I’ve always loved sportbikes. The sound, the precision, the sheer focus of machines built to attack corners and chase lap times. But out on real roads, where potholes and traffic lights are part of the game, it’s hard to justify one as a daily ride. That’s where naked bikes come in. They deliver that same raw, high-performance thrill but in a package that makes sense in the city. And few names define the category quite like the MV Agusta Brutale.
When the Brutale first debuted at EICMA back in 2002, it was more than just another naked bike. It was a statement. MV Agusta, based in Schiranna on the shores of Lake Varese, built something that looked and felt like rolling art, but with enough fury to back it up. The teardrop headlight, the sculpted tank, the exposed frame. All of it screamed Italian craftsmanship and attitude. Over the years, the Brutale became a symbol of beautiful chaos: refined yet violent, delicate yet dangerously quick.
Now, almost twenty-five years later, the name returns to EICMA once again. The new Brutale Serie Oro drops all the numbers and suffixes, standing simply on its name. And fittingly, it’s all about balance. One between performance and usability, style and substance, sophistication and soul.
Underneath the aggressive lines resides a 931cc three-cylinder engine. It’s derived from the Enduro Veloce adventure bike but reworked extensively for naked bike duty. The counter-rotating crankshaft remains, a racing-inspired feature that reduces inertia and makes the bike feel livelier during quick direction changes. Almost every major internal component has been touched: new cylinder head, redesigned ducts, and a fresh Termignoni exhaust system. The result is 148 horsepower at 11,200 rpm and 79 pound-feet of torque at 8,400 rpm. Impressively, 85 percent of that torque is already available as early as 3,500 rpm, so the bike promises strong, effortless drive no matter the gear or road.
The chassis follows MV tradition with a mix of artistry and engineering. The steel trellis and aluminum plate frame returns, but this time with one degree more rake and slightly softer flex to improve handling on real-world roads. The single-sided swingarm is stretched by 30 millimeters for added stability, complementing the sharper geometry.
Suspension and brakes are as premium as you’d expect. The Serie Oro model, limited to just 300 units, gets Öhlins hardware on both ends consisting of a NIX 30 fork up front and a TTX 36 shock at the rear. Brembo supplies the braking system, using top-tier Stylema calipers biting into twin discs up front. Forged aluminum wheels reduce unsprung weight, while Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa IV tires keep everything glued to the tarmac.
Tech has caught up with the Brutale, too. A new 5-inch TFT display with full smartphone connectivity offers turn-by-turn navigation, riding modes, and traction control adjustments. MV’s electronics package, once a weak point, now feels properly up to date. Every system comes standard, and even the base version of the bike is far from stripped down.
Ultimately, what stands out about this new Brutale isn’t just the numbers or the limited-edition exclusivity. It’s the maturity. MV Agusta seems to have found a way to keep the Brutale’s wild character intact while taming it just enough for the everyday ride. It’s still art you can ride. But now it feels like a bike you can actually live with, not just stare at in your garage.
Source: MV Agusta
