2010–2011 · Hyper Naked · Buyer's Guide
Italian Sound, Street Muscle
The Brutale 990 R is MV Agusta taking the attitude of its F4 superbike and pointing it at the street. The 998 cc liquid-cooled inline-four makes 139 hp at 10,600 rpm and 78 lb-ft at 8,000 rpm, and it pairs a strong mid-range punch with smooth, usable delivery. Wrapped around it is a steel trellis frame with a long swingarm. That layout buys real stability without dulling the agility that defines the Brutale line. Traction control and ride modes come standard, fully adjustable suspension sits at both ends, and the styling is still some of the most striking in the hyper-naked class.
On the road it feels planted and precise, a naked bike with a genuine sport chassis underneath and generous lean clearance. It suits the experienced rider who buys with the heart and wants a four-cylinder Italian that looks like nothing else in the garage. Now the honest caveat. There's no ABS, and ownership asks for patience. A small batch of early bikes suffered gearbox return spring failures and ECU-related stalling during downshifts and hard braking, which was sorted after the initial production run. Warm starts can also be stubborn, possibly down to the battery or electrical system. Check the service history before you hand over the cash.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 139 hp (102 kW) @ 10,600 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 78 lb-ft (106 Nm) @ 8,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 998 cc |
| Engine | Inline-four |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 190/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 56.6 in (1438 mm) |
| Seat height | 32.7 in (830 mm) |
| Wet weight | 461 lb (209 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 6.1 gal (23 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Safety
Return spring and ECU failure on early production batches
A small batch of early 990R models suffered from return spring failure in the gearbox and ECU-related stalling during downshifts and hard braking. The issue was resolved after the initial production run.
Warm starting difficulty
Some owners report difficulty starting the engine when warm, possibly due to battery or electrical system weaknesses.
Where this MV Agusta Brutale 990 R pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Brutale 990 R is actually built for.
This is your kind of bike: a stable, communicative chassis, room to lean, and a four-cylinder howl that bounces off canyon walls. Buy one with the early gearbox and ECU fix confirmed.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
You chase lean angle and exact braking markers, and this chassis talks to you clearly with clearance to spare. Just know it's a road-first naked with no ABS, no slipper clutch and no quickshifter.
Made for Barber Motorsports Park · WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca · Circuit of the Americas
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2008–2009
Italian Fury, Inline-Four Soul
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this MV Agusta Brutale 990 R. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
