MV Agusta Brutale 989R

MV Agusta Brutale 989RReview: Matt BennettThe first review for the series is the MV AgustaBrutale 989R motorcycle, loaned to us by the helpfulteam at Paul Feeney Group (PFG) who distributethe three quality European Marques of MV Agusta,Cagiva and Husqvarna.The first thing that struck me when the PFG teamintroduced to me to the Brutale 989R was theimmediate visual impact. This bike grabs you bythe retinas and makes you want to follow everyline, appreciating the attention to detail in even thesmallest features. It is the kind of bike you want tojust stop and look at for a while, taking it all in, evenbefore firing up the beast.This bike stands outas a truly brilliantpiece of functionalart. The numberof people thatapproached me overthe weekend asking tocheck it out up closefurther identified thisas a bike that will getnoticed everywhereyou go. MV Agustahave carefully designeda naked motorcycle that has a balanceof function and style that matches theperformance and character of theBrutale perfectly.Awakening the beast by thumbingthe starter, your auditory sensesare filled with a unique, almostaggressive, rasping symphony ofsound. It invites you to climbon board and ride, with asubtle warning that this could beaddictive. It also leaves no doubt you are atthe business end of the ride, it revs freely and wantsto get out on the tarmac. It is a bike that wants to beridden, the kind of bike that is as much about thepassion of riding as the engineering that delivers thepromise of adventure. In short it is just under a litreof pure excitement.The 982cc engine, makes around 140bhp and 9.8kgmof torque. With a dry weight of 185kg, acceleratesfrom zero to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds, and has aclaimed top speed of over 250km/h. In fact, the 989Ris so good, that I can’t imagine what the 1078RRwould be like!The riding position is comfortable, semi upright andprovides a commanding view over the instrumentsto the rapidly approaching horizon in front of you,however, this is not a bike for very tall people, I amjust on six foot and could still fitmy knees under the “wings” onthe beautifully sculpted tank, butanyone taller than me might find ita little cramped. I was not a fan ofthe foot pegs as I found my feet alittle too prone to slipping off. Butall in all a couple of very minorflaws with an otherwise superbbike.The 989R’s chassis is a chromemolybdenumtrellis frame withsingle-sided swing arm. There is plentyof feedback from the bike to rider, andit handles like a Superbikewith supersharp steeringthrough thecorners andsuperb stability.The gearbox issix-speed withprecise shifts andgood solid feel.The front brakes getradial-mount fourpistoncalipers, and thesuspension – 50mmUSD forks andrear mono shock – ismulti-adjustable.

The MV Agusta Brutale 989R’s build quality isimpeccable, all components are top-spec andeverything feels like it’s been designed with greatcare – all the parts work together in perfect harmony.This is a riders bike that loves to get riddenand noticed, and if I had anothergarage space I wouldprobably have alreadysigned up for one,In short the only realdown side to the 989Rwas handing it back toPFG at the end of theweekend.MV Agusta Brutale 989R.RRP $25,900 + orcFor further information see:http://www.mvagusta.com.au