MV Agusta Brutale 1090 review, test ride

Heart of gold
Is it possible to love a motorcycle just for its motor? The Brutale 1090 would certainly tempt you to do so. The 1,078cc inline-four mill features a short-stroke configuration that helps it produce 144hp of power coming in at a fairly peaky 10,300rpm. But, it does justice to its streetfighter genes by also making a whole hunk of torque! While peak torque of 112Nm is made at a reasonable 8,100rpm, the Brutale wows by delivering a solid 90Nm of torque from 4,000rpm. So, riding about at slow speeds is never an issue. Open the taps from this point onwards and the Brutale starts to pick up speed rapidly. And as you hit peak torque in the first three gears or so, more often than not, you’re going to find the front wheel pointing at the sky.

142hp of peak power is no laughing matter.

Thanks to its radial valve arrangement, the acceleration is phenomenal as the engine breathes well and combustion is strong even as the tachometer needle is in the stratospheric range. Out on the open highways, it has absolutely no problems cruising at speeds well over 150kph, and that motor’s tractability leads you to believe that you can stay in sixth gear all day long. However, hitting the near 12,000rpm redline in each gear really feels like it would need more commitment than most us are willing to make, at least on the road. Riding the Brutale hard can also get a bit tiring as the fuelling creates a distinct step in power at low rpms and this make rolling on and off the gas a bit choppy.

Twist and Turn
It’s not just the sudden jump in power delivery when you start rolling on the gas from a closed throttle position that makes life a little difficult on the twisty stuff. Pushing harder and harder into corners brings out the Brutale’s slightly archaic nature. With a dry weight of 183kg, it’s still one of the lightest bikes in its class. But try and steer it quickly at speed and it gives you the impression that you’re riding something much heavier. The handlebars need constant effort in the corners and this heftiness becomes especially bothersome when trying to flick the bike quickly from one side to the other.

However, when you’re just ambling around town, what you do get is good ride quality. The fully-adjustable Marzocchi upside-down forks at the front and the damping and preload adjustable Sachs monoshock at the back lets you deal with paltry road conditions without a bother. Even the Pirelli Diablo Rosso II maintain good contact with the road and provide adequate grip. Anywhere from casual to medium speeds, the Brutale feels quite comfortable and confident to ride.

The brakes too, require special credit. The twin 310mm floating discs up front with radially mounted four-pot Brembo calipers provide plenty of predictable stopping power and great feedback. But, the clutch is a slight sore spot. Even though it features hydraulic actuation, it’s extremely heavy and after riding around in city traffic for half an hour or so, it’s easy to lose feeling in your left hand.