MV Agusta 800 Dragster RR Ottantesimo 2025 — Specifications

Eighty years. That figure alone is enough for MV Agusta to justify yet another limited series — the fiftieth or thereabouts since Claudio Castiglioni resurrected the Schiranna marque in 1999 with the F4. The Dragster 800 RR Ottantesimo fits into this tradition with unexpected restraint: a black and silver livery, the MV logo struck in gold as the sole indulgence. No bloodred, no garish gold. A tuxedo, not a stage costume. The design department deliberately aged the graphics to match the commemorative spirit, and the result stands apart from the range's usual flashy habits. Of the 500 units produced, each carries its own engraved tank plaque bearing the serial number, total production run, and even the correct phonetic spelling of the MV name. A certificate of authenticity follows. Collectors will appreciate it; riders too, provided they have €19,700 to invest.

Beneath the bodywork, the 801 cc counter-rotating crankshaft triple continues to spin at its familiar cruising rhythm. One hundred and forty horsepower at 12,300 rpm, 87 Nm at 10,250 rpm, all housed in 175 kg dry. The Euro5+ compliance update cost nothing in performance terms, which was by no means guaranteed on an engine this finely tuned. The real transmission news is the Rekluse clutch fitted as standard: the system automates engagement and disengagement, the lever remains but becomes almost decorative. Paired with the bidirectional quickshifter, the combination behaves like a semi-automatic gearbox. For some riders this will be a revelation, for others a heresy. That debate has no right answer — it simply tells you who this motorcycle is aimed at: someone who wants all the intensity of the three-cylinder without managing clutch mechanics in critical moments.

The electronics platform, on the other hand, is beyond dispute. Six inertial axes, four riding modes including a fully customisable Custom mode accessible via the 5.5-inch TFT or through the MV Ride app. Traction control spans eight levels spread across three usage families, from rain to track. ABS offers two distinct maps: Sport with full assistance and rear-lift compensation, and Race with limited front-only intervention and a less intrusive logic. Launch control and Front Lift Control complete the arsenal, the latter regulating front wheel height on corner exits to keep the wheel right at the limit without cutting power. Even cruise control is included, which feels almost incongruous on a naked this radical, yet reveals the machine's ambition for versatility.

Against a Ducati Streetfighter V2 or a Yamaha MT-09 SP, the Dragster occupies different territory. It does not seek the everyday roadster compromise; it imposes its angular silhouette and circuit-bred character as its primary argument. The 845 mm seat height and compact proportions reserve it for medium-to-tall riders comfortable with an committed riding position. This is not a tool for beginners, nor for the rider who wants to forget they are riding. It is precisely the opposite: a machine that reminds you at every throttle opening that it harbours a counter-rotating crankshaft engine, with everything that implies in terms of lightness and agility through direction changes.

The Ottantesimo is therefore a Dragster true to itself, dressed for the occasion without betraying its DNA. MV could have indulged in commemorative excess; the brand chose restraint — which, at this price and with this level of finish, is the most difficult decision, and perhaps the most fitting one.