MV Agusta Brutale 1090: First Ride Review

If I were to run a poll about the most desirable motorcycle brand ever, I’m pretty certain MV Agusta would feature at the top. There’s few brands with a charm as timeless as the Italian bike maker who finally made inroads to our country through Motoroyale, its Indian partner. MV Agusta needs no introduction, as it is known to produce some of the most exotic, lustworthy motorcycles on the planet, be it in terms of simply ogling at one or going ahead and straddling it to have a big O with the rush it offers. 

Riding one is always special they say, since MV Agusta’s bikes aren’t just some of the most beautiful ones, they are also engineered beautifully. No wonder Arun came back raving about the Brutale 800 after riding it. I for one was waiting for MV Agusta to offer us the Brutale 1090, which is also their first product to be sold in India officially. And when they finally did, I knew I was looking at a really special motorcycle. 

At first glance, the Brutale 1090 makes you take a deep look at it before you swing a leg over. It looks a bit similar to the 800, especially with its headlamp design and fat forks, but there’s enough visual distinction to identify this one as the larger motorcycle. I would have expected the 1090 to be hued in the brand’s traditional colours like red and white but our test bike wore a matte black finish, which was slightly underwhelming. It’ll be really hard to find someone who doesn’t not like the Brutale’s design though. 

Visually, everything feels snug and very tightly packaged. The tiny flyscreen atop the elliptical headlight and fat, 50mm Marzocchi upside down forks give the front end a distinctive feel. The clocks are typically Italian and look slightly confusing till you get used to the layout, with a blue backlight which looks nice but isn’t the easiest to read. The curvy tank, exposed trellis frame and bulged rear panels all display a harmony in terms of the design which looks pleasing aesthetically. The highlight, in typical Italian fashion is the single sided swingarm with exposed rear alloy that takes the bike’s appeal a couple of notches higher, with the twin, slashed exhaust pipes. That said, the 1090’s design is over two years old now, which means while it looks stunningly beautiful, it is beginning to look slightly dated. 

The litre-class naked motorcycle or super naked segment as it is known has evolved quickly in the recent past to become the most important segment globally. Credit that to the fact that these motorcycles are practical and comfortable enough to be ridden everyday while having the heart and handling prowess of a litre-class superbike. Almost every manufacturer has entered the space today and with newer, more cutting edge designs on offer the Brutale 1090’s curves need a refresh. And certainly a brighter hue with a glossy finish, since the matter black here barely does justice to the design.

Going by the reviews of the Brutale 800 I was expecting the 1090 to be even more explosive to ride. And it is, yet it isn’t. Ironical, eh? Well, the segment it belongs to necessitates a motorcycle to be friendly enough for inexperienced riders to be able to handle it with ease with all the electronics and rider aids, and yet be mental enough for them to soil their pants with its aggressive power delivery. Powered by a 1078cc, inline four motor that produces a 146PS of power at a lofty 10,300rpm and 112Nm of torque at 8100rpm, the MV Agusta indeed has the requisite credentials to be a super naked. And unless you bring in the scarier 160-170PS super nakeds into the picture you know the Brutale 1090 commands a lot of respect with its performance. 

Crack the throttle open and the bike strains at its electronic leash, waiting to lay down all its power. Switch modes to sport and it’s easy to have the front wheel pawing high up in the air as you take off from standstill. Being an inline four power doesn’t kick in as early as say a V-twin or a V4 but when it does, you had better be prepared for the rush. Cross 6-7000rpm and your helmet gets pushed backwards unless you lean forward onto the rather tall handlebar. The Brutale 1090 will accelerate to 100kmph in about three and half seconds which is bloody quick for a motorcycle by any standards. 

Keep the throttle pinned in the first three gears and in no time you will have crossed the 160kmph mark. All the while, the twin exhausts play a sonorous note unlike few other motorcycles. The sound is pure music, and had me wonder how much sweeter a free-flow end can would sound if the stock exhausts are so good. It is no secret that Indians love inline fours specifically for the sound, and the Brutale 1090 is sure to please. Claimed top speed is 265kmph, which given the windblast after 140kmph is something I wouldn’t recommend, unless keen on giving your neck muscles and forearms a workout. The engine feels refined, though a bit of vibration could be felt from the footpegs. Also, fuelling felt snatchy while taking off from standstill, but there after it was smooth all the way. 

In terms of handling the 1090 is what you would expect of an MV – sporty and super confident. There’s a light, agile feel as soon as you start riding, since the bike gives you the illusion of being much smaller than it actually is and much lighter than the 183kg it weighs. I didn’t exactly like the riding position as the handlebars are rather tall and the footpegs not as rear set as I would have liked. Also, the seat is slanting forward which had me slide further into it than I like on a lot of occasions. But that hardly deters the Brutale from enthralling you. Take the bike to the hills and you get a sense of its compactness and agility, letting you lean it in quickly or switch sides in a flash. 

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The confidence the chassis inspires is unlike few other motorcycles, and I loved the way the front end tried to come up as soon as the throttle was opened wide at corner exits. That, and the sense of the rear wheel spinning faster than the front is always a wonderful feeling, something the 1090 excels at. The hard work put in by the engineers at MV comes to the fore once you start pushing the bike around corners. The Brutale loves eggs you to go faster, also thanks to the brilliantly set up Marzocchi forks and adjustable Sachs monoshock, the well setup traction control and of course the super grippy Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tyres. The 190-section rear tyre makes aggressive cornering easy, and I can imagine having a blast at a racetrack with the Brutale 1090’s stock suspension and tyre setup itself. Also, the ride feels rather plush on our roads, without the stiffness of a superbike. It’s easy to go fast over undulations and bumps, though the larger ones tend to get filtered in. 

Braking duties are taken care of by twin radially mounted 310mm discs upfront with top spec Brembos in front, while a single 210mm disc with a Nissin caliper performs duty at the rear. The brakes work fantastically in conjunction with the Bosch ABS, which makes shedding speeds extremely easy, quick and confident. The brakes are sharp enough to stun newer riders but the experienced lot will certainly appreciate their bite and feel. 

To sum it up, the MV Agusta Brutale 1090 as expected, is a very special motorcycle to ride. It lived up to my expectations in terms of being razor-sharped and fun to ride. There’s an engaging feel that makes it immensely satisfying to ride, especially around corners. And with its nimbleness and easy going nature (unless the whip is cracked) it feels like a motorcycle that’s perfectly liveable with, and one with an air of exclusivity to it. It feels every bit an MV Agusta with its performance, handling, refinement and of course the top notch quality and fit-finish levels. The bike being slightly older than most of its competition though is something the brand needs to address quickly. Once that is taken care of, the Brutale 1090 will easily be among the most exotic super nakeds to own, money no bar. Good things of come at a price, and the Brutale 1090 commands a fat sum of money for its exoticness, Rs 19.30 lakh ex-showroom Pune to be precise. To add to it, the brand is yet to expand its dealer network. So if an uber-exotic, beautifully engineered motorcycle that looks lustworthy and offers great performance is what you want, look no further, the MV Agusta Brutale 1090 is here.