A most special special edition

By Bruno dePrato, cycleworld.com

In the past, motorcycle manufacturers have, sometimes justifiably, caught a lot of flak for offering up “special editions” that are little more than standard models with splash graphics. But the 2021 MV Agusta Rush is something more. The Rush was introduced as a concept bike at EICMA 2019; MV then produced 300 numbered units as a 2020 model.

Just as we are emerging from our post-COVID cocoons, MV Agusta is recovering from its swampy situation. In both cases, the time is right for a cautious celebration. For MV, that means unique batches of highly refined models. Maybe these machines aren’t radical technical departures, but neither are they merely last year’s models with this year’s prices.

MV Agusta’s production quality has finally reached a level appropriate to the company’s tradition and image. This is all thanks to the impressive efforts of CPE Brian Gillen and his technical team, both at the Schiranna headquarters and the San Marino CRC R&D studio. Now, MV has the quality, reliability, and performance potential that makes special-edition models like this both credible and rewarding.

The concept bike that gave birth to the Rush was based on the Brutale 1000 RR. Given MV’s difficulties at the time, there were doubts about it ever reaching production. But those first 300 Rush models sold on the spot for a cool 34,900 euros each. MV Agusta called the bike a “hyper naked,” as it offers more performance than the typical naked bike, more exclusive styling, and supremely refined execution.ADVERTISEMENT

The 2021 Rush is still based on the Brutale 1000 RR, but you’ll see differences right away. A beautiful metallic gray tank with carbon fiber inserts and yellow highlights suggests a charging bison. The huge 17 x 6.0 rear wheel with its formidable carbon fiber shield also makes a powerful design statement. Pirelli’s special-edition Diablo Supercorsa radials rimmed in yellow provide a finishing touch.

There are real premium touches in components like the levers and pedals, most of them CNC machined from billet. The seat’s supporting subframe is an exclusive Rush piece, as is the carbon/titanium exhaust system. The seat itself is executed in elegant leather with Alcantara trim. The seat pan and most of the bodywork are also carbon fiber.

What about the powerplant? The 2021 Rush uses a Euro 5-homologated version of MV’s 1,000cc inline-four (79.0mm x 50.9mm bore and stroke), fed by four 50mm Mikuni throttle bodies with two injectors per body. The system is interesting, using four Magneti Marelli high-flow “showerhead” injectors atop the throttle bodies and four Mikuni injectors at the bottom. The new Rush retains the previous edition’s exclusive radial valve layout distribution. But the valves are now titanium, and the cam profiles and the combustion-chamber shape are also new, along with a healthy 13.4:1 compression ratio. As in all 2021 MV Agusta engines, the inverted-cup cam followers get a special diamond-like carbon treatment to reduce friction.

The primary drive uses a new set of gears with an advanced tooth profile to both reduce mechanical noise and improve reliability. The whole transmission has been beefed up to handle the torque generated when using the electronic launch control.

The whole injection/ignition management system has been further refined over the Brutale 1000 RR. This results in impressive horsepower and torque. How impressive? The company claims 208 hp at 13,000 rpm, with 86 pound-feet peak torque at 11,000 rpm, while upgrades to the catalytic exhaust system ensure the Rush is Euro 5 compliant. And that’s in standard trim; install the racing kit (ECU and exhaust system) and those numbers increase to 212 hp at 13,600 rpm.

As for the chassis, the Rush uses the same basic steel trellis frame and aluminum swingarm-mounting plates as the Brutale 1000 RR. All the chassis components are top class, starting with the 43mm Öhlins NIX EC fork, Öhlins TTX EC shock absorber, and Öhlins steering damper; all three units are electronically managed. The braking system is all Brembo, with twin 320mm rotors and four-piston Stylema calipers up front and a single two-piston caliper and 220mm rotor at the rear. The Continental MK 100 ABS system includes rear-wheel lift-up mitigation and corner braking control.

With a compact 55.7-inch wheelbase, 23.5 degrees of rake, 3.8 inches of trail, and 30mm of offset, the Rush promises a nice combination of neutral steering response, agility, and high-speed stability. Tires are a 120/70-17 front Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa radial and a massive 200/55-17 rear. Seat height is 33.3 inches, dry weight a claimed 410 pounds.

Electronics are now as important as chassis numbers and cam timing in determining how a bike handles and delivers its power. The Rush’s electronic suite features all the electronic updates and upgrades as the rest of the MV Agusta 2021 models. As noted in previous Cycle World “first look” reports on the MV Agusta lineup, this latest upgrade is a big improvement, incorporating a six-axis IMU that manages traction control, ABS cornering, cruise control, launch control, and wheelie control. Along with all this comes a TFT instrument display, and through a smartphone, MV’s Ride app. This lets the rider tune, adjust, and select preferred functions and settings, and lets riders plot and share rides through the navigation system.

The price for all this performance and style? A cool $40,600. Maybe not for everyone, but then MVs have always been exclusive machines. We’re just happy to see the grand old marque still punching hard.