MV Agusta Brutale 800 Dragster 2018 — Specifications

MV-Agusta 800 Dragster. A name synonymous with pure adrenaline, tortured rubber, diabolical acceleration, and demonic power. Its dimensions and design make it a muscular machine with a truncated rear, even more compact than the cousin Brutale. The finish is enhanced with an engine guard, top-stitched saddle, and Brutale 1090-style wheels.

With its name, we hoped for a truly insane machine, with horses pouring out from everywhere and a tire shredded in 3 traffic lights. In reality, the Varese factory has not created a lunatic machine like the Harley-Davidson V-Rod Destroyer; rather, a wilder version of the 800 Brutale. The Dragster is indeed equipped with the same 798 cm3 3-cylinder engine, still delivering 125 horsepower at 11,600 rpm and 8.3 mkg at 8,600 rpm. No Euro4 update is announced - but the entire 3-cylinder MV range is gradually adopting it. When will an Evo come to the Dragster?!?

It's not on the power figures that we're going to find a difference between the 800 Brutale and the 800 Dragster. MV has not modified the maximum power of the 3-cylinder but the way it is delivered, with a faster and more linear response. Enough watts anyway to grip the handlebars firmly. And that's where the riding position of the 800 Dragster makes the difference. The handlebar branches are mounted on axes that can be adjusted in 3 positions.

The onboard electronics are the MVICS 2.0 platform, which extends to the entire MV-Agusta range. It includes 4 riding modes working with engine management, traction control, ride-by-wire throttle sensitivity, engine braking, torque curve, etc... The EAS shifter and ABS Bosch 9MP are also installed. The chassis is almost identical to that of the Brutale, distinguished by a large 200 mm rear tire. Otherwise, we find the mixed aluminum plates / steel tubular trellis frame with a 43 mm Marzocchi inverted fork, a Sachs shock absorber, the monobras, 320 mm Brembo brakes with radial 4-piston calipers. We never tire of the lightness figures put forward by the Varese productions. The engine block weighs only 52 kilos, and the 800 Dragster has placed its weight at 167 kilos, exactly like the Brutale.

Let's take a step back. So yes, the MV-Agusta 800 Dragster is a beautiful aggressive machine. Its rear is beautifully drawn. Its front end gains presence with a dashboard cover, handlebars-end mirrors, and fender supports. The passenger will have more room on their footpegs than on their short saddle. But ultimately, it's not a new motorcycle; it's a Brutale with (a superb) angle grinder cut in the rear, a slightly more sporty temperament, and a few cosmetic specifics. Another version of the style that allows you to choose between the streetfighter and the "Mad-Max-roadster".

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