MV Agusta Superveloce 800 2020 — Specifications

Who would have bet that MV Agusta, this manufacturer of mechanical objects of desire, could transform a retro-futuristic concept into a production machine without sacrificing its essence? The Superveloce 800 project, presented in 2018, was a bold promise. And against all odds, it was kept. The standard version, the one you can actually buy without being a collector, retains almost intact this futuristic café racer silhouette, this visor integrated into the windscreen that turns heads. Only the vintage yellow headlight of the concept was sacrificed, a minor concession to enter the real world.

Underneath this sculpted bodywork, the soul is pure F3 800. The famous inline three-cylinder engine of 798 cc, faithful to its 148 horsepower at 13,000 rpm and its torque of 88 Nm, offers the same mechanical symphony. But MV Agusta has subtly recalibrated the experience. The electronics maps, with its four riding modes and eight-level traction control, are oriented towards a more supple, more accessible use. The ergonomics are slightly less aggressive than on the F3, the specific trellis frame and dedicated subframes modify the geometry. It is a neo-retro sportbike that wants to seduce you on the road, not just knock you down on the track.

The comparison with the Oro series, the limited version, is instructive. The Oro keeps for itself the spoked wheels, the tank strap in leather, and the SC Project exhausts. The standard Superveloce 800, with its cast wheels and standard silencers, remains nevertheless an exceptional object. Its 5-inch color TFT screen, connected and capable of serving as a GPS interface, places the machine in the present. The Marzocchi and Sachs suspensions, fully adjustable, and the Brembo radial brakes are of the same level as the F3. We are talking about a motorcycle of 173 kg dry weight, agile and precise, whose announced consumption of 6.4 l/100km is almost anecdotal compared to its character.

But here is where the shoe pinches: the price. 19,900 euros. It is a financial territory where one encounters Ducati Panigale V2, Yamaha YZF-R1, or even the sister F3 800 which is less expensive. MV Agusta is selling a dream here, design, exclusivity. For this price, you buy a mechanical animated sculpture, a motorcycle that is not only performant but must be admired. The color versions, such as the all-black or the traditional red and silver, with their gold frames, accentuate this dimension of an object.

So, what is the public of this MV Agusta Superveloce 800? It is not the pure and hard track rider, who will find the F3 more suitable. It is not the beginner, obviously. It is the aesthetic globetrotter, the lover of unique machines, the one who wants a sportbike capable of serious performances – 240 km/h in maximum speed – but whose first quality is to provoke a feeling each time you look at it. Its reliability? It remains that of MV Agusta, demanding in maintenance but rewarding in sensations.

The sound of the three-cylinder engine, unique and strident, is one of the major arguments. The test of the Superveloce 800 reveals a motorcycle more versatile than we imagined, a compromise between the aggressiveness of a modern sportbike and the elegance of a café racer. For 19,900 euros, it will not convince those who are looking for brute performance at the best price. But for those who consider a motorcycle as a work of art, like this MV Agusta Superveloce 800 alpine or this black version, it is an almost irresistible proposition. An opportunity to own a fragment of motorcycle design history, animated by an engine that has nothing historical but everything intoxicating.