Brutale 1090: First Look Review
The Brutale 1090 might be one of the first MV Agusta motorcycles to be launched in the country, once the Italian manufacturer commences its operations in November, this year. The Brutale 1090 is based on the MV Agusta F4 superbike, though it does away with the fairing and a few other components to adopt the minimalistic look of a streetfighter.
Though the shape of the Brutale 1090 is more than six years old, it still is one of the most attractive streetfighters that money can buy. The sculpted fuel tank, single-sided swingarm and the exposed frame give it an imposing stance. Even the partially exposed four-cylinder engine and the twin exhaust pipes add to the bike’s raw character. The Brutale is built around a steel tubular trellis frame with a single-sided aluminium swingarm. It rides on lightweight 17-inch alloy wheels.
Powering the Brutale 1090 is a revised version of the MV Agusta F4’s inline four-cylinder engine with a longer stroke. The engine now displaces 1078cc, though the power output has been brought down to 142bhp to make it more suitable for street use. The engine is mated to a six-speed cassette style gearbox. MV Agusta claims a top speed of 265kmph for the Brutale 1090.
The electronics package isn’t as sophisticated as the F4, though it does get two riding modes, ride-by-wire throttle and an eight-level traction control system. Like the MV Agusta F4, the Brutale gets adjustable Marzocchi USD telescopic hydraulic front forks and a progressive Sachs monoshock in the rear. The brake setup consists of Brembo 320mm double discs at the front and a Nissin single disc in the rear. The Bosch ABS system comes with rear wheel lift-up mitigation system which as the name suggests, stops the rear tyre from lifting off under hard braking.
We can also expect MV Agusta to launch the Brutale 1090 RR in the Indian market. The Brutale 1090 RR gets a host of decals and mechanical upgrades, making it more performance-oriented than the standard bike. The frame of the Brutale 1090 RR gets a CrMo (Chromium Molybdenum) construction, while the overall output has been raised to 156bhp. However, this bump in power hasn’t affected the top speed of the motorcycle.
MV Agusta will initially bring in only a few models, in association with its partner, Kinetic. While some models would be locally assembled from semi-knocked-down kits imported from Italy, the Brutale 1090 might be imported to the country as a completely built unit (CBU). This means that the Brutale 1090 will attract the heavy taxes imposed by our government. Given that the Brutale 1090 costs EUR 14,600 in Italy, we can expect it to be priced around Rs 24 lakh in India. It will be available in two paint schemes – matt white and matt black. The Brutale 1090 will share the market space with other litre-class streetfighters like the Triumph Speed Triple, Aprilia Tuono V4, Moto Guzzi Sports 8V and the BMW S 1000 R.
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