very good.

Keep your eyes peeled as you may get to read this very same review in a local publication!!
 
Update....

I've had the Brutale 800 ~4 months and ~4,500 miles.

How is it going? I absolutely love this bike. The engine is STILL intoxicating. Having a light motorcycle with power never gets old. The bike is compact and flickable and just an absolute riot to ride.

I'm just about done with the first set of tires. While the Pirellis provide ridiculous amounts of grip for the street, the longevity isn't great. I'm thinking about a set of Pilot Power 3s next.


Nigglies:
When the seat gets hot is stays HOT. Park this thing in the sun and prepare to get your ass roasted. The heat retention of the seat is the envy of every thermos ever made.

The worst aspect of this motorcycle (by far) is the gear box. The lever travel is longer than I'd like, and I get some false neutrals on downshifts that require a double clutch to rectify. I've never had this happen on any other motorcycles I've owned.

We'll see how the wheel removal goes for the tire change. Being an MV, it requires a special socket to remove the rear wheel, and my "universal" front tire removal tool doesn't fit. :thumbdown Having an exotic bike results in some interesting issues, but every time I ride this thing I giggle incessantly. Getting to ride this bike makes me GLAD I decided to stay on two wheels after getting hit (and hurt).

I know these things are not cheap, but if you're in the market for a new bike I'd REALLY take a long look at the MV Agusta triples; especially the 800cc triples. The Brutale is awesome, the Dragster is so sexy it makes the Brutale look plain and I'd LOVE to get an F3 800 on the track.
 
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