Find MV Agusta’s Brutale too tame? Well, there’s a more hardcore version called the Rush 1000. This new model is based on the Brutale 1000 RR, which is already a high performance, top-spec machine. To create the Rush, MV Agusta (MVA) took the Brutales 1000 RR’s 998cc inline-four cylinder and gave it some serious upgrades.
There’s no displacement increase. Instead, MVA engineers completely revised the combustion chamber to include radial valves, a feature inspired by Formula 1 technology. From MotoGP, it adapted the use of titanium connecting rods, which are lighter, to reduce weight, loads and engine intertia. Finally, the engine’s central camshaft chain was designed to reduce the likelihood of camshaft twist at high rpms. Despite all of this tech, the engine is still Euro-5 compliant. The result is 208 horsepower at 13,000 rpm and 116 Nm at 11,000 rpm. That may not sound like much, but the Rush tips the scales at just 186 kg. In addition, MVA will allow customers to buy the bike with a racing exhaust and ECU, pumping up the power to 212 horsepower t 13,600 rpm and shedding 5 kg.
Around the engine is a chassis made from CNC machined aluminum alloy with carbon fiber fairings. The fuel tank is CNC-machined aluminum as well, while the exhaust is made of titanium.
Keeping it on the road is the latest electronic suspension: Öhlins EC units with electronic management of the compression and extension hydraulics. Specifically, up front is a NIX EC fork with an electronic Öhlins steering damper. Behind is an EC TTX rear shock.
It’s brought to a stop by dual 320mm discs with four-piston Brembo Stylema calipers, and a 220mm rear disc with a two-piston Brembo caliper.
It rides on forged alumnum 17-inch wheels. Particularly interesting is the turbofan-style rear wheel inspired by 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race cars. The rear rides on a very wide 200/55 tire.
As for the rider, he’ll get adjustable footpegs, a full-color 5-inch TFT color screen, and connectivity to a smartphone via the MV Ride App. He’ll have four riding modes: Sport, Race, Racing and Custom. These include rider aids like 8-level traction control, electronically assisted gear shifter for clutchless up and downshifts, wheelie control, Bosch cornering ABS with rear wheel-lift mitigation, and launch control. The Rush 1000 also comes with cruise control as standard. Finally, that round LED headlight may look retro but it features built-in cornering lights.
MV Agusta says production of the Rush 1000 will begin soon. Pricing has yet to be announced, but expect it to be between the US$32,000 (PhP1.6M) Brutale 10000 RR and the US$45,000 (PhP2.3M) Serie Oro.
MV Agusta Philippines has already offered past special edition models like the Serie Oro and Brutale Dragster RR LH44 so it’s highly likely the Rush 1000 will be offered locally as well.
