MV-AGUSTA RIVALE 800 (2014 - on) Review

A departure from their usual sportsbike and super naked range, the Rivale 800 is MV Agusta’s first ever supermoto-style machine. In fact, despite its looks it rides more like a naked sportsbike and doesn’t suffer the bar-wagging flightiness you get with a big, road-going supermoto. It’s also the Italian firm’s first machine to feature their second-generation ride-by-wire system, so the good news is the throttle and power delivery is ‘normal’ and doesn’t suffer the poor running problems of early ride-by-wire F3s, Brutales and F4s. It’s not the most practical bike you can buy, but it’s an extremely fast, fun, loud, characterful machine, with typical glossy MV build-quality and attitude.

With its steel trellis frame, single-sided swingarm, fully-adjustable suspension and sticky Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa tyres, the Rivale 800 handles like a razor-sharp sportsbike. But it’s on the heavy side, so you have to muscle it through tight corners, despite the leverage the wide bars offer. Ride quality and support from the fully adjustable suspension is superb and the cast aluminium Brembo monobloc brakes are as strong as you’ll find on any road-going superbike. Compared to the Brutale 800 the MV has added half a degree to the rake for extra stability.

Based heavily on the firm’s Brutale 800 engine, the ultra-short stroke inline-three-cylinder 125bhp motor, with a counter-rotating crankshaft, has a broad spread of power and a hard-hitting midrange. You could say it has too much power in the middle – it’s a savage beast to wheeile and it will easily spin a cold rear tyre, although there’s an eight stage traction control system to bail you out if things get too lively. The traction control is MV’s best yet, as is the standard quickshifter. You also get three riding maps, with differing levels of throttle response, torque and rev-limiter. The revised software controlling the ride-by-wire system finally seems to work and the Rivale behaves like a fuel injected bike with a throttle cable.

Although modern day MVs are continuing to improve and are impeccably built and finished, some machines can develop technical gremlins. MCN has tested bulletproof MVs and unreliable ones. Always buy from a friendly, reputable dealer.

The Rivale 800 isn’t bad value for money when you look at all the technology, performance, attitude and beauty on offer, but there’s no getting away from the fact it’s still an expensive piece of exotica.

As you’d expect, MV gives you all the bells and whistles with the Rivale 800. It comes with traction control, a quickshifter, variable riding maps, high performance tyres, fully-adjustable suspension, Brembos, stacked exhaust cans and beautifully designed lines.