2015–2025 · Naked Bike · A variant of the Brutale 800
Differences between the standard Brutale 800 and the RR
140 Horses, Italian Triple Soul
The Brutale 800 RR builds its case around a 798 cc inline-three that runs to 140 hp at 13,100 rpm, with 64 lb-ft landing at 10,100 rpm. That is a high-revving middleweight in a class that usually plays safer. Wet weight is 417 lb, the suspension is fully adjustable front and rear, and the standard kit covers ABS, traction control, ride modes, a quickshifter that works both directions and a slipper clutch. What actually separates it from the field, though, is the shape and the noise. Very few nakeds have this much presence standing still.
This is a bike for a rider who wants the occasion, not the sensible answer. It asks for revs, it gives back sound and speed, and it flatters a good road more than a commute. Ownership is where the honesty is needed. The starter sprag clutch is a known weak point, the electrics have moods, and parts can sit on order for weeks if your dealer network is thin. Buy it for the drama and the design, keep a service budget alongside the purchase price, and it makes sense. Buy it as pure transport and it will wear you down.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 140 hp (103 kW) @ 13,100 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 64 lb-ft (87 Nm) @ 10,100 rpm |
| Displacement | 798 cc |
| Engine | Inline-three |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 |
| Seat height | 31.9 in (810 mm) |
| Wet weight | 417 lb (189 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.4 gal (16.6 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Drivetrain
Lighting
Safety
Swing a leg over and the 31.9 in seat feels taller than the number suggests, mostly because the bike is narrow where your thighs land. The bars sit wide and fairly low, so your weight goes forward onto your wrists, and at town speed you notice it. Get moving and the wind pressure sorts that out. There is no screen, nothing between you and the air, and 60 mph on a back road already feels like an event. The triple buzzes through the pegs at small throttle openings and then smooths as the revs climb, and the intake noise arrives right about where your ears start enjoying themselves. Everything you touch feels expensive: the switch housings, the levers, the finish on the tank. It is a loud, physical, involving place to sit.
The Brutale 800 RR (MY2016-RR) builds on the standard Brutale 800: the upgraded hardware, the key spec changes and where its character shifts. The full ride, specs, scoring and verdict are all right here on this page.
| Spec | Standard Brutale 800 | RR | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 118 hp | 140 hp | +22 hp |
| Torque | 61 lb-ft | 64 lb-ft | +3 lb-ft |
| Wet weight | 454 lb | 417 lb | -37 lb |
| Seat height | 32.7 in | 31.9 in | -0.8 in |
Over the years I've built up a lot of owner opinion on this bike. It comes from paddock conversations, chats with owners at club nights and fuel stops, and the steady run of emails and messages riders send me once they've lived with one for a while. Put together, the picture of the Brutale 800 is consistent. Owners love how it goes, stops and looks. The complaints gather around comfort, low-speed throttle manners and what it costs to keep running.
The triple gets more praise than anything else on the bike, and nobody I hear from calls it merely fast. Owners describe a broad spread of torque that keeps ordinary riding engaging, then a hard surge from around 8,000 rpm that many of them call the point where the bike comes alive. The exhaust note comes up almost as often as the power. The look comes right behind the engine. Riders single out the sculpted tank, the bronze trellis frame, the single-sided swingarm and the three exhaust outlets, and many say the paint and detailing feel handcrafted in a way mass-market nakeds don't match.
The chassis gets steady praise. Owners describe steering that is sharp and quick, and a bike that stays settled and composed once the road starts to bend. They credit the short wheelbase, the low weight and the quality suspension. The fully adjustable Marzocchi fork and Sachs shock come up again and again, both for how much control they give and for the sense that the money went into the right places. The twin Brembo radial setup gets the same response: strong stopping power and a lever feel that riders say suits a premium naked. Several owners point to the hardware as a whole (fork, shock and brakes) as the clearest sign of where the purchase price went.
The recurring gripes are just as consistent. Comfort tops the list. Owners call the damping firm to the point of harsh on broken pavement, with bumps passed straight through to the rider. Add a thinly padded seat, a compact riding position and no wind protection, and most of them don't do long days on it. Back roads are where they say it belongs. Throttle manners come next. Riders report a sharp on/off transition and snatchy fueling at small openings. In Sport mode the ride-by-wire throttle is described as touchy enough that smooth low-speed riding takes deliberate care. Cost is the third theme. Owners mention a premium purchase price and maintenance bills above what the Japanese rivals ask. Some add that electrical faults and slow parts supply have made them wary of relying on the bike every day.
Premature sprag clutch failure
The starter sprag clutch can fail, especially on earlier models, causing a rattling noise during startup and potential starting issues. Replacement often requires parts with long wait times.
Electronic gremlins and sensor faults
Owners report intermittent warning lights, sensor failures, and electrical quirks that can be difficult to diagnose.
Difficult access to spare parts and dealership support
Long lead times for spare parts and limited dealer network can frustrate owners, especially outside Europe.
Potential cylinder head valve dropout
Isolated reports of valves dropping into the cylinder, leading to catastrophic engine damage. Typically occurs at higher mileages.
Electrical gremlins (switches and sensors)
Intermittent electrical issues include failing sensors, warning lights, and occasional starting problems. Often linked to poor connections or sensor failure.
Where this MV Agusta Brutale 800 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 800 is actually built for.
Angeles Crest is exactly where this bike earns its money. Light steering, real top-end, and lean angle you will not use up. Budget for the service side and it fits your weekends.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
Perfect for a Saturday loop through the Twisted Sisters. The 4.4 gal tank and forward riding position mean you plan your stops, so treat it as a ride bike, not a road-trip bike.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
It will hold the parking lot's attention at Alice's and it is genuinely good on Skyline. Commuting works, but there is no cruise control and no USB port, so keep expectations honest.
Made for Bay Area Ridge Roads · San Francisco / Bay Area · Skyline Boulevard / Alice's Restaurant
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 800. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Successor · 2016–2018
Italian Fire, Street Ready
About the same used price as this bike at 8 yr
Successor · 2020–2024
Italian Triple With A Soul
Roughly $2,000 pricier used than this bike at 5 yr
Competitor · 2018
The Scalpel Hits Its Mark
Roughly $5,800 cheaper used than this bike at 7 yr
Competitor · 2017–2019
Triple Soul, Corner Ready
Roughly $6,200 cheaper used than this bike at 7 yr
Competitor · 2014–2020
Italian Twin With Real Bark
Roughly $3,600 cheaper used than this bike at 6 yr
Same Platform · 2020–2024
Italian Soul, Adjustable Everything
About the same used price as this bike at 5 yr
