Styling

MV Agusta see their bikes not only as motorcycles but works of art. It’s hard to disagree with them. Their bikes are astutely designed, and they are quite the lookers too. For example, if you look at a Rivale’s tail section from the side, it looks like a bird. If you look at the bike from behind, it looks like an anaconda with its mouth wide open ready to swallow you whole. The bike is available in three colors matte metallic grey, red/silver and metallic black. The muscular body, the signature single-sided swing arm, trellis frame and the stubby triple exhaust all combine together to give the bike an aggressive and striking appearance.

Performance

The triple cylinder 800cc engine puts out an impressive 125bhp at 12,000 rpm and 84 Nm of torque at 8,600 rpm. You have to be at your utmost focused while riding this bike because if you give it a little too much gas, then you might end up performing an inadvertent wheelie (when a bike that weighs only 178 kgs dry produces 125bhp you can be sure that you are going to have a hell of a time riding it). When you give the bike a little more gas than you are supposed to, the front wheel starts pointing upwards not only in first gear but shockingly in the second and third gears as well. So if you want to feel the true power of the bike remember to hang on to the bike like your life depends on it.

The claimed top speed of the Rivale 800 is 245 kmph. The electronic quick shifter system makes changing gear painless and smooth. Keep the bike under 8,000 rpm for a smooth ride; if you want to take things to the next level, rev the engine over 8,000 rpm, and that’s where the fun begins. The sheer pleasure of the wind blasting in your face and the screaming inline 3 engine are something else.

You have the option to choose from the normal mode, rain mode, sports mode and a fourth mode, which is a user customisable mode that allows the rider to choose the settings as per his/her wish. The normal mode is fairly easier to cruise around in, because of the decreased power, than in the sports mode. The wet mode cuts down a lot of power—designed so to ensure that you don’t slip while accelerating in the wet. The sports mode brings out the beast hiding inside the machine. It makes the bike extremely sensitive and if you are not prepared for it, you will be caught off guard quite often. Switch into the sports mode only if you are sure that you can control the beast.

Handling

The Rivale features Marzocchi upside-down forks up front and a Sachs single shock absorber unit in the rear. Both the front and rear suspensions can be tuned according to the preferences of the rider. You can tune the spring preload, rebound and compression damping in both the shocks. But it is recommended that you only get the shock tuned at a dealership or at a trustworthy mechanic’s shop: a poorly setup shock can cause accidents. The Rivale’s suspension is set up a little on the hard side, and that makes the ride quality a bit harsh, but in return that makes carving out corners more exciting. The bike’s Pirelli Diablo RossoII tyres provide superb grip and gives you the confidence to lean the bike to its limits.  The Brembo 4 pot calipers up front and the Brembo Radial 4 pot calipers in the rear, combined with an ABS (Antilock Braking System), mean that you can stop the bike on a dime. The eight levels of adjustable traction control ensure that the rear doesn’t slide out when you accelerate.

Comfort

Since the bike is a supermotard, it’s seat is positioned to offer a relaxed ride, one that doesn’t put much pressure on your arms. You can ride for hours without feeling worn-out on this bike. But the one thing that this bike doesn’t do very well is absorb the rattles caused by the nasty potholes on our roads. The ground clearance is quite low as well, so you have to be really careful not to scrape the catalytic converter hanging under the bike.

Final Verdict

This piece of art is a real pleasure to ride! If you can afford its hefty price tag of Rs 29,75,000, then there are very few bikes that even come close in the market. For most of us, buying this bike will only be a dream, but for those few lucky people who can afford it, it will easily make for the meanest beast in their stable.