BIKE NEWS

MV’s new Brutale 800, new Scrambler variants, the Bajaj Triumph alliance and all the new launches this month

ICONIC ITALIAN BIKE MAKER MV Agusta has finally launched the Brutale 800 in India at 15.59 lakh, ex-showroom. Although brought to the country at the same time as the larger Brutale 1090, the entry-level (relatively so) 800 has only been homologated this year. Motoroyale, MV Agusta’s Indian partner, says this was a deliberate move so that the company could focus on the halo products like the fully faired F4 and the larger Brutale 1090 first.

First showcased at the EICMA 2016, the new Brutale 800 looks aggressive and has sharp lines. It gets a redesigned aluminium subframe along with subtle changes to the headlamp, fuel tank, pillion seat, grab rails and the three-pipe exhaust that is a nod to the late great Massimo Tamburini. The instrument cluster is all-new and so is the switch gear.

The 798cc, in-line three-cylinder gets 12-valves with DOHC and a counter rotating crankshaft. The power is down by 13bhp at 108bhp, as compared to the 2016 model. However, the torque figure is a healthy 83Nm with the twist being available from lower revs (3800rpm).

The previous generation bike was known for its aggressive nature and always tried to wheelie in the first and second cog, even with just 50 per cent throttle input. To help it become more rider-friendly, MV Agusta has given it an upgraded IMU package. The Brutale 800 gets four riding modes – Rain, Normal, Sport and Custom. There are eight levels of traction control and switchable ABS as well.