MV Agusta launches the Brutale 800 in India

Iconic Italian bike maker MV Agusta has finally launched the Brutale 800 in India at Rs 15.59 lakh, ex-showroom. Although brought to the country at the same time as the larger Brutale 1090, the entry-level (relatively so) 800 has only been homologated this year. Motoroyale, MV Agusta’s Indian partner, says this was a deliberate move so that the company could focus on the halo products like the fully faired F4 and the larger Brutale 1090 first.

First showcased at the EICMA 2016, The new Brutale 800 looks aggressive and has sharp lines. It gets a redesigned aluminium sub-frame along with subtle changes to the headlamp, fuel tank, pillion seat, grab rails and the three-pipe exhaust that is a nod to the late great Massimo Tamburini. The instrument cluster is all new and so is the switch gear.

The 798cc, inline three-cylinder gets 12-valves with DOHC and a counter rotating crankshaft. The power is down by 13bhp at 108bhp, as compared to the 2016 model. However, the torque figure is a healthy 83Nm with the twist being available from lower revs (3800rpm).

The previous generation bike was known for its aggressive nature and always tried to wheelie in the first and second cog, even with just 50 per cent throttle input. To help it become more rider-friendly, MV Agusta has given it an upgraded IMU package. The Brutale 800 gets four riding modes – Rain, Normal, Sport and Custom. There are eight levels of traction control and switchable ABS as well.

The Brutale 800 will go up against the likes of Triumph’s new Street Triple 765 and Kawasaki Z900. While the exclusivity of the MV Agusta brand will certainly play in favour of Motoroyale, fact is the competition’s pricing is much more competitive. So the Brutale 800 will have its work cut out. Thankfully for MV Agusta, the Brutale 800 will not have to slug it out with the Ducati Monster 821 since the other Italian is cooling off in the background as it awaits BS IV updates.

For those of you who don’t mind the payoff, you can book your Brutale 800 by paying 20 per cent of the ex-showroom amount, starting from today.