The 2013 MV Agusta Brutale 675 - Uncompromising Bike
The 2013 MV Agusta Brutale 675, the 675cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, inline 3-cylinder isn't Thailand's popular motorcycle. We guess most people who are spending up to 725,000 THB feel they can get a budget liter-bike for that money, or would rather spend a bit more and get a bigger, heavier superbike instead. The problem is they also get a motorcycle that has the potential for more mayhem because of its extra power and weight, and that also doesn't really work in its correct rev range at typical open-road speeds.The MV Agusta Brutale 675 is powered by the detuned engine of the MV Agusta F3 675, with more emphasis on midrange power delivery. We can report that the MV Agusta Brutale 675 is a better choice as an all-round mount for non-track fanatics.
Why is it better? Because it' s not the usual budget naked stripper but has the same chassis as the MV Agusta F3 675, brakes that genuinely work, an engine with a broader spread of torque, and suspension that's not hewn from rock – plus, it has a riding position that inflexible types won't find instantly distressing. From a pillion viewpoint, however, it's less than ideal for that spontaneous 1000 kilometer tour.
Not all will agree with the reasoning here, because what suits me might not necessarilly suit you. Nonetheless, the fact of the matter is that like sedan cars, which are on a decline sales-wise, sportsbikes are quietly being displaced by sport cruisers, cruisers, adventure bikes and nakeds as the more popular two-wheelers.
Which is as it should be from several perspectives. Sportsbikes are often too focused for general use, and the MV Agusta F3 675 is a perfect example of such. Unhappy below about 7,000rpm, it demands you ride it good and hard 0 hey, it's a MV Agusta – and it then is one of the most incredible sportsbikes ever devised. But it performs these feats of superstardom best on certain types of roads, preferably of hotmix and with no surface imperfections, like a race track, because the suspension setup is seemingly dialed in for speeds in excess of about 160km/h. Of this the MV Agusta F3 is utterly capable, as it tops out at just less than 300km/h. However, when bumps are taken at speeds deemed acceptable, the rear suspension seems lock-shocked, while the damping properties are akin to those of granite.
In this regard, the MV Agusta Brutale 675 is nowhere near as brutal. The rear suspension actually does the uppy-downy thing, and you don't have to climb off the seat to avoid the big hits, as you do on the F3 675. Not that said seat is exactly brimming with absorptive properties of its own; it's thin and smallish but well shaped.Speaking of smallish, the MV Agusta Brutale 675 itself is tiny, which is pretty typical of sporting middleweights. They're designed more for jockey types than big guys, so those over 185cm tall will feel like they're riding high. They per-to-bar relationship is brilliant, however, considering the racy nature of the motorcycle; you' re encouraged to lean forward to the low-rise handlebars, but the footpegs aren't raised anywhere near as high as the F3 675's. Ride stints in excess of an hour didn't prove wearying. And on a average, wind-free day, there's little that beats a quick spin on a naked bike.
Particularly one like the MV Agusta Brutale 675. Yes, it's detuned and neither revs as high nor makes as much power as the MV Agusta F3 675 – a mere 109 horsepower and 12,5000rpm versus 126 horsepower at 14,400rpm – but at 184kg fully fueled, it's superlight, and it feels it. Moreover, the MV Agusta Brutale 675 is as quick as the fastest supersport motorcycle we have tested.
The Brutale 675, like all MV Agusta's, has a love of open spaces. It needs room to move, and move it can. Once the tacho needle swings through the 7,000rpm mark, it seems to discover another gear, and tingles through the bars that are evident at 100km/h seem to smooth out. Its transmission, like that in the F3 675, is wondrous, though the effort the clutch lever requires may make you think otherwise in traffic congestion.
On a good day, on the right road and in the right hands, precious little will get the better of this 657cc triple-cylinder naked bike. The MV Agusta Brutale 675 is amongst the most compelling of machines, with its delectable steering and chuck-ability, and surprising stability given its abbreviated wheelbase. Its superb stopping power is as much a reflection of its light weight as its radial brakes. And always, there's that rush of turbine-like power once 5,000rpm is passed, the wailing inrush of air blotting out the bark of the triple momentarily. You don't have to set all your bodyweight on the pegs for each little bump either, as you do on so much sportsbikes.
