2019 bikesales Bike of the Year: MV Agusta Turismo Veloce RC SCS

Name: 2019 bikesales Bike of the Year: MV Agusta Turismo Veloce RC SCS
Brand: MV Agusta

The most polarising machine on the 2019 BOTY was the Turismo Veloce, but there’s no doubt it’s a fine piece of kit

Motorcycle technology gains are inexorable, and MV Agusta is one manufacturer that has always had the nerve to quickly transfer that new-found knowledge to a production setting.

That’s why the Italian manufacturer’s new Smart Clutch System, which allows lightning-quick automated gear changing, was one of the main talking points on the 2019 bikesales Bike of the Year ride. And why not: it’s the first time it’s been used on a production motorcycle.

At its very essence SCS is a brilliant system, and the fact that we got to ride the top-spec RC (as in Reparto Corse, the racing division of MV Agusta) version of the Turismo Veloce added even more spice to proceedings.

Global production of the Turismo Veloce 800 RC SCS has been limited to 250 examples, so they aren’t exactly thick on the ground…

The SCS system, developed alongside American clutch specialist, Rekluse, has a clutch lever, so you can ride it like a ‘normal’ bike – but that would have defeated the purpose of having it along in the first place.

However, it’s probably fair to say the advantage of the SCS – the ability to ride it like an automatic – simply didn’t push as many buttons as this author had anticipated.

For a machine with a $35,890 ride away price, SCS left some of the judges a little underwhelmed, and it copped some heavy hits on the scoring front as a result.

That detracted from a machine which – in true Turismo Veloce form – is sublime in so many other ways, including the performance from that raspy 798cc triple and the superb tautness and agility that comes with a short 1445mm wheelbase.

It’s a thoroughbred sportstourer that places equal weighting on performance and handling as it does ergonomics and practicality – and that left everyone singing its praises, as the 192kg (dry) machine stitched together punchy straights and corners in north-east Victoria with absolute precision. The Brembo brakes and Pirelli tyres also added their clout to the performance package.

And add in plenty of protection from the (albeit a little shuddery) screen and front fairing, as well as the roomy ergonomics, and it's not hard to see why it still had plenty of admirers.

Compared to systems like the dual clutch system that Honda uses, MV’s SCS is miles ahead in terms of weight and design parameters – there’s no fiddling about to change from manual to automatic mode, and about the only additional feature required is a foot-operated park brake to stop it rolling away on an incline at rest.

The main gripes about SCS was that, on some faster and more aggressive down changes, it unsettled the bike. It’s like there's a slight disconnect between SCS and the latest-generation bi-directional quickshifter, which sometimes made it hard to change down gears on a trailing throttle. Sometimes, it was just easier using the clutch.

It’s definitely a system that has plenty of merits though, and is part of a technological tour de force on the RC SCS that also includes traction control, cruise control, a ride-by-wire throttle, Bosch ABS, Bluetooth connectivity, semi-active electronic suspension, heated grips, a speed limiter, power sockets and data logging capability.

The judges noted that the heated grips have to be activated through the dash menu, which is a little behind the times, and the dash’s processing speed is a bit on the slow side.

No such complaints about comfort and the Turismo Veloce RC SCS’s cornering prowess though. The seating position places the rider right in the thick of the action. We couldn’t help but get wrapped up in the bike’s charms, especially when that trademark and rorty MV triple was on full song.

Specs: 2019 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce RC SCS

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, 12-valve inline three-cylinder
Capacity: 798cc
Bore x stroke: 79mm x 54.3 mm
Compression ratio: 12.2:1
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 110hp (81kW) at 10,150rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 80Nm at 7100rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed with electronic quickshift
Clutch: Smart Clutch System
Final drive: Chain

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Steel trellis
Front suspension: Sachs upside-downb fork, semi-active
Rear suspension: Sachs monoshock, semi-active
Front brakes: Dual 320mm discs with four-piston monobloc Brembo calipers
Rear brake: 220mm disc
Tyres: 120/70-17 front, 190/55-17 rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed dry weight: 192kg
Seat height: 850mm
Wheelbase: 1445mm
Fuel capacity: 21.5 litres
Measured average fuel consumption: 6.6lt/100km

OTHER STUFF
Price: $35,890 ride away
Colours: Red/black/white/green livery
Bike supplied by: Urban Moto Imports

2019 bikesales Bike of the Year: MV Agusta Turismo Veloce RC SCS

Specs: 2019 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce RC SCS

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