MV Agusta Dragster 800 Rosso 2022 — Specifications

The MV-Agusta 800 Dragster is now available in Rosso trim. This isn't a special series or variant, but the designation for the base model. Not everyone wants the RR, with its high-revving engine and the associated price tag.

The factory has implemented a general platform update for the 800. As a result, the Dragster benefits from updated electronics. The most visible change is the 5.5-inch color TFT screen, featuring GPS, Bluetooth, an integrated navigator, and the MV Ride app. Engine management has been refined while rider aids gain an inertial platform, lean-sensitive Continental MK100 ABS, a 3rd generation up & down quickshifter, and cruise control.

Its crankshaft-counter-rotating engine receives new internal components, an improved clutch, and a revised exhaust system. The three final baffles now feature a much more prominent design. The chassis has also undergone a few adjustments, including new suspension settings, a more progressive rear shock linkage, and redesigned frame plates to improve torsion and longitudinal rigidity.

This is where the Dragster begins, with the Rosso range. This represents the entry-level offering from MV-Agusta. What changes compared to the RR? Reduced horsepower, no-spoke wheels, and fewer refined details. But... what modifications compared to the previous Dragster (non-RR)? The appearance! The shoulders, the hips, the silhouette. Finally! One could say. The RR had received a new look some time ago. Heavily inspired by the 800 Brutale’s redesign, to be precise. This upgrade is complemented by a revised price point. This Dragster wants to be alluring.

With this Rosso color scheme, the Dragster is finished in red with black accents. This is the only color available. This unique choice, linked to the removal of the lower fairing and optimization of part manufacturing, allows this model to be offered at a more accommodating price. The reduction is truly noticeable compared to the previous generation Dragster; the difference is frankly marked compared to the RR.

The three-cylinder engine installed here is common to all Rosso models, namely the 798 cm3 crankshaft-counter-rotating engine – delivering 112 horsepower at 11,500 rpm and producing a peak torque of 8.67 mkg at 8,500 rpm. These figures have been slightly improved since the transition to Euro5. The Dragster has never sought to differentiate itself from its Brutale sister model through the engine, but through design, its chopped rear end reminiscent of a Walking Dead character, and its aggressive riding position. The cockpit 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 2.1 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 chassis is almost identical to that of the Brutale, distinguished by a large 200 mm rear tire. Otherwise, we find the aluminum plates / steel tubular trellis frame with a 43 mm Marzocchi inverted fork, a Sachs shock absorber, the monobras, Brembo 320 mm brakes with 4-piston radial calipers. We never tire of the lightness figures advanced by the Varese productions. The engine block weighs only 52 kilos, and the 800 Dragster has placed its weight at 175 kilos.

The MV-Agusta 800 Dragster remains a beautiful machine, singularly aggressive. Its rear end remains a sight to behold. But today as yesterday, it's nothing like a new motorcycle; it's a Brutale with (a superb) angle grinder applied to 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."

M.B - Photos constructeur