2022 MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RS revealed

Boutique Italian manufacturer MV Agusta has just lifted the covers off an MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RS. 

The company says the new model will appeal to more riders looking to apply litre-class Brutale performance to a wider theatre of operations, with the MV Agusta Brutale RS featuring the same engine, Öhlins electronic steering damper, frame, and single-sided swingarm, but with more relaxed ergonomics and improved comfort. 

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Sitting pretty 

The MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RS has higher-set clip-on handlebars for a more upright stance when compared to the RR, while the new forged footpegs and a new dual-density-foam one-piece saddle further enhance its longer-haul potential. 

The RS variant also receives a manually adjustable Marzocchi fork and Sachs monoshock, instead of the RR’s electronically adjustable Öhlins suspension, along with a redesigned four-outlet exhaust system. 

Iron fist 

Powering the show is a Euro 5-compliant, 998cc, in-line four-cylinder engine with radial valves and titanium conrods, producing claimed maximum outputs of 208hp (153kW) at 13,000rpm and 116.5Nm at 11,000rpm. And that’s plenty, we should think, for a package weighing in at the same RR weight of 186kg dry! 

Largely unchanged from the RR’s powerplant, in RS form the engine does feature revised cam profiles for an “optimised torque curve”, new sintered valve guides and DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coated tappets for reduced internal friction. 

Transmitting all that grunt to the ground is a slipper clutch and a six-speed transmission with bi-directional quickshifter, with the bike’s alloy wheels shod with Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tyres. 

Brains and brawn 

Other features include a 5.5-inch TFT display with Bluetooth connectivity plus a new Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) with Continental MK100 Cornering ABS and traction control, wheelie control and launch control. 

Electronic cruise control is also a standard feature, while a tyre pressure monitoring system is available as a factory accessory. 

The 2022 MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RS is available in Ago Red/Metallic Dark Grey or Magnum Silver/Matt Metallic Dark Grey. It comes backed by a three-year, unlimited kilometre factory warranty. 

Local pricing for the 2022 MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RS is yet to be confirmed, but expect it to come in under the current MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR, which carries ride-away pricing of $58,990.

Local MV Agusta importer and distributor, Urban Moto Imports, says it expects the new model to reach Australian showrooms around the end of 2021 or the start of 2022.