MV Agusta Brutale
Discussion
Hi guys/girls,
Not a bike owner (yet), but I've been doing some research on my future purchase and I've got some questions on the Agusta Brutale that Google can't answer. I wondered if any owners or guys with experience could help?
Basically, I know what I want in a bike and a naked, middleweight is my ideal scenario. Done quite a bit of research and ultimately I keep coming back to the Brutale (with a Ducati Monster in close second).
From what I can gather, I'd be better off with a post 2012 as the earlier models were a little 'twitchy' and 'laggy' on the throttle (fly by wire); would a reasonably new rider notice this or be bothered compared to an experienced rider?
Insurance quotes are screwing with my head as well; a new Brutale 675 is circa £700 for my first year, but for some reason a Brutale 920 (same year and price) is pinging back identical quotes? I'd have thought an extra 300cc would have made more of a difference...?
Values; looking at Autotrader, Brutale values hardly change. A 2011/12 model with 5,000 miles is only a slightly cheaper than a brand new bike. Do they hold their value that well or am I missing something?
I suppose the last thing is does anybody have any comments or suggestions regarding the Brutale or an alternative?
Cheers
Not a bike owner (yet), but I've been doing some research on my future purchase and I've got some questions on the Agusta Brutale that Google can't answer. I wondered if any owners or guys with experience could help?
Basically, I know what I want in a bike and a naked, middleweight is my ideal scenario. Done quite a bit of research and ultimately I keep coming back to the Brutale (with a Ducati Monster in close second).
From what I can gather, I'd be better off with a post 2012 as the earlier models were a little 'twitchy' and 'laggy' on the throttle (fly by wire); would a reasonably new rider notice this or be bothered compared to an experienced rider?
Insurance quotes are screwing with my head as well; a new Brutale 675 is circa £700 for my first year, but for some reason a Brutale 920 (same year and price) is pinging back identical quotes? I'd have thought an extra 300cc would have made more of a difference...?
Values; looking at Autotrader, Brutale values hardly change. A 2011/12 model with 5,000 miles is only a slightly cheaper than a brand new bike. Do they hold their value that well or am I missing something?
I suppose the last thing is does anybody have any comments or suggestions regarding the Brutale or an alternative?
Cheers
Tall_Paul said:
I love the new triple engined Brutales, if you have a decent dealer nearby then go for it. If not... I'd think twice. Much like Aprilia, the dealer network is lacking a little.
Alternatives - Ducati Monster 821 (bloody awesome bike) - presuming you want a bit of italian character?
I live just outside of Birmingham and checking the website, MV have 3 dealers within 30 mile.Alternatives - Ducati Monster 821 (bloody awesome bike) - presuming you want a bit of italian character?
I do love the Ducati, but I don't really fancy a dry clutch as I hear they can be a bit difficult around town. So I'd have to get a new model, which is quite expensive.
I do fancy one of the Italian bikes as they are something a bit different; I looked at the new Yamaha MT-07 which is supposed to be really good, but I think they'll end up being quite common given the price.
d8mok said:
cant help in regards a brutale. Rode a F3 last year and thought it a nice bike but fueling was awful and not much dealer network around.
But a 1199 was cheaper to insure than a 899 for me.
Yeah, the dealer network seems to be a common concern for most people.But a 1199 was cheaper to insure than a 899 for me.
Speaking as a newbie to bikes; I'm guessing that getting serviced by an authorised dealer is very important?
As a TVR owner; I tend to chuck my car into the nearest local garage if anything serious needs doing, but general maintenance is done by myself. So with a bike, I'd be getting everyting done by a dealer. Full service stamps seem very important judging from the bikes I'm looking at.
shielsy said:
I assume you have also considered the Street Triple? I had a test ride on one last weekend and really enjoyed it. Very lightweight, nice and comfortable, and of course a nice amount of grunt lower down the revs. They seem fairly cheap to insure and the residuals are pretty good to boot.
I've had a look and heard very good things, but I've discounted them for the moment. To be honest, it's a really crap reason but the styling just doesn't do it for me. I find the MV and Ducati just stir something in me, very much like TVR.I will have a serious look before I buy anthing though. A mate has the Street Triple and swears by it.
Tall_Paul said:
The new 821 (watercooled) has a wet clutch, as does a couple of the older air cooled Monsters (696/796/1100/1100evo) and I think one or 2 even have slipper clutches. You could probably pick up a couple of year old 1100 evo for £6-7k, fairly sure these have a wet slipper clutch.
Awesome, I'll do some reading and have a look. There is something special about the sound of a V-Twin....Wildfire said:
Depending on where you are the dealerships aren't too bad. I run a little MV Club (started this year when I bought mine) and we have a couple of guys whom work at dealers our FB page. They are getting mpore widespread although the London dealer lasted all of 6 months. Tyson, Bennets, Forza Italia, Robinsons and the new one in Richmond are but to name a few.
I know what you mean, MV are every much like TVR. Owning both
, there is something very special about opening my garage to see the MV in front of the Griff.
The new Triple models (Dragster and B3) are a different ride to the older IL4 models and possibly a bit rarer (if you can get rarer in MV circles, I've only ever seen one other MV on the road in the wild).
PM me if you want to know a bit more.
Thanks for all that info, very helpful I know what you mean, MV are every much like TVR. Owning both
, there is something very special about opening my garage to see the MV in front of the Griff.The new Triple models (Dragster and B3) are a different ride to the older IL4 models and possibly a bit rarer (if you can get rarer in MV circles, I've only ever seen one other MV on the road in the wild).
PM me if you want to know a bit more.
I suppose my main question is that I've read a lot of reviews that the 675 is very abrupt with it's power distribution, any truth to this?
Also, how tall are you? I'm 6ft 1" and about 16 stone; I'm slightly concerned that I might be a little oversized for the bike. I'll be arranging some visits to look at a few in the near future.
Cheers
ETA - Basically, would the Brutale be suitable for a fat newbie?
Wildfire said:
On the old map, especially on Sports, town was not a good place to be. The new map is much improved and I understand that the new bikes come with a heavier throttle spring on the RBW throttle. The light spring combined with the odd power deliver and a bit of tiredness could make for a bit of a jerky ride.
With the new map I still get this but last time it was after the PH trip to Belgium and I'd just done the best part of 300 miles, loaded up on a sports bike. Day to day, it's fine. As all sports bikes the F3 is a bit of a pain under 30-40 mph in town, but no more so than my old Ninja.
I test rode the Daytona 657R back to back with my 07 ZX-6R and the same with my F3. The Daytona is a superb bike, and IMHO a better bike. But it wasn't exciting, after I got off it I though "That was nice." It just did everything better than my Ninja. After 10 minutes on the MV I thought "Wow!" I wanted to ride it more and the bike just makes so much sense the more you push it.
I'm only 5' 7" and the F3 is nice and small. I could just about tip toe on the floor on the ZX-6R, on the MV it's flat footed. My mate is about 6' 1" and he didn't look too big for the bike. The narrow triple engine definitely makes the bikes feel smaller than the IL4s. We have a few Brutale owners on the group.
Thanks for the info With the new map I still get this but last time it was after the PH trip to Belgium and I'd just done the best part of 300 miles, loaded up on a sports bike. Day to day, it's fine. As all sports bikes the F3 is a bit of a pain under 30-40 mph in town, but no more so than my old Ninja.
I test rode the Daytona 657R back to back with my 07 ZX-6R and the same with my F3. The Daytona is a superb bike, and IMHO a better bike. But it wasn't exciting, after I got off it I though "That was nice." It just did everything better than my Ninja. After 10 minutes on the MV I thought "Wow!" I wanted to ride it more and the bike just makes so much sense the more you push it.
I'm only 5' 7" and the F3 is nice and small. I could just about tip toe on the floor on the ZX-6R, on the MV it's flat footed. My mate is about 6' 1" and he didn't look too big for the bike. The narrow triple engine definitely makes the bikes feel smaller than the IL4s. We have a few Brutale owners on the group.
Definitely given me something to think on. Most of the comments seem to point towards a Ducati, so I've been looking at the Monster 796. After doing some heavy research, I was pretty sure I was going for a 796....
JRH63 said:
I've got a TVR and an MV, believe me, the MV is a lot easier to own!! Buy the MV, much more 'special' than a Ducati, you won't regret it.
Comments like this are not helping!!! I'm going to visit a few dealerships over the next 2 weeks to see a 796 and Brutale in the flesh; this should give me a chance to perch myself on one to check the size.
While I do prefer the look of the Brutale and the reviews put it nearly on par with the Street Triple; there are so few around that I would probably end up buying a new one. At least with the 796, I can grab a second hand one (with circa 2-4k miles) for a grand less.
Tough decision....
Seagoon said:
And that opens another question ----
Should you buy the 796, or the 821?
The 821 is a better, more advanced bike, and while it will cost you more now, when you come to sell in a year (or 2 or 3) you will recoup a larger percentage of your outlay, because by then the 796 (which is still relevant to a modern day line up) will not only be that much older, it will be a generation older.
Not helping, am I?
......no; you're fShould you buy the 796, or the 821?
The 821 is a better, more advanced bike, and while it will cost you more now, when you come to sell in a year (or 2 or 3) you will recoup a larger percentage of your outlay, because by then the 796 (which is still relevant to a modern day line up) will not only be that much older, it will be a generation older.
Not helping, am I?
king not.... 
To be honest, if I was going new then I'd probably end up getting the Brutale 675. It is about £2k cheaper and fairly similar on paper to the 821 stats wise.
I never thought choosing a bike could be so difficult; I assumed by filtering down to a style/type of bike, it would be a simple case of picking one that stands out. There doesn't really seem to be anything that ticks all of the boxes at the minute.
Even when I think I've finally settled on a bike, I keep glancing at the Brutale...
ZesPak said:
Friend of mine got in to biking and had quite a budget.
He was eyeballing a new MV Brutale for months, but comments on the internet and from other people about the "ride-ability" of the bike made him go for the Duc in the end.
He still kind of regrets not giving it a go though.
As above, for your first bike, why not consider something cheap & disposable for a year, like a bandit. Selling it after a year will set you back nearly nothing and it won't cost you an arm and a leg if you drop it.
Then, if you're a bit more confident, you can go for the MV/Duc.
I know it's not the most appealing of propositions (it requires patience...) but I'd strongly recommend it.
Oh and the fuelling is supposedly a lot better on the newer models.
Absolutely, 100% the right thing to do and my train of thought for the last 12 months.He was eyeballing a new MV Brutale for months, but comments on the internet and from other people about the "ride-ability" of the bike made him go for the Duc in the end.
He still kind of regrets not giving it a go though.
As above, for your first bike, why not consider something cheap & disposable for a year, like a bandit. Selling it after a year will set you back nearly nothing and it won't cost you an arm and a leg if you drop it.
Then, if you're a bit more confident, you can go for the MV/Duc.
I know it's not the most appealing of propositions (it requires patience...) but I'd strongly recommend it.
Oh and the fuelling is supposedly a lot better on the newer models.
Buy a Bandit for £2-3k, get used to riding and then upgrade further down the line.
Of course, then D-day gets closer and I start looking at what I could get. Funnily enough all common sense and reason goes out of the window and suddenly I'm looking at spending £7k on a Brutale/Monster....
I think I need to take a step back and seriously think about what I need, rather than want. There is a good chance I could drop/slide it in the first 12 months and I'd hate myself.
Hmmmmmmm head or heart...?
It would literally be a 'weekend weapon'.
I'm selling the TVR in a few months, so the bike will be my 'go to' for fun.
I will probably end up going down the finance route, as chucking £6-7k straight at a bike makes me feel uncomfortable. Don't really fancy PCP or anything like that, just straight forward 'here is £2k, I'll pay the rest off over 3/4 years'. Therefore I want to get something that will keep me amused for the duration without hemorrhaging value in that time; if I can get a fun bike for £6-7k and I only lose £2-3k over 3/4 years (assuming 3k miles a year and no accidents) then I'll be happy.
Of course, I could be massively wide of the mark and there isn't a bike that will cover all those options. As mentioned, pretty new to bikes so I don't know what holds its value.
I keep looking at this:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
Am I mad...?
I'm selling the TVR in a few months, so the bike will be my 'go to' for fun.
I will probably end up going down the finance route, as chucking £6-7k straight at a bike makes me feel uncomfortable. Don't really fancy PCP or anything like that, just straight forward 'here is £2k, I'll pay the rest off over 3/4 years'. Therefore I want to get something that will keep me amused for the duration without hemorrhaging value in that time; if I can get a fun bike for £6-7k and I only lose £2-3k over 3/4 years (assuming 3k miles a year and no accidents) then I'll be happy.
Of course, I could be massively wide of the mark and there isn't a bike that will cover all those options. As mentioned, pretty new to bikes so I don't know what holds its value.
I keep looking at this:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
Am I mad...?
ZesPak said:
The Beaver King said:
Yes, it's not a Brutale Shut up! I know! I can't help it; they are both so beautiful
Wildfire said:
I will echo the MV is much more special than a Ducati. I was at a biker cafe and pulled up next to 2 Panigales. Attention was all on the F3. Being a Ducati Monster owner as well, I do love the V Twin ride, but the MV triple is just so unique.
This is exactly why I keep coming back to the Brutale. If you ask anybody in the know about bikes, what is the best middleweight naked bike, 80-90% would say the Street Triple. All the reviews say it is the best in class as an all round package. I've already written the Triumph off, but apparently the Brutale is very close to the Street Triple; plus it has a 'exotic' factor to it.If I was going Ducati, it would probably be the 796 in the end. Price, looks, engine size, performance all tick the boxes for me; but a 2nd hand one (with approx 2k miles and Termi exhausts) is roughly the same price as a new Brutale 675...
The Ducati does come in with cheaper insurance though...
Christ, I assumed I would know the right bike as soon as I saw it. Apparently not.
rat840771 said:
you say don't do PCP, may mate has just bought a Panni 899 and he got a great deal so I'm sure they would do the same on the monster.
I seem to recall 3k down, £127 a month for 3 years and 4.5K to buy at the end or renew, he also got free termi's thrown in. As he put it, that's about the same money a month as SKY tv and gym membership!
I can absolutely see why people would go with this option, especially if you like to switch bikes every 3/4 years, but I don't like the idea of not 'owning' something, if you get what I mean...?I seem to recall 3k down, £127 a month for 3 years and 4.5K to buy at the end or renew, he also got free termi's thrown in. As he put it, that's about the same money a month as SKY tv and gym membership!
I cannot 100% guarantee that I'd have the require £ three years down the line to buy the rest of the bike and I'd hate to give it back as I would feel like I'd just wasted money.
powerstans said:
The autotrader add for the Monster at Riders, if that is the Bristol branch Jerry the sales guy is very helpful and they will let you test ride as soon as you have passed your test and get your licence back. Mrs P test rode most of the bikes I listed on my earlier post through them having just passed.
Yep, looks like that Monster is based at their Bristol showroom. Good to know, I'm very taken with that particular Monster.
Thanks mate
Just to update:
Pass my theory last Monday, booked my DAS for the first two weeks of Feb. Excited is an understatement, only 4 weeks to go!
Regarding bikes; I popped into a Yamaha dealer last week to look at a 796 they had in. Obviously couldn't take it out, but I did perch myself on it to check for size. By Christ, it's heavy. Felt comfortable though, so at least I know I fit.
The dealer did spend 30 minutes trying to convince me to buy a MT-07; a nice bike but not for me.
Next job, find a Brutale in the flesh!
Pass my theory last Monday, booked my DAS for the first two weeks of Feb. Excited is an understatement, only 4 weeks to go!
Regarding bikes; I popped into a Yamaha dealer last week to look at a 796 they had in. Obviously couldn't take it out, but I did perch myself on it to check for size. By Christ, it's heavy. Felt comfortable though, so at least I know I fit.
The dealer did spend 30 minutes trying to convince me to buy a MT-07; a nice bike but not for me.
Next job, find a Brutale in the flesh!
ZesPak said:
The Beaver King said:
Next job, find a Brutale in the flesh!
This can only end one way... Love the look of the MT-07 as well, but in terms of looks it doesn't stand a chance against the MV.
I keep reading reviews on the Brutale and the general consensus seems to be that it will be an awesome bike, as long as MV sort out the software mapping that makes the throttle response 'twitchy'.
I'm now trying to be sensible and decide how much the Brutale will depreciate over 2/3 years. The Monster seems to hold its value pretty well.
Quick question for knowledgeable bike people; am I right in assuming bike values don't drop circa 25% when bought from new. I'm talking in relation to cars, that tend to lose value as soon as they've had 'one' owner. From what I can see, bikes don't seem to suffer with the same stigma...?
So, four months later and here we are.
In that time I've managed to get my full bike licence, change job and move house! Still no bike though
The good new is that part of the agreement with my other half was that I could buy a bike once we had moved; well we've moved (even though stuff is still in boxes).
As predicted I've changed my thought process on bikes about 40 times. I am now torn between three:
Yamaha MT-09 - I keep going back to these; the style would probably suit the type of riding I am expecting to do better. Must have the optional Akrapovic exhaust. Not keen on the Tracer or other spin offs, just the plain Jane.
Triumph Daytona 675 - Not the street bike I was originally set on, but I love the looks, it's a triple and it really gets my stomach fluttering. Would be looking at something 2008 to 2012 (I much prefer the under seat exhaust). I just don't know if I'm capable enough for a sports bike.
Ducati 848/749 - Absolute wildcard. Personally I think it might be a bit too much for me, but the desire is strong.
So yeah; a complete contrast to where I was 4-6 months ago. Decided against a Monster, I'm just not feeling it anymore. I haven't looked a the Brutale for a while, but my head is saying that it'll be akin to a high maintenance girlfriend.
In approximately 4 weeks time, I will be putting my money where my mouth is but I'm still not sure where to put it.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Bear in mind, I'm a newbie, so test rides are pretty much a no-no. This will be a decision based on visuals, noise and people's opinions....
In that time I've managed to get my full bike licence, change job and move house! Still no bike though
The good new is that part of the agreement with my other half was that I could buy a bike once we had moved; well we've moved (even though stuff is still in boxes).
As predicted I've changed my thought process on bikes about 40 times. I am now torn between three:
Yamaha MT-09 - I keep going back to these; the style would probably suit the type of riding I am expecting to do better. Must have the optional Akrapovic exhaust. Not keen on the Tracer or other spin offs, just the plain Jane.
Triumph Daytona 675 - Not the street bike I was originally set on, but I love the looks, it's a triple and it really gets my stomach fluttering. Would be looking at something 2008 to 2012 (I much prefer the under seat exhaust). I just don't know if I'm capable enough for a sports bike.
Ducati 848/749 - Absolute wildcard. Personally I think it might be a bit too much for me, but the desire is strong.
So yeah; a complete contrast to where I was 4-6 months ago. Decided against a Monster, I'm just not feeling it anymore. I haven't looked a the Brutale for a while, but my head is saying that it'll be akin to a high maintenance girlfriend.
In approximately 4 weeks time, I will be putting my money where my mouth is but I'm still not sure where to put it.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Bear in mind, I'm a newbie, so test rides are pretty much a no-no. This will be a decision based on visuals, noise and people's opinions....
Cheers for the feedback folks.
It really is a toss up between the MT-09 and the Daytona. From what I've read, both are great bikes at what they do, but what they do is very different from the other.
I've not heard anything negative about the Daytona, but I've heard the suspension on the MT-09 is a bit too soft and really benefits from a upgrade.
Interesting to read the above that the Daytona gets more use than the Street Triple; is it purely a speed thing or does it just tick more boxes overall?
I've found a nice example available for each, so I may have to try and wangle a test ride.
It really is a toss up between the MT-09 and the Daytona. From what I've read, both are great bikes at what they do, but what they do is very different from the other.
I've not heard anything negative about the Daytona, but I've heard the suspension on the MT-09 is a bit too soft and really benefits from a upgrade.
Interesting to read the above that the Daytona gets more use than the Street Triple; is it purely a speed thing or does it just tick more boxes overall?
I've found a nice example available for each, so I may have to try and wangle a test ride.
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