Going Naked with MV Agusta

All three people who read this blog have probably figured out by now that I like MV Agusta's bikes.  They are fantastically beautiful Italian exotica and that really turns me on.  So I guess it was only a matter of time before a post about the 675 Brutale made it on here.

Well, the wait is over.

A few days ago, the 675 Brutale was introduced to the world and my body temperature has just now begun to cool down to normal levels.  The bike is just gorgeous.  It's stylish, modern, detailed, aggressive, restrained, classic, avant garde, unmistakable and provocative.  Above all, though, it's quintessentially Italian.

The bodywork and the frame come together in a seamless fashion.  On a lot of naked bikes, the body looks like a bit of plastic plopped on the frame.  It looks like an afterthought.  On the 675 Brutale, the bodywork and the frame are woven together, as they should be.

MV has also done some interesting things with the Brutale's colors.  The plastic side panels on the seat can be had in beige and silver and the seat can be had in brown or black.  The contrast in colors of the white bike with beige panels and a brown seat looks really good.  Far too many bikes today are covered with a boring coat of  black.  It's nice to see some different colors and some new options with contrasting colors.  The Brutale does have some black plastic around the radiator but that's inevitable.  At least the engine is silver.

What really tickles my fancy are the exhausts.  MV's F4 line, with its four pipes sticking out from under the seat, held the crown for best-looking exhaust.  The 675 line might challenge that, though.  The three short pipes poke out of the right side of the bike like guns on a WWII fighter.  They even come with bronze tips.  I can already hear the scorching wail of the three-cylinder engine just by glancing at the exhaust.

Yes, that's right; MV Agusta has a 675cc triple just like some other European motorcycle company.  Unlike that other company's triple, which makes 105 hp, the MV's triple makes 115 hp.  It also makes 52 lb/ft of torque, which is two more.  The MV, though, makes its power and torque higher in rev range.  The MV might be lighter or heavier and that could make a difference.  I don't know which bike is heavier because the other company publishes wet weight and MV publishes dry weight.  I'll just say the Brutale 675 weighs 358 lbs dry and move on.

Surrounding the engine is a frame made from steel tubing and aluminum.  Attached to the frame are 43mm upside-down forks at the front and a single-sided swingarm with a Sachs shock at the back.  Halting forward progress are big 320mm radial brakes from Brembo.  The front calipers have four pistons each, as if you couldn't guess.

The mechanical specs are all very nice but what gets me is the traction control.  It's called MVICS and it has eight settings.  How many settings do you need?  I wonder if I can think of eight settings.  Here goes: off, sport, race, tarmac, gravel, snow, power slide and donut.  Anyway, what's wrong with two settings: off and on?

And there a few other niggles to point out.  The rear fender looks like a crane hanging off the back.  It's like a big sign saying "this is here because the law says it has to be here."  I imagine most owners will chuck it in the trash immediately.

And not even MV's team of Michelangelos can make a catalytic converter look visually appealing.  It's like a blob of metal stuck on the bottom of the bike.  Also visually unappealing is the LCD dashboard.  The face looks like something you'd find on a treadmill and its placement above the headlamp is awkward.

None of these niggles, though, distract from the overall goodness of the Brutale 675.  MV continues to bring out gorgeous new pieces of art brimming with technology and speed.  Here's hoping that trend continues.

Is the 675 Brutale the best-looking naked?  It's hard to argue against it.  I like the white paint, brown seat and beige side panels.  The contrasting colors go together well and give the bike a touch of class missing in other sporty nakeds.

Of course the bike looks best from this angle.  Look at the exhausts.  They look like they're ready to unleash a burst of .50 cal on some unsuspecting ground targets.  I like the wheels, too.