MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR SCS Review

MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR SCS Review

I have stood, simply admiring the design of this bike from various angles, for longer than I’d care to admit. But it’s certainly more than just about any other bike I’ve had the pleasure of testing. The Dragster RR is, without doubt, beautifully designed.

The detailing is next-level. The materials used are first-rate, and the overall finish is jaw-dropping. The more you look, the more you see. There is a lot going on. That seat and tail unit is more sculpture than it is function-first design, although surprisingly, it still seems reasonably comfortable.

The sculpted tank and trellis frame are probably not really as big a standout these days, however it’s the smaller details that catch the eye. Things like the sweeping pillion footpegs that fold up and clip elegantly out of the way to keep that rear tail unit silhouette as clean as possible. Bravo to the designers here, from a purely aesthetic point of view. This would be a bike I’d park in my lounge room and gawk at while knocking back a glass or two or my preferred tipple.

But it’s more than just stunning looks. The 795 cc triple punches out a stout 140 hp and 87 Nm, and does so with the obligatory triple growl from that tasty-looking triple-outlet muffler. This engine actually fits right into my sweet spot. I bang on relentlessly that 120-150 hp is the range where it’s at for road bikes. Enough power to really get things shifting without being intimidating. Sure, the MV could actually have a little more of its sweet song liberated through the pipes, but I’m sure there’s an aftermarket option for that if you’re likewise inclined.

The gearbox too, is a sweet thing. Clean, positive shifts in both directions under almost all throttle-loads. And there’s a nice feel at the levers. Once you’re out of neutral there’s no need to exercise the left hand with any shifting. In fact, the ‘SCS’ part of the name means once you’re out of neutral you don’t need to use the clutch again at all. Even when you come to a stop.

The SCS acronym stands for MV’s ‘Smart Clutch System’ and works in an auto-clutch way (think Rekluse clutch on your dirt squirter). A little bit of revs will see you pull away from standstill without fuss or any need of feeding in the clutch. It’s a bit of a traffic-light hero actually, because you simply can’t get it wrong. Smash that throttle open as hard as you dare (and you can use launch control if you really want to put the pesky cagers in their place). Or ease it on and pull away without fuss or bother. You can actually leave it in second and it’ll still work just fine.

I can see this winning many friends around town and in an urban environment. However, out in the twisties and on the charge, or when in a bit of a hooligan mood, it did have me a little wary and stand off-ish. The issue I found was some there was some inconsistency in engine braking on throttle roll-off.

Sometimes it seemed like you’d get regular engine braking and then other times you’d get next to none. Which is a bit off-putting when you’re busy focusing on other things and near the limit. I rely on engine braking to keep that front where it needs to be when wheelying. Lets just say I didn’t loft the front too many times and leave it at that. Bit of a shame really, as it looks and feels like a hooligan’s dream bike. Maybe the R version with a regular clutch might be more my thing, but unfortunately, that one drops down in bang to 112 hp.

Ergos and ride position are particularly nice. Plenty comfortable for my hour-plus commute, including a long, straight, boring stretch on the highway. But I did find the position where my knee contacted the sculpted tank seemed a little high compared to the tank’s shape. My knees wanted to rest on the lowest part of the tank where it actually steps out a little, which seemed odd. Not awfully uncomfortable – but nothing like as snug as the RS660 tank fit.

Those ‘bars are certainly nice and wide. Even wider when you add the bar-end mirrors. Not sure why you’d want them, since, they certainly make filtering a little trickier. But on the positive side, they do flip in and out rather easily. The left mirror on this bike did need a bit of blue Pfizer pill action though – it kept drooping down and being a bit useless so it was tucked away pretty much permanently.

Steering lock is also worth calling out as it’s not particularly great and will have you getting nervous when doing U-turns, even on two-lane roads, o that took some getting used to. It comes in at 175 kilo dry, so that puts it a little over the 190-mark wet and full of fuel (16.5 L tank) by my guess, so it isn’t exactly a lightweight, but holds it’s weight well when moving it around physically and at low speeds.

The switch-gear also took a while to get my head around. Not the most intuitive I’ve ever seen, especially the cruise control which seemed to require a button tap on the right switchblock, then another on the left every time I wanted to set or resume.

The Brembo brakes are faultless, as they almost always are, and the fully adjustable Marzhocchi 43 mm forks and Sachs shock, with 125 mm and 130 mm travel respectively, felt more than up to the task. Settings-wise they were close enough as they were when I picked the bike up, though I’d have bumped up the comp on the rear shock slightly if I was keeping it longer and doing more weekend corner-carving. It’s a nice compromise of comfort and performance, and I think they’re well spec’d.

So, yes, it has some quirks, but you can forgive a supermodel a few quirks when it looks this good…

You start wincing a little when you look at the supermodel price tag though. Oh my. We’re talking not much change from 40 grand to get it on the road. Hoo-ey. That’s a lot of dollaridoos, for sure.

But it sure is pretty.

I like the MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR SCS because:

• I could (and did) spend hours just looking at it from all angles. Superbly styled
• The engine and gearbox are seriously good (as are the suspension and brakes)
• Surprisingly comfortable too

I’d like the MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR SCS more if:

• The SCS clutch lacked consistent off-throttle engine braking for me, I’d simply like the option for a regular clutch please without having to step down to the lower powered R variant
• The tank shape could do with a tweak where your knees grip for a little more comfort
• And the switch-gear could do with a rethink.
• 40 grand and no heated grips? I had words in my helmet during an hour plus commute that started in below zero temps…

MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR SCS Specs

MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR SCS Images

Images by RbMotoLens