MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR – Too Brutal For Its Own Good?

Is the 2022 MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR the most extreme hyper naked bike on the market or is it just too brutal for its own good?

Let’s get off on the right foot from the very beginning. The fact is the Brutale 1000 RR could quite possibly be the most beautiful naked bike ever produced.

Surely there can be no argument that it is a visually stunning machine? After all, the man behind the original Brutale back in 2000 was Massimo Tamburini, legendary motorcycle designer behind such legends as the Ducati 916 and MV Agusta F4 750.

Where the doubt comes into play is just how practical the Brutale 1000 RR actually is in the real world.

We are going to try to answer the very question that MV Agusta has accidentally posed. Simply put, is the new Brutale 1000 RR worth it? Or in this rare case, is it too much bang for the buck?

MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR Review

Engine and Transmission

At the heart of the Brutale is the advanced engine that produces exceptional power and torque and that is what gets people talking.

MV Agusta have reviewed the Brutale to make it their best most efficient motor yet with engine power that can blow riders minds. It is loaded with new valve guides, new camshaft timing, new transmission gears, piston rings, crank, airbox, intake and exhaust valves.

The end result is a motor that powers the Brutale 1000 RR all the way to the claimed top speed and beyond, it is incredibly quick and sounds like a raging banshee in a tornado. The ride-by-wire system ensures that when you twist the throttle the acceleration powers you forward and when you let it go it slows down just as you would expect.

Fortunately you have a host of rider aids to help you wield some control over the engine including launch control, wheelie controls, traction control and a variety of riding modes.

All of these are great, the problem is however, when you are harnessing 208 horsepower there is only so much that electronics can do without completely crushing the spirit of the motor. So MV Agusta have added them but it doesn’t smother the rawness of what the engine can do.

The torque curve on the Brutale 1000 RR is interesting because below the top end you wouldn’t know that you were riding such a monster; in fact around town you have to work the transmission to rush down the gears in order to be able to manoeuvre around and overtake traffic.

It lacks serious grunt down low and this is partly why the bike isn’t the most practical beast to ride around town or as an everyday bike. My counter to that point would be, how many riders buy a Brutale 1000 RR to use an everyday bike?

At the top end however everything is smooth and controllable which is reassuring when you have such power to use, acceleration is wild and the bike is overall just incredibly quick.

Whether you need all of that raw power from the engine is another question, as surely you can only make the most of it on the track? That could however, be said about every bike sport/naked bike with 1000cc or more.

Chassis

As you would expect the chassis of the Brutale 1000 RR is of just a high standard as the engine and is equally impressive, it would have to be.

It is lightweight with the main frame being built from aluminium alloy, it is rigid, strong, and precise in all the best ways. Straight line performance is unquestionable and precision steering is impeccable which pairs great with the exceptional ground clearance for exciting riding in the twisties.

The abs braking system consisting of a double floating disc on the front and single steel disc on the rear is more than up to the task and adds a sense of security. The braking system slows the bike right down when needed and brings you to a complete stop with relative ease and precision safely.

Ohlins suspension front and back is adjustable in every which way so you can set the bike up exactly as you need it to depending on your riding preferences and circumstances. This can be controlled from the MV Agusta app, which also controls most of the electronics that the bike hosts.

Handling and Comfort

The Brutale 1000 RR gives a dynamic performance but it is one that is on the extreme at both ends. MCN dared to say that MV is like a 125 at slow speeds (due to the need to work the gearbox) around town leaving you seriously disappointed whereas at the top end it is like a bat out of hell.

The Vehicle Integrated Control System means that the multifunction electrical controls are pretty easy to access from the handlebar control after you have set things up using the rider interface on the MV app.

It might take some getting used to, to figure out exactly how everything works and where it is, the cruise control for example sits on the right hand side.

You sit in a sporty position, there is no way that the riding position and ergonomics can be described as neutral. Feet behind, knees into the tank, elbows tucked in and head down, it isn’t extreme like a supersport but it is noticeable after riding for a while.

The seat is more of a plank of wood than an actual seat, no thought for comfort has really been put into the Brutale.

This is another reason why it doesn’t quite sit well as a functional street bike.

Brutale 1000 RR Features

• Carbon components: air box cover, dashboard harness cover, fuel tank panels, covers for clutch and gearbox covers, external air intake

• Light crankshaft

• New combustion chamber with Titanium connecting rods

• TFT 5.5″ color display

• Cruise control

• Bluetooth

• GPS

• MV Ride App – navigation mirroring, control over engine, suspension and rider aids settings

• Launch control

• Front control

• Mobisat tracker

• Traction control

• Automatic telephone dialing system

• Electronically Assisted Shift

Brutale 1000 RR Styling

You can’t deny the absolute quality that is clearly displayed by the many style elements of the MV Agusta Brutale.

Some would go as far to say it is a style icon but others would argue it an ugly brute, I don’t know where I stand on that, maybe it is like an old fashioned bulldog – uncompromisingly ugly but as a result rather handsome and desired.

The lashings of carbon fiber are nice, the TFT dash looks outdated, the exhaust end cans are great and sharp following the lines but the passenger pegs ruin the vibe slightly.

It is a bike with a split personality from the engine to the styling.

Brutale 1000 RR Performance

MCN has one of the most interesting reviews of the 2020 Brutale they write

“The 2020 MV Agusta Brutale 1000RR is about as irrelevant as a road bike gets. You can’t use anywhere near all its power away from a track and at that kind of money you probably wouldn’t want to anyway…It’s no better than the cream of its much cheaper super naked rivals, either. But underneath its layers of shiny paint and away from its designer labels, decadent styling and fancy electronics it’s a well-sorted, involving, refined and capable motorcycle.”

If this was what they thought of the 2020 model I suspect their feelings will only deepen with the 2022 version which has undergone various improvements and produces even more power at a claimed 203hp.

Although it could be that MV Agusta’s only downfall with the latest Brutale 1000 RR has been the fact they have made it so extreme that it is somewhat un-usable in real world riding situations.

There are few brave and privileged souls who would be willing to drop around £30,000/$30,000+ on a motorcycle and head to the track to get the most out of it.

MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR Specifications

Engine and Transmission

• Engine – Four stroke, inline-four, 16 valves, DOHC

• Capacity -998cc

• Bore x Stroke – 79 x 59mm

• Compression Ratio – 13.4:1

• Cooling System – Separate liquid and oil radiators

• Starting – Electric

• Induction – Integrated ignition/injection system, MVICS 2.1 with 8 injectors, Mikuni and Marelli Magneti.

• Engine Management System – Engine Control Unit Eldor Nemo 2.1, full ride by wire by Mikuni, pencil-coil with ion assisting technology, torque control with four maps and traction with 8 levels and wheelie control using inertial measurement unit system

• Transmission – Cassette style, 6 speed, constant mesh

• Final Drive – Chain

• Clutch – Wet, multi disc, with back torque limiting device and Brembo radial pump

• Max Power – 208 horsepower at 13,000rpm

• Max Torque – 116.5Nm at 11,000rpm

• Top Speed – 186mph plus

Chassis and Dimensions

• Frame – CrMo Steel tubular trellis, Aluminium alloy, rear swingarm pivot plates, adjustable swingarm pivot height

• Steering Damper – Ohlins EC with electronic manual and automatic adjustment modes

• Front Suspension – 43mm Ohlins Nix EC hydraulic upside down forks, with Tin superficial treatment. Completely adjustable with electronically controlled compression and rebound damping with manually controlled spring preload

• Rear Suspension – Progressive, single shock absorber Ohlins EC TTX completely adjustable, aluminium alloy single sided swingarm

• Front Brakes – 2 x 320mm floating discs, Brembo radial pump/lever assembly

• Rear Brakes – Single 220mm disc, Brembo PS13 brake pump with 2 piston caliper

• ABS – Continental MK100 with RLM (Rear Wheel Lift-up Mitigation) and cornering function

• Trail – 97mm/3.82″

• Wheelbase – 1,415mm/55.7″

• Length – 2,080mm/81.89″

• Height – 805mm/31.69″

• Seat Height – 845mm/33.27″

• Dry Weight – 186kg/410.06lbs

• Fuel Capacity – 16 liters

2022 Brutale 1000 RR Top speed

MV Agusta claims the 2022 Brutale 1000 RR has a top speed in excess of 300km/h or 186mph.

Test rides in various publications have confirmed this to be accurate and have exceeded the listed top speed.

List Price

The MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) of the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR in the UK is £29,300 and in the US the bike starts from $37,798.

How does the Brutale 1000 RR compare with its rivals?

Before we outright answer whether or not the MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR is better than the closest competition let’s refer to the spec sheet on the competition.

The question therefore has to be asked – is the Brutale 1000 RR $10K better than the other hyper naked bikes on the market?

I don’t think you can justify the roughly $10,000 extra for the MV, when these three bikes all push out immense amounts of power and torque, they are just as light, have respectable top speeds and there has been thought put into their styling.

Just because the MV pushes out slightly more horsepower etc. doesn’t necessarily make it a better road bike, I would argue that the Aprilia handles easier and has a more usable range.

When it comes to styling the Brutale 1000 RR certainly has an edge with its aggressive design but is it really $10,000 better than the Ducati Streetfighter V4?

Ducati’s are known for their design being the best of the best, and there are few that could argue their naked bike is anything but good-looking.

You could argue that the Brutale 1000 RR uses premium components and therefore that justifies it’s price tag, carbon fiber components are dotted throughout and the aluminium alloy frame. When Ducati use similar components such as on the V4 SP then their prices increase to $35,500.

Whether the SP performs well enough to justify the price increase compared to the base model, that leaves some room for debate.

Ultimately it will come down to personal preference and how much money you have in the bank.

Verdict

I don’t know if we can ever categorically say yes or no as to whether MV Agusta have produced a usable hypernaked that is worth its price tag.

Since when did we as bikers start thinking quite so practical? Does it matter that you are never going to use the top end to its fullest? Does it matter that you aren’t comfortable if you look awesome? Does it really matter that the MV costs more than most of its competition?

Surely we know by now that if it’s on two wheels and we are attracted to it we will make it work?

Maybe the likes of the Suzuki SV650, Honda NC750X, BMW GS’ and the countless upright practical street bikes are stifling the excitement and creativity out of the industry? 

Not that I have anything against any of the previously mentioned bikes but surely there is room for things that are more extreme and insane than what we need, especially in a market that is largely made up of leisure riders. 

I would be a giant hypocrite for loving the Ducati Streetfighter V4 x Lamborghini collaboration if I dismissed the 2022 Brutale 1000 RR as excessive.

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