MV Agusta 1000 Brutale RR Ottantesimo 2025 — Specifications

Four numbers suffice to set the scene: 201 horsepower, 203 kilograms, 300 km/h announced, 36,500 euros. The MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR Ottantesimo is not a motorcycle you buy because you need to get to work. It's a statement of intent, a radical stance in a market where BMW and Ducati also vie for the heights of excess with their M 1000 R and Streetfighter V4. Varese responds with something even rarer: a limited series of 500 numbered units, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, and engraved on the metal of a plate affixed to the tank where the phonetic pronunciation "Emmevi" is displayed. Eighty years of the brand, celebrated without false modesty.

The commemorative aspect is not limited to a reworked livery, even though the deeper red, highlighted with gray, and the vintage-style logo are striking. Engineering also had its share of the pie. The 998 cc inline four-cylinder engine has been thoroughly reworked to meet new emissions standards, with new camshafts, an exhaust system developed in partnership with Arrow, a unique ECU, and completely revised maps. The result is counterintuitive: seven horsepower are lost at the top of the rev range, at 13,500 rpm, but substantial gains are made elsewhere. Plus 15 horsepower and 20 Nm at 5,500 rpm, plus 12 horsepower and 11 Nm at 8,000 rpm. The engine breathes better in the low and mid range, precisely where a roadster is driven daily. Losing a few tenths on the specification sheet to gain in reality dynamic performance is an honest choice. The clutch has also been revised, with a 50% reduction in lever effort, which is not a luxury when managing 115.7 Nm of torque at 11,000 rpm.

The chassis retains the recipe that has made the brand’s reputation: steel chrome molybdenum trellis frame, monobrach swingarm, all suspended by Öhlins front and rear. But this Ottantesimo ups the ante with the third generation of the Smart EC 3.0 system, a semi-active electronic system that continuously analyzes the forces exerted on the motorcycle and adjusts the dampers accordingly, during acceleration, braking, and cornering. This level of sophistication was recently the preserve of competition-derived superbikes. The Öhlins TTX 43 mm front and the TTX mono-shock rear offer 130 and 120 mm of travel, respectively, values consistent with sporty road use rather than pure track.

Brembo brakes complete the picture with two 320 mm front discs, gripped by four-piston Stylema monoblock calipers, and a 220 mm rear disc. Cornering ABS, traction control, anti-wheeling and anti-stoppie systems, launch control, bidirectional quickshifter, integrated GPS, cruise control, and the 5.5-inch TFT screen form a list of equipment that would have seemed like science fiction ten years ago. With a seat height of 845 mm and a clearly engagement-oriented temperament, this Brutale is aimed at an experienced rider, comfortable with powerful machines and attentive to what they do with their power at the handlebars.

At 36,500 euros, you are also buying an object. The attention to detail, the sculpted monobrach, the carbon fiber parts, the forged aluminum rims: all contribute to making this Brutale a motorcycle that you look at as much as you ride. Perhaps this is the real selling point compared to the German or Italian competition, more powerful on paper but less steeped in history. Meccanica Verghera did not invent the supersport roadster, but it continues to give it a shape that few others know how to approach.