2020–2024 · Naked Bike · Buyer's Guide
Italian Triple With A Soul
MV built this Brutale around a compact 798 cc inline-three that pulls to 140 hp at 12,300 rpm, and around a clutch that takes itself out of the equation. The Smart Clutch System lets the bike creep, stop and pull away without your left hand, while the up-and-down quickshifter handles the rest of the gear changes. That combination sits on a sporty chassis with a fully adjustable fork and shock, ABS, traction control, ride modes and launch control. The result is a naked bike with genuine exotica in the metal: sculpted bodywork, real build quality, and a shape nobody mistakes for anything else.
Ridden hard, the 800 RR SCS behaves like a sportbike that lost its fairing. Lean clearance is deep, the front end talks to you constantly, and the short 55.1 in (1,400 mm) wheelbase turns quickly for a 454 lb (206 kg) machine. It rewards a rider with skill and punishes laziness in traffic. The honest caveats: at 32.7 in (830 mm), the seat is tall enough to matter at a stoplight, and the peak torque of 64 lb-ft arrives at 10,100 rpm, so this engine wants revs. Some bikes buzz and clatter below 6,500 rpm, and scattered reports of dash and sensor faults exist.
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 | 180/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 55.1 in (1400 mm) |
| Seat height | 32.7 in (830 mm) |
| Wet weight | 454 lb (206 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.4 gal (16.5 L) |
| Top speed | 152 mph (244 km/h) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Lighting
Safety
The noise is the first thing that lands. Three cylinders at full stretch produce a hard, metallic wail that pushes you toward the redline for reasons that have nothing to do with lap speed. Below about 6,500 rpm the bike can feel busy through the pegs and bars, with a mechanical edge to the sound that some riders read as character and others read as roughness. Above that, the vibration cleans up and the chassis settles.
The riding position is compact and forward-biased, wrists loaded, knees folded tight against a narrow tank. At 32.7 in (830 mm) you sit high, and with 454 lb (206 kg) underneath, low-speed maneuvers ask for commitment. Not having to work a clutch lever in stop-and-go traffic is a bigger relief than it sounds on paper. Wind pressure builds fast and does its usual honest job of making 70 mph feel like plenty.
Occasional low‑speed vibration & noise
Some owners report excessive vibration and mechanical noise below 6,500 rpm, though this is more pronounced in the related F3 800 and may be a characteristic of the counter‑rotating crank.
Electrical gremlins (dash, sensors)
Intermittent electrical faults such as random warning lights or sensor failures have been noted, though reports are sparse for this generation.
Where this MV Agusta Brutale 800 RR SCS 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 RR SCS is actually built for.
This is the bike's home ground. The lean clearance, the front-end feedback and the top-end pull all pay off on Angeles Crest, and the automated clutch makes the LA traffic on the way out far less tiring.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
Perfect for a hard Saturday on the Twisted Sisters, less so for the long straight miles getting there. The seat and riding position are sporty, not touring-friendly, and there is no luggage.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
Few bikes draw a crowd at Alice's like this one, and the ridge roads suit its quick steering. Just know the tall seat and weight make city commuting more work than most alternatives.
Made for Bay Area Ridge Roads · San Francisco / Bay Area · Skyline Boulevard / Alice's Restaurant
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2015–2025
140 Horses, Italian Triple 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 800 RR SCS. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Competitor · 2014–2020
Italian Twin With Real Bark
Roughly $5,500 cheaper used than this bike at 6 yr
Same Platform · 2020–2025
Italian Fire, Italian Soul
Similar Character · 2020
Sound, Fury, Italian Steel
Roughly $8,400 pricier used than this bike at 5 yr