By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Naked Bike vs Hyper Naked
Triumph Speed Triple 1050 (515NJ) vs MV Agusta Brutale 1078 RR (MY2008)
You'll open the Triumph Speed Triple 1050's throttle at the apex, and the chassis doesn't drift off your line. The MV Agusta Brutale 1078 RR's inline-four rips you forward from low revs the instant you crack it open. Yet the surge follows your wrist inch for inch.
So which one do you buy?
The Speed Triple 1050 has the edge if…
Riding two-up with a passenger
Slight edge: Speed Triple 1050
Two-up riding leans slightly toward the Speed Triple 1050. That comes from a better reliability record. Let your passenger have the final word on a gap this small.
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Edges it: Speed Triple 1050
On a twisty road, the Speed Triple 1050 edges ahead. Not by enough to settle it alone.
Daily commuting & city riding
Inches ahead: Speed Triple 1050
Day in, day out, the Speed Triple 1050 nudges ahead in traffic. What tips it: friendlier manners and simpler maintenance. It isn't a big enough gap to plan around.
What makes each one tick
Speed Triple 1050
A short reach from saddle to bar tucks you over the front of the Speed Triple 1050, while the pegs keep that crouch from turning punishing. Corner entry takes one press on the bar, and there's no second correction as the front tips in. Tight hairpins want smooth bar work, since it won't pivot on a sharp jab. Hard braking leaves the fork planted.
Brutale 1078 RR
Steep rake and a short wheelbase snap the Brutale 1078 RR from one lean to the next, and its front end doesn't hide a thing from the bar. A bump doesn't upset it. At high rpm, the exhaust's howl hardens into a scream.
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The Brutale 1078 RR makes more peak power: 154 hp (113 kW) vs 128 hp (96 kW).
- The Brutale 1078 RR makes more peak torque: 86 lb-ft (117 Nm) vs 77 lb-ft (105 Nm).
- The Brutale 1078 RR has the larger fuel tank: 5.0 US gal (19 L) vs 4.8 US gal (18 L).
Which one for the way you ride
Comfortable long-distance riding
Not their thing
For all-day comfort, both fall short. Keep the rides short and you'll get on fine with either.
Traveling with luggage
Not built for this
Loading up for a long trip isn't a strength of either bike. Expect to compromise on what you bring.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
Speed Triple 1050
From Nils' own saddle time
Strengths
- Tips In With One Input
- Brakes You Can Trust
- Planted When You're On The Gas
- Clean, Honest Fueling
- A Big Naked Anyone Can Ride
Trade-offs
- No Savage Top-End Hit
- Rewards Smooth, Not Sharp
- Tight For Bigger Riders
- Gearbox Still Feels Vague
Brutale 1078 RR
What owners say
Strengths
- Exotic Italian design and high-quality components
- Explosive power delivery
- Intoxicating exhaust soundtrack
- Supple suspension for real-world comfort
Known problems to check before you buy
Speed Triple 1050
- Sprag clutch/starter gear failure The starter sprag clutch and starter idler gear can fail, producing a loud grinding noise during engine startup and leading to starter slipping or failure to crank.
Brutale 1078 RR
No confirmed faults on file yet. That's not the same as fault-free.
What they share
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Fork
- Upside-down (USD)
- Front brake
- 320 mm
- Front tire
- 120/70-17
Where the spec sheets split
| Speed Triple 1050 | Brutale 1078 RR | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 32.1 in (815 mm) | 31.7 in (805 mm) |
| Speed Triple 1050 | Brutale 1078 RR | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 1050 cc | 1078 cc |
| Engine | Inline-three | Inline-four |
| Power | 128 hp (96 kW) | 154 hp (113 kW) |
| Torque | 77 lb-ft (105 Nm) | 86 lb-ft (117 Nm) |
| Top speed | 150 mph (241 km/h) | 166 mph (267 km/h) |
| Speed Triple 1050 | Brutale 1078 RR | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy | 33 mpg (US) / 7.06 L/100 km | 22 mpg (US) / 10.86 L/100 km |
| Fuel capacity | 4.8 US gal (18 L) | 5.0 US gal (19 L) |
| Speed Triple 1050 | Brutale 1078 RR | |
|---|---|---|
| Rear tire | 180/55-17 | 190/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 56.1 in (1425 mm) | 55.6 in (1411 mm) |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| Speed Triple 1050 | Brutale 1078 RR | |
|---|---|---|
| Slipper Clutch | Not offered | Standard |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPMS) | Option | Not offered |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
