Now free of the troubled KTM group and under the control of the Russian Sardarov brothers’ Art of Mobility company, there’s a fresh energy around MV Agusta. Much is promised for 2026 and beyond, but the first machines to emerge from the Varese factory since it regained independence in July are these, the Ottantesimo collection of 80th anniversary specials, featuring the four-cylinder Brutale Ottantesimo, the Superveloce Ottantesimo, F3 RR Ottantesimo, Dragster RR Ottantesimo, and the bike we have on test, the Euro 5+ compliant 801cc Brutale RR Ottantesimo. Each model’s production is limited to 500 units and celebrates eight decades of MV as a motorcycle manufacturer.Ottantesimo Versus Standard and the CompetitionWith any MV Agusta triple, the riding experience begins well before the starter button is thumbed, and the Brutale RR Ottantesimo is no different. Key in hand, you feel compelled to pause and absorb a design that blends cunning simplicity with startling audacity. Eyes sweep along liquid curves and linger on the signature and still outrageous triple-stack silencers. The 140-hp inline reverse-crank triple is pleasingly compact and, as ever, raked forward, just so. The bike looks light and built to turn, and in bright Italian sunshine its Ottantesimo Rosso Ago and Argento Ago paint scheme, complete with a redrawn anniversary MV logo, punches you square on the nose.Related: Technical Analysis of MV Agusta’s 931cc Triple

At $18,998, the Brutale RR Ottantesimo is not cheap, the extra $1000 required over the standard RR being primarily for that paintwork and an engraved tank plate. In terms of spec, the two machines are virtually identical, although the newer bike gets the Euro 5+ engine. Triumph’s $12,995 Street Triple 765 RS and KTM’s $12,499 990 Duke lack the exclusivity of the MV but are significantly cheaper, as are the many sport naked offerings from Japan. However, Ducati’s less powerful Streetfighter V2 S is $18,595, meaning the MV is certainly competitive in the Italian arena.Riding the Brutale RR OttantesimoOn board, the details continue to impress. A neat little steering damper with a handily placed adjuster wheel sits across the top triple clamp, just below a 5.5-inch TFT Bluetooth-ready display. At the base of the 4.4-gallon tank that anniversary plate bears the word “Emmevi” (as in “MV”), plus “Ottantesimo,” and “1 di 500.” In addition to its Euro 5+ compliance, the DOHC triple also gets a new nine-plate slipper clutch, which should result in a 50% lighter lever action, according to MV.Related: 2025 Triumph Street Triple 765 Buyer’s Guide

With the starter button finally pressed, the RR growls into life. Yes, it meets the latest emissions standard, but no, we do not know how. Even at tick-over it operates at a volume rarely heard on a road-legal production machine. Blip the throttle and those silencers snarl with genuine menace. Think of the polite refinement of, say, a Kawasaki Z900 at low rpm—this is the opposite. It’s a visceral and unmistakenly Italian moment.

It helps that Cycle World’s brief test ride was based around the Varese factory in Lombardy, northern Italy. It feels special to ride an MV in a region in which the bikes are developed and where the locals look at the noisy motorcycle coming down their street not with irritation but with pride. That said, the Brutale RR is not too happy in the city. At low speeds, the firmly set-up suspension isn’t particularly pleasant to ride over bumps and cobbles, and you can feel the pent-up engine wants to be used.

The EAS 3.0 quickshifter is excellent; gear changes are smooth both up and down, meaning you only need to use the clutch lever for stopping and starting or at very slow speed, and the fueling is nowhere near as spiky as MVs of old. But there is a sense of frustration: This is a bike that needs road speed and a handful of engine revs to make full sense.In the switchback mountain roads laid on for our test, it’s all different. The fully adjustable Marzocchi 43mm-diameter fork and Sachs rear shock work better the harder they are pushed. At pace, the RR’s ride is taut, controlled, and full of sporty feedback. Ground clearance is excellent, and the steering fast and precise. With a short 55.1-inch wheelbase, a pair of 320mm-diameter discs and Brembo calipers with lean-sensitive ABS that match the precision and accuracy of the chassis, and a counterrotating crank, you have a middleweight naked that’s supremely agile, fun, and fast. Maybe even more so than the track-focused Triumph Street Triple RS.

The inline-triple pushes out an impressive claimed 140 hp at 12,300 rpm; maximum torque is also high in the rpm, making 64.2 lb.-ft. at 10,250 rpm. A six-axis IMU manages four riding modes: Rain, Sport, Race, and Custom, which allows you to change the engine characteristics and response. Eight-level traction control, launch control, and front lift control are all standard. On the road, the default Sport mode setup is pin sharp.It’s all there on paper, but you have to adopt an MV mindset to make it all come together: Focus on maintaining rpm and corner speed as well as a relentless sporting approach. It is possible to ride the midrange between 4000 and 8000 rpm and sweep gracefully into turns, but doing so is a bit of a waste because this massively oversquare and seemingly friction-free motor just loves to rev and wail.Related: Reader Comments: Engine Torque

On the public road there is, of course, absolutely no need to use all the revs, but shifting at 10,000 rpm, bang in the middle of the peak torque, is gloriously rewarding. It cannot be overstated how much it loves to rev. With 12,000-plus rpm on the dash, you suddenly realize you are riding the RR like a racebike. On the right roads, the Ottantesimo plugs itself into your brain and takes over.

At some point, though, most of us have to come down from the mountains and the empty roads to again negotiate the realities of city traffic and bumpy roads. That means suspension that’s a tad harsh, a seat that’s not very comfortable, and fueling that’s not perfect. One minute you’re thinking life doesn’t get much better, the next you’re wishing you had something a little roomier and softer. The Brutale RR Ottantesimo is that kind of bike.

Is It Worth It?There are several bikes in this class that are cheaper, more comfortable, and with more torque in the low and midrange, easier to ride. Triumph’s Street Triple 756 RS and Yamaha’s MT-09 SP—also triples—sound great, are fun to ride quickly, and have more everyday practicality.Related: 2024 Yamaha MT-09 SP First Ride

But the MV Agusta Brutale RR has a purity and sportbike focus (as well as a five-year warranty) unmatched by any other middleweight sport naked, Ducati’s Streetfighter V2 S included. It handles like a racebike and works better the harder you ride. With 140 hp on tap it is also the most powerful bike in its class and, we’d suggest, the most desirable, especially in this limited-edition Ottantesmio livery. We are confident that it would set a faster lap time around a racetrack than its competition from both Europe and Japan. Just be sure that’s a priority for you before you buy.

2025 MV Agusta Brutale RR Ottantesimo Specs