2019 · Hyper Naked · Buyer's Guide
Two Hundred Made, One Soul
MV built 200 of these and gave the Dragster 800 RR a red, white and blue America livery, wire-spoked wheels and a numbered plaque. Underneath sits the same 798 cc inline-three making 140 hp and 64 lb-ft, hung in a steel trellis frame with a fat 200-section rear tire and a short 55.1 in wheelbase. It carries ABS, traction control and ride modes, adjustable suspension at both ends, a slipper clutch and an up-and-down quickshifter. In a class that usually shouts through sheer displacement, this one wins its argument with revs, noise and the way it looks parked outside a coffee shop.
At 434 lb wet with a 32.3 in seat, it feels compact and eager rather than heavy, and the lean clearance is deep enough that the road runs out before the bike does. Top speed is 152 mph, so nothing about the performance is decorative. This is a bike for a rider who wants exclusivity and drama and has somewhere twisty to use it. The honest caveat: MV's 800 triples are known for sprag clutch trouble in the starter, which shows up as a click and a dead motor, and the fix is labor-intensive. Budget for a specialist, not a corner shop.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 140 hp (103 kW) @ 12,300 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 64 lb-ft (87 Nm) @ 10,100 rpm |
| Displacement | 798 cc |
| Engine | Inline-three |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 200/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 55.1 in (1400 mm) |
| Seat height | 32.3 in (820 mm) |
| Wet weight | 434 lb (197 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.4 gal (16.6 L) |
| Top speed | 152 mph (244 km/h) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Drivetrain
Safety
Over the years I've collected what owners of this bike tell me: in the paddock, at club nights, and in the messages riders send me after a weekend on their own machines. For this Dragster the picture is consistent. Riders love how it goes, and their complaints are about living with it.
Owners keep coming back to the triple's appetite for revs. It pulls hard from the midrange and still tempts you toward the top of the tach. The up-and-down quickshifter gets steady praise too. Riders call it fast and precise, clean under full acceleration and just as good when they're hammering down through the gears. The steering earns the same kind of praise. Turn-in is sharp, the bike feels light and flickable, and on tight roads it rewards riders who keep working it.
Some owners report loose bolts, electrical gremlins and the occasional warning light. They're small things, but they sit awkwardly next to the price. Parts are described as expensive and slow to arrive. Authorized dealers are thin on the ground, so owners who live far from a big city say routine service and warranty work take real planning.
Sprag clutch (starter motor) failure
The sprag clutch that engages the starter motor can wear out or seize on MV Agusta 800 triples, resulting in a clicking sound and inability to start. The repair is labour‑intensive and has been reported by owners of multiple 800 models, though frequency varies.
Where this MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR America 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
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Dragster 800 RR America is actually built for.
Angeles Crest is exactly where this makes sense. It's light, steers fast and has lean angle to spare, and the triple rewards you for holding a gear and using the revs on the way out of a turn.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail Scenic Byway · Big Sur Coast Highway
Sharp chassis, real feedback and an up-and-down quickshifter make it capable on a track day, but a numbered limited edition with 200 built is an expensive thing to crash.
Made for WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca · Barber Motorsports Park · Circuit of The Americas
Perfect for a Saturday on the Twisted Sisters and worth every stop for the way it looks and sounds. Just don't ask it to cover long straight miles to get there in comfort.
Made for Texas Hill Country · Texas Hill Country BDR-X · Twisted Sisters
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Compare it with every bike that shares the same spec or equipment.
