Fast Bikes Magazine July 2024 issue **FREE 20 PAGE PREVIEW**

TESTS

Sub-litreshootout. 16

Scrapping itoutonfourofthebest sub-litre nakeds tofindthekingoftheroad.

RetroRelish..................................... 60

Yamaha’spulled ablinder withits old-school influencedXSR900GP.

UsedBikeGuide.............................. 54

Gonebut neverforgotten, here’swhy Suzuki’sGSX-R600 isstilloneofthebest 600sfortheroad.

Yamaha Tenere700Extreme......... 88

Ifyoulikeyouradventure bikes alittlefruity, you’lllovewhatthis Tenere has to offer.

COLUMNISTS

Christian Iddon 96 Tworoundsin andIddon’sgot alottobe happyabout…butalso afewgrumbles. SteveParrish 98 More madnessand wisdom from theman they call Parrish.

FEATURES

Lifeof aprivateer. 70 Everwonderedwhatit takesto racetheTT on ashoestring? OurJoe’s tale will openyour eyes,that’sagiven.

Alternatively, scantheQR code on thispageand order your nextcopy today.Wewill send it directly toyou!

Springinginto action...

Itonlyseems afewdaysagothatthe weatherconsistedofdifferentshades ofwetandthe temperaturewasshy ofbreachingdoublefigures,butinthetoss of acoin,springhassprungandtheroads aroundmearelitteredwithbikers going abouttheirbusiness.Forme,thisis areal highpoint in theyear,seeingpeople gettingstuckinwiththeirmates,riding for thesakeofridinginabidtoescapethe likesofgardening,houseworkor,even worse,thein-lawspoppingover.I daresay thatformostofyou readingthis, motorcyclingis awayoflife, and itbrings accessto aworldthatshutstighter than Johnny’swalletat abarwhenwinterhits, whichiswhyit’ssogoodtoseefolkout andaboutquitesimplyforthesakeofit.

WhileI’msuper-lucky toride yearround,there’ssomething really special aboutbeingbackon abike on your favouritebackroads.Thisissomething I’vedonenon-stopthispastmonth, makingupfor losttimethankstoa winterthat’sdraggedonworsethanone ofmy jokes.Trackdays arebackinfull flow,roadsidecafesarerammed, andif you popdownthe localMoTcentre, chancesareyou’reinforheftywaitto getyourweaponofchoicecertifiedfor anotheryearofshenanigans. Isayso withconviction,as I’vejusthada month’swaittogetmy999R in forsuch anappointmentthat’s duetohappen thisweekend,and I’mabsolutelygagging togetbackoutonthatthing.Likea

first-bornchild, I’vespentthepast six months keepingitwarmand cosy throughthewinter,with atopped-up battery andmorepolish than Mr Sheene, readytopounce at the firstsignsofdry roadsandsummerwarmth.Andnowthe timehascome,sostaytuned forlotsof spam in thecoming issues whenIshow youwherewe’vebeenand whatwe’ve beenupto.Likewise, Ihope youkeep us up-to-datewith youranticstoo,inYou and Yours,Letters andthe Trackday comp pages.Thisisyourmag,afterall, sodon’tbea stranger.

Some things arebetterlef tbehind, but Fast Bikes isn’tone of them... trustus. Fora star t, we’d miss you, butit’dalsomeanyou’d miss outon awholeload of news,reviews,tech, talksand insightintopioneering protagonist s. Just thinkabout the road trips, theproject bike builds–andall theexcuses we throwinwith them.Wewantyou on this ride,and we want your stories, your inputand guidance,sodon’t be astranger! Checkout thecrackingdeals we’vegot here andlet’s get yousettled into another season of thegoodstuff from theUK’sleading spor tsbike magazine.

KTM990 RCR

KTMGET SBACKONTRACK

AustrianfirmKTMhasbeen outof theroad-goingsportsbikesector fornearly adecade, having droppedits quirky yet acclaimed RC8R1195 V-twinin2016.And thoughit’splayedits partin MotoGPduring those years,while buildingsome verynuttynaked roadbikes like theSuperDuke 1290andDuke890,the Matighofen outfitseemedtoset itsfaceagainstthe very notion of superbikes on theroad.Therewas noplace for200bhp-plusfaired sportsweapons outside pure competition,soseemedthe companyline,much tothe

sadness of all. Acrack is appearinginthat highAlpine dam, though –intheformof anew supersportbike,the KTM990RC R.It’sbeen hintedatover the past coupleofyearswiththerelease of track-only versions,soldin super-limitededitions at hefty prices.For 2025,though,weare getting aproperworkingclass, road-goingversion.It’sbeing trailedas asupersport machine, andifyouthinkofDucati’sV2 Panigale,that’ssortof the ballpark. We’re onlyseeinga prototype atthemoment,with limitedspecs: a127bhp/76ft-lb

version of theLC8c paralleltwin engine,inasteel tubetrellis frame withWPsuspension, Brembo calipersandGalferdiscs,Michelin tyresand afull fairing.There’ll probablybesomeorange colour options.Andblack.Andwhite.The headlightwillgiveindustrial designstudents ahard-on/wet-on, but everyoneelsewill suck their teethwhen they see it. Youget the picture.Inthemeantime, they’regoingtodripoutdeets right up to theautumn shows–expectmoreonpricing,weight, availabilityand equipment throughsummer.

BMWASA

BMW’sbeenattheforefrontoflots ofhightechdowntheyears.Itwas thefirstwithABSinthe1980s,was usingfuelinjectionacrossits range intheearly1990s,andpioneered factory-fitquickshifterswiththe K1200models20yearsago.And nowithas anothernewpieceof transmissiontechnology –the automated shiftassistant(ASA).

It’sbasicallyanadvanced quickshifter:themainpartsofthe gearboxarethesameas amanual bike,with asequentialdoggearbox, shifterforksand drum,and awet multi-plateclutch.Butinsteadofa manualclutchleverandfootpedal for shifting,thereare apairof cunningnewroboticactuators. Thesearecontrolledbya computerised TransmissionControl Unit(TCU),which controlsthe clutchandgearshiftoperation.

There aretwomodes: D, whichis fullyautomatic,andM,whichgives youcontrolover gearshiftswiththe footlever.There’snoclutchleverat

all;theTCUlooksafterallthe clutch operationswhen pullingaway, stopping,andchanginggears.And inautomaticmode,the TCUalso shiftsupanddownthegears.In manualmode,therider’sfoot makesthegearchanges –although it’s stillanelectronicactionsince thepedalisonly connectedtoa switchandhasnomechanical linkagetothegearbox.

We watchedtheASAsystem demonstratedonanR1300GS near Munichlastmonth.Youcouldn’ttell anythingunusualwasgoing on, withthetestriderwhizzing up and down,untilhestuck outhisleftleg andarmintheairandthe bike pulledaway,changedgears up and down,andthencametoahaltwith nointerventionatall.

BMWsaysthenewASAsystem altersitsshifting algorithm accordingtoboththe ridermode thebikeisinand how you’reriding it.So,inaroador rain ridingmode, theshiftswillcomesoonerand

Keepaneye onour online channels –Facebook, Twitter, andthe Fast Bikes website(www.fastbikesmag.com)–for news as ithappens.

RE AC TIVEMART

Tiredoftheusual internet auctionand online selling sites? Well,here’s something that couldbeaboutto shake up theworldof sellingand buyingbike bitsonline.Ex-TT racer and theownerof Reactive Parts,Steve Heneghan, islaunching Reactive Mart,hisownonline marketplace, which he says willrevitalisethe sector for new and used bikepartsand kit.

“We’vebeen inthe motorcycle partsand accessories industryforover 25years,” he said. “And we’ve recently beengetting feedback fromdealers and sellers [about onlineselling],with complaints includingincreased costs, final valuefees andincreased shop costsandreducedvisibility for listings.

smoother,while if you’repushing hard with big throttle openingsin sportmodes,the motorwill rev out muchhigher before shifting.

We didn’tget achance totest thesystemso can’t report on that, but watchingthe test rider,it seemedto be smoothandeasy when pullingaway andstopping.

On the practicalfront,ASAwas developedalongsidethe new R1300 Boxerengine,sothehardwarefits easilyintothemotor.

There’snothing tostopthe tech appearing onotherlayoutsthough, including theS1000inline-fourand F850/900 paralleltwins.

Theset-upaddsabout2kg of weight,andaround £900in costas afactory-fit option –and willalso offer anextralevel of theft protection.When the bikeisleftin ‘park’,the clutch andgearbox are lockedingearand youcan’ttakeit out of gearwithoutturning on the ignition, soscroteswon’tbeableto kickoff thesteeringlockandpush the bikeaway.

Onthe downside, youcan’t bumpstart abikewith aflat battery either.

ThenewASAsystemwillappear laterthisyear,probably on anew 2025model liketheR1300GS Adventure orR1300RT,and will be available on thestandard 1300GS too.

SO,HOW DOES ASAACTUALLYWORK?

TheBMWASAusestwoclever roboticactuatorsfortheclutch andgearshift.Theclutchunit features agearwithaspiralgroove ononefaceand atriangularpivot arm. Apinonthepivotarm engagesinthespiral,andwhen

thegearturns,the pinmovesin andout,whichinturnmoves the pivotarm,andthat pushesthe clutchslavecylinder,engagingand disengagingthewet clutch pack.

Thegearshiftuses aMaltese Crossgear,whichhastwounusual gears. One has apin,and theother has sixslots,andasthepin engagesintheslot,the gearchangemoves through60 degrees,then stops.That givesthe sixpositionsforeachgear position –cleverstuff.

“Wehave alsoseenthe requirementforpromoting listingsandless customerdata passed over,withthe exclusionof Paypal.”

Heneghanreckonshe’s comeupwithananswer:the Reactive Martonlinebike, parts,clothing andaccessories selling platform.

“Over the last24months we’ve developedanentirely newfocusedsalesplatform, available tobothtradeand private,tobuyand sellnew and used motorcycles,clothing and helmets,partsand accessories.”

Onthefaceof it,the Blackburn-based firmis offering good deals,including auctionsand fixed priceand classified ads,with zerolisting feesforauctions andfixed price ads,final value fees of 7.8%,andaclassifiedadfor just£9.99.Heneghan also promises no otherhidden fees, andsellers onlypaythefinal valuechargewhenthey sell. His payment partnerisglobal giant PayPal,andReactive saysit canreproduce aseller’s listings from their current platforms.

“Wedoallthehard work,” said Heneghan. “Wecanmirror yourexisting listings,set up your account,and even replicateyourusernameand feedback score from elsewhere.Additionally,we have adatabase ofmorethan 250,000 contactsto whomwe will promote yourlistings.”

Interested?Check out Reactive Mart at www. reactivemart.com or search for @reactivemart on Facebook,Instagramor Twitter.

BMWHECHLINGENENDUROPARK

Fancysomeoff-roadlarksina slightlydifferentspot fromthe usual Wales/Scotland/Spain?Then checkthisout –the Hechlingen Enduro Park.It’sthe BMWfactory’s veryownoff-roadandtraining ground,locatedabout 60miles fromthefirm’sMunich HQ,and it’s alsowheretheR&Dtest riderstake newoff-roadmodelsfor testing. Butit’salsotheBavarian venuefor BMW’s factory off-roadschooland runshundreds of courses every year,aimedatalllevels of rider fromnovices up toworld-class racers.Wegrabbed adayatthe schoolwhileseeingthe newASA automaticgearboxandwere

MAEVINGRM1S

Ifwetoldyoutherewasa brand-newBritish bike firmmaking interestingnewmodels witha team ofex-Triumphengineerswho cuttheirteeth on theRocket 3and 765Street Triple,you’dbeasking formoreinfo,wereckon. Sure, we’d say,therearetwo new neo-retroroadstermodels, they lookgreat,andare on sale nowfor lessthan£8000.

It’salltrue –but thereis aslight catch.Thefirmis calledMaeving andthebikes are electric urban mobilitytools ratherthan high-octanetarmac-slayers.We spent adayinthatthereLondonon thelatestmodel,theRM-1S,which has125cc-plus performance,with

impressed by theset-up. It’sbasedinan old stone quarry,and thereare hundreds ofdifferentriding trailsandtrainingspots, with awidevarietyof difficulties –climbs, descents, watercrossings, ruttedtrails,forestruns thelot.

As you’dexpect,thefacilities aresuperb,with anewmain buildingcontaining showers, lockers,greatfoodoptions and plenty ofkitsupport.The bikefleet is,ofcourse,immaculate,with big lines ofnew R1300GSandF900 GS bikes waiting (theyalso have

smaller310 GSbikes andeven Beta trialsbikes available). Youcan fly inandhirea bikefor about £350aday for all-inclusive trainingor stopinon your wayto the Austrian Alpson yourown bike.Moreinfo: www. twtmoto.com/en/bmwmotorrad-enduro-park/

14bhp peakpower,a 70mphtop endand80milesbetween charges of its dualbattery packs.The styling definitelygrabsyou; we hada few ‘proper’bikers admiringthe Maeving parkedupnearSmithfield Market. Andthey gowell,too.The skinny chassis penned by those ex-Triumph engineersislightand agile,the wheel-mounted hub motor deliversinstantdrive,and thecombinedbrakes arereally strong.Onceyou adapttothe slightly bicycle-likehandling,it’sa hoot tothrow aroundintraffic,and with usefulaspectslikethe‘fuel

tank’ storage spaceandUSB-C phonecharging port,it’sa solid optionintown.Wetook abrief jaunt up the A12tosee howthe RM1S copedondual carriageways, anditwas definitelyup forthe 50mphcut and thrust. So,ifyou have amid-distance daily commuteand want totry somethinga bitdifferent, the Maevingiswell worth alook.RRP is£7495,whichwould getyoutwo cheapo petrol scooters.Butthey’re not madeinBritainby ateamof ex-Triumph engineers… www.maeving.com

ALLTHE LATEST,COOLES T&TRICK ES TPERFORMANC

EPRODUC TS

OXFORD NE XUSLEATHERS

Anew range of mid-priced leathersuitsfromBritishfirm OxfordProducts,theNexus leatherscomein aone-pieceor zip-togethertwo-piece,ina range ofcolours,withtriple-ACE certification and leveltwoCE armourinshoulders,elbows,hip andknee.Themainconstruction uses1.2mmcowhide,with double-layerpanelsinimpact zones,reinforcedseams,and abrasion/tearresistantstretch textiles.Therearereplaceable kneesliders and protective externalTPUsliders,aswellasa pocketfor aback protector,with optionalCEleveloneortwo protectorsavailablefromOxford. Alternatively,youcanwearthe suitwith astandaloneprotector/ airbagvest.Thedesignershave

addedplentyof premium comfortdetails,too: neoprene collar,accordionleatherstretch panels,stretchmeshinner liner, andloadsmore.A solidset-upfor theprice,andavailablein black, black/redorblack/white.

ALPINESTARS COROZA LBOO TS

Need aproperprotectiveoff-road bootfor somegreenlaningorthe like,but don’twanttogofull MXor enduro race fitment?Then somethinglikethisAlpinestars CorozalDrystar boot istheanswer. It’sasuper-chunky piece of footwear,withloads of toughouter armourandrigidinternalstructure, butwith awaterproofmembrane andthearmour dialleddowna notchfrom thelikes of aTech10 MX boot.Adjustable dual buckle and Velcrofasteninggivestheideal

fit,andthey are comfy after ashort break-in period.These are Triumph-brandedCorozals,but you cangetthem inplain Alpinestars form too.

GIVI S-510BAT TERY CH ARGER

ItalianfirmGiviis best-knownfor itsluggage,ofcourse, butitisbranching outallthetimeand has comeup withthis newmulti-modebikebattery charger.Itlooks smartand claimstoworkautomaticallywith alltypesof battery,including traditionallead-acid,GEL or AGM,andthelatest lithium-iontechnologyor LiFePO4 units,from 1.2Ah up to 100 Ah. Peak outputis one amp,there aremultiple programmesto rejuvenate completely flatbatteries or stay on trickle charge,and theS-510evenhas abuilt-in temperaturesensorsoitcan bumpupthechargerate in coldconditions.A smart pieceofkit –and madeinItaly,with athree-yearwarranty.

We areoldenoughto rememberwhenallyoucould pluginto aUSB socketwasa keyboardor amouse,and theywerebugger-allusefor anythingelse.Nowthey’re poweringeverything,from phones and satnavstosex toysandair-con ties.Keepyour gadgetsonpoin theseUSBchar from Optimate, designedforth weirdDINpowe socket.Itused berestricted toBMWsbut

nditioned nt with rgers , at er to

isnowon TriumphandDucati bikesaswell.USB-Cand USB-Asockets,loadsof power,waterproof construction,andsolid build. We recommend.

MINT WATERLESSBIK ECLE ANER

Summer’shere(yes, itis)andsothis WaterlessCleanand Shineproductshouldbejustthejobfor aquickpost-ride clean-up.Itclaimstohave apowerfulfoamingactionthat quicklyliftsdirt andgrimewithoutneedingtogetthehose andbucketout.It’ssuitableforallbodywork,paint,and plastic parts –andevensmellsgreat.Biodegradable,nottested on animals...whatmoredoyouneed?

£9.99w ww.oxf or dmint.co.uk

SIDI NUCLEUSBOO TS

NeatnewurbanridingwearfromSidi, the Nucleusboot comesinGTXGore-TexandSuedeWPversions,bothof which arewaterproofandalsofeaturesolidCE-approvedprotection inshort anklebootform.There’sa Vibramsole,D3Oankle protection armour,reinforcedheel,toeandgearshiftareas, andalockinglace design.Theycomeinsometidy colourstoo.

RRP: £199.99(GT X) www.f er idax.c om £169.99(SuedeW P)

AR AI SCHWAN TZ 30 TH ANNIVERSARYRX-7V EVOHELMET

No,you’venotpickedup a1993editio mag by mistake. Arai’sbroughtout this updated replica of theclassic Kevin Schwantz lid,marking 30yearssince Revvin’ Kevinwascelebrating his 500GPworldtitle.Under thesuperb AldoDrudiinterpretationofthat Schwantzschemeisthelatest top-endAraiRX-7Evo race lid,with allthefirm’s protective know-how.

n of the lush,

DUC ATI GP TE AM REPLICA24DIA DORA TRAINERS

ThegenuineDucatiCorsetrainers,asworn by the Ducati Corse teamthisseason, and produced by Italiansneaker-guru Diadora. We cantellyou how thespec saysthey are ’stableandlightweightwith asport solein dual-density polyurethanewith ESD characteristics, resistance to oils and hydrocarbons,’ andwe’resure that’salltrue. Butwejustlikethem because theylookpropercool…

SW-MOT ECH PROBLA ZE PA NNIERS FORYAMAHA MT-09

We’vebeen usingtheBlaze pannierset-upfor years now; it’sagreatoption for occasionaltourers,combiningsoft-luggageflexibility withsomeofthe capacityof hardcases.You get apair ofquick-releasemounting rodswhichattachtothepillion pegsandgivethe40-litresemi-hardpanniers extrasupporton the bike. It’s more secure andtakes moreweightthansimplethrowovers but isalso super-quickto remove. Thisfittingisforthelatest YamahaMT-09andSP, but there are fitments for loads ofotherbikes.

RRP: £799.99

RRP: £32.90

RRP: £149 www.ducat

NAKEDS

TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE 765RS

Justlikethe weather,relationships,and thestateof yourhealthy-looking bank statement, nothing stays thesame… andthat’s especiallytrueofthebike market. Infact,theonethingwe’ve seenabove anythingelsein recent yearsare moretwists thanan AgathaChristienovelwhenitcomes tocapacities, styles, andwhat we’veknown as convention regarding motorcyclingnorms. Manufacturers have beenrubbinghardon their mysticballs, hopingtohitthejackpot withanabundanceofunexpectedofferings, slowlybutsurelymovingthegoalpostsinthe process andmakingusthink alittle harder beforegatheringanobviousgaggleof bikes togethertoformasolidshootout. Perhapsthe nakedmarketisthemostdiverseofthemall, rammedtotherafterswitheverythingfrom

125stothelikes of KTM’sginormous 1390 Super Duke, with ahealthyshowingof middleweightsfor good measure, aswell as thisgroupof machineshere, whichwedub sub-litre nakeds.

True as it maybethatno twoofthese machinesare ofthe samecapacityandare formed by amixtureofV-twins, parallel twins andtriples;nonetheless, some thingstheyall have incommon isthattheyare amongthe bestoftheirbreed,theyeachmakewell over 100bhp,andtheytickthe boxforbeing crackingalternatives tobigger,costlierand uber-focusedsupernakeds.Asmuch aswe love that larger-than-lifefeldoffends, it’s true that not everyoneneeds200bhpanda minimalistfyscreenfor company, whichis whythe bikes youseebeforeyouarebig ortheir respectivebrands.

STREETFIGHTER

In the exoticcorner we’vegotMV Agusta’s audaciousBrutale800RR, while Ducati’s naked babyPanigale,aka theV2 Streetfghter, bringsawhopping153bhp tothe party.And thenthere’sTriumph’sStreet Triple 765RS, which hasbeen afrmfavouriteinthis feld for manyayearnow, promptingthe question ofwhether KTMand itsbox-fresh990Duke hasdoneenoughtotopplethe British brand’s nakedmasterclass.

Well, therewas only one way tofnd out –and itinvolved crafting athree-day onslaught,out on amixed bagof roads,inall conditions, to see which wouldhave us tradingthefamilysilverfor alife behind bars ononeofthese worthyprotagonists.Here’s what we made ofthem…

Thisparticular versionof the MV AgustaBrutale –the third generation –has beenaround since 2012,which meansitisbyfar the oldestbikeinthetest,butthatdoesn’tmean it’snotgotsomethingtobringtotheparty, andfarfromit.187kgfullyfuelledand 140bhparethesort ofnumberswhich shouldmakesomeoftheneweropposition blush,andsoitmeansthatitabsolutely belongsinthiscompany.

MV Agusta’shistoryoflurchingfrom one fnancialcrisistoanothermeansregular modelupdatesare generallyfewand far between.Instead,MV regularly releases so-calledlimited-editionmodels as asleightof

AGUSTA BRUTALE800RR

handtodistractfromthefactthatthebikehas thesamearchitecture. Cueanendless lineof ‘specials’ –noless than seveninthecase of theBrutale800 alone –alladornedwith varioustrinketsandpaintschemes as aquick andeasy waytokeepthemodelfreshwhile beingthesamebikemechanically.However, MVhasrecentlybeentaken overbyKTM,so timewilltellifthisapproachcontinues.

Now, this maysound like I’mbeing really downontheMV Agusta,andI’mgenuinely not –because youcan get away withthat practiceifthebasicpackageis goodtostart with.If yougobackto2001whentheBrutale was frst introduced, by my reckoningthere’s been 43(ish) differentmodels offeredwith

10(ish)differentengine capacitiesacrossjust threegenerationsofBrutales. Eventoday, thereare fvedifferentBrutalesavailable,of whichthe 800RRisone,and isarguablythe pickofthebunch.

At £17,000, theMVisthe most expensive bikeontest.However, there is apromotion availablerightnowthatif youtrade in your bikeagainstany MV Agusta –which isthe case inthe veryvast majorityof sales transactions; you’llget£2000knocked offthe priceofany2023bike. So, theBrutaleis effectivelyavailablefor£15,000,andwhile thisis stillachunkof change, itslotsthe MV intothepriceorderprobablywhereitbelongs, based on spec.

Iwas atthepress launch whenMV Agusta launchedthethird-generationBrutalein 2012 whenit was initially availablewiththe675cc engineandcanvividly rememberjusthow focusedtheBrutalewas comparedto everythingelsethat wasaroundat thetime. TheMVformulaforprettylooks, big power and very focusedchassis was appliedtothe Gen3Brutaleinspades. It wasinevitablethat MVslottedthe800ccthree-cylinderengine fromtheF3intoitjust ayearlatertoboost powerfrom108bhpthatthe675 made(a decentamountatthetime)to125bhp.

Just acouple of yearslater,MVunlocked morepower fromtheenginebyadding 50mmthrottlebodiesand twininjectorsper cylindertogetitupto140bhp,whichcan become150bhpwith arace exhaust as provenbytheBrutale800 RC,whichisjusta Brutale800RRwithanSC-Project exhaust. PrettymuchalloftheBrutale’supgrades overthe yearshavebeenofthesoftware variety.Itstillhasthesame 798ccthree-

cylinderenginewithcounter-rotating crankshaftwhichhas aneffectonabike’s handling,specifcally as anti-wheelie.It’sstill gotthemassive50mm throttlebodiesand twininjectorsper cylinder.The chassisisstill thesame steel trellis design and suspension is stillMarzocchi fullyadjustablefrontand rear,but theBrutale800RR youseeherenow hasafullsuiteofelectronicrideraidswith an IMUat their hearttomakeeverythinglean anglesensitive. Thereare rider modes, power modes, eight-stagetractioncontrol,antiwheelie,cruisecontroland launch control, none ofwhich were ontheoriginal Gen3 Brutale.There’salso asnazzy full-colour display that highlightsleanangleand the amountof g-forceyou’remanagingunder accelerationandbraking.

Alloftheelectronicscanbeaccessedand adjustedviatheMVRideapp,whichalso allows youtowritecustommapsonyour phoneandsendthemtothebikevia Bluetooth. As far as we areaware,this isa

frst, andin manyways makes alotof sense. Theinterfacebetweentheriderand allthe electronicfunctionsisgenerally okay these days,butmanufacturersare restricted to just the space availableonthe switchgearcluster toprovidethatinterface.Bymakingthe electronicfunctionsaccessible via aphone app, it’smassivelyeasierto understand and navigate.

Even thoughonpaper,the Brutale 800 could beviewedasabit long inthetooth,its basicingredientsweresogood from the outsetthatit reallydoesn’tmatter –itstill looksfresh, it’sstillgotplentyofpower,and hasachassiswithallthe right numbers. Its electronic systemshavemovedwiththe times, which,curiously, wasattheheart of my verdictoftheoriginal Gen3 bikebackin 2012.

Inotedthatit had alotofpotentialto bea great bike, butthatit justneeded agood fettleand fnishing off.Ididn’t realiseit would take12years.

OUTONTHE ROAD... MV AGUSTA BRUTALE800RR

Boasting aheftyamountof power, with arespectable weightand awheelbaseso short youcanimaginehowagilethisthingis just by eyeballing it,there’salot tolike abouttheMV.Andthenthere’sthelookofit, whichis asexotic as itspricetag, hammering homethepointthatthistriple-cylinder beautyisnot your everyday naked…it really issomethingquitespecial.Ofcourse,there arealwaystwo sidestoevery story, and whileitcouldbearguedthathowa bike ridesisless importantthanhowitlooks or sounds,Ibegtodiffer.Yes, thereisalot to lureyouto this machine,not leastofall the irresistiblesoundtrackthatscreamsits way outofthebike’sstackedtriplesilencers,but whenpushcame toshoveandthethrottle gotturnedinanger,theMV provedtobe more‘showthango’.

Allowmetoelaborate,startingwith the motor.Itissomethingof abeastand undoubtedlytheshowpieceofthisItalian stallion,crankingout aclaimed140bhpand

ahefty 87Nm oftorquetobackthingsup. Lackingin frepoweritmostcertainly is not, ortechnologicalfeatures, with acounterrotatingcrankinthemix,plusanabundance offancyengineeringfeatures that’dput many aracingbiketoshame.But refnementand usabilityoutonthe roadis awholedifferent conversation.

While IshouldpointoutthattheMV is kittedwithseveralridermodeswhichcanbe alteredbetweenif youhavethepatienceofa saintandthecapacitytoconquer Rubix cubeswith your eyes shut(the switchgears arenotthemostintuitive),then youcan dumbdownthepowerdeliveryontapfrom thisthing,but evenin‘sport’mode(which was astepdownfrom‘race’and aviable selectionfortheenthusiasticnatureofour test),theBrutalefelt abitbrutalandtook somegettingusedto.Admittedly, thereare manyworse examplesoffuellingonthe market,buttheurgencyoftheengine,which deliversway moretorquethan you’d expect ittowhen yourollonthethrottle,isenough

toputfalseteethtothebackof yourthroat. Thefunnythingisthat as much as Ifound myselfinitially awedbytheengine,it’s on/offnaturesoon wore thin and beganto peemeoff.Ontrack,it’dmake muchmore sense,butonthe road,it wastoo keenfor me –and especiallysoforthebike’s suspension.

Theforksfeltsofterthanbutterandthe rearshock wasn’tmuchmoresupportive, remindingmeof akid’sseesawdownthe park. As IssacNewtononcesaid,‘Every actionhasanequalandopposite reaction’, whichis especiallytrueontheMV.Wetried hardtoaltertheadjustableunitstosuitour masses andriding styles, butthedampingon tapjust wasn’tenoughtocopewiththe respectableamountofabusebeingput throughtheunits.Thetruthis,every crack of the throttlesawthe rearendsquatandthe ‘barsgolight,while everygrabofthefront brakeswas metwithanequallyundesirable amountoftravelbeingused. To getthebest outofthisbike, youhadtobesuper-

WO RD S> DA NG ER OUS

This bike will cost youa fortunein sliders.