MV Agusta is planning to launch the new Brutale 800 by March. Being a sub-800cc motorcycle the Brutale 800 will have to undergo homologation before being launched here, a process which already has been put in motion and should be done by January.
The new Brutale 800 received cosmetic updates earlier this year to make it more streamlined and aerodynamic. The fuel tank, exhaust pipes, headlamp and the tail lamp were redesigned to give the bike a more aggressive look. It also gained a new aluminium subframe to lose weight. The rear footpegs were repositioned, and so were the vents and ducts.
Under the skin, the biggest change is the revised Euro IV-compliant engine. While the inline three cylinder engine still displaces 798cc, it has been detuned to produce 116bhp as opposed to the older bike's 125bhp. Apart from an eight-level traction control system and ABS, the electronics package now also includes a quickshifter and a new slipper clutch. Once launched here, the Brutale 800 will compete with other streetfighters like the Ducati Monster 821, Kawasaki Z800 and the Triumph Street Triple.
However, getting the motorcycle homologated for India seems to be the least of the company’s problems right now. It has had financial trouble for some time now, but there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel, at least temporarily.
