Famed as the most versatile Agusta, the Turismo Veloce 800 gave the Italian a fresh breed of customers wanting to venture the outback and the hills. Being an MV, it is the most stylish breed of a machine to go trotting around the globe. And now, it is making it even easier to do it.

Presenting the new 2018 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce 800 Lusso SCS. It is basically the standard Veloce 800 but takes the excitement up a notch with a semi-auto clutch from Rekluse. The “SCS” stands for “Smart Clutch System” and is a proprietary technology that took MV 2 years to develop and is finally debuting on a production motorcycle.

STYLING

No one knows how to make the most exotic Italian masterpieces on two wheels better than the blokes at MV. It has a tremendous history in terms of making some of the most beautiful looking and aerodynamic motorcycles on the planet.

Although the Schiranna brand is giving you a touring motorcycle, they are not any less in style and class. The Turismo Veloce can be immediately recognized as an MV Agusta, thanks to the chiseled front fascia resembling the MV Agusta F4 that has a sharp and rakish full LED headlight element flanked by strips of DRLs’. Being a Lusso, it gets 15-liter aluminum panniers for the rear, heated handgrips, concealed GPS sensor and central stand as standard features.

This motorcycle gets a compact silhouette because of its small 3 cylinder rocket even with the side panniers. The fairing is also minimalistic and does not cover any mechanical component unlike other MV’s and joins the narrow 5.8-gallon fuel tank that has indentations for a tucked in feel. Then there is, of course, the Rekluse SCS clutch that resembles a Tony Stark flair in all its glory. A cliché red accent around all that black powertrain.

The fairing also houses an easily adjustable windshield inside which sits a 5” TFT color instrument cluster that among all others worldly information, displays GPS data too. A new switchgear, specially designed for the Turismo Veloce can allow the rider to customize the screen’s display. The Bluetooth-enabled device can connect to your smartphone and let you adjust the ride settings of your Turismo Veloce along with calls and messages displayed.

High-visibility LED indicators are embedded into the handguards giving the bike a panache, and to the rider, a great amount of comfort. The engine compartment is decisively small for an 800 cc machine. All thanks to the oil and water cooling systems being built into the engine casting. On the side, you see the distinct three spout exhaust muffler which has a rather quadrangular shape unlike the rest of its brothers.

Overall Dimension

POWERTRAIN

MV’s 798cc three-cylinder engine is regarded as the most advanced and powerful mid-sized power unit to have ever been built. The in-line 798cc motor produces a phenomenal 110 hp at 10150 rpm and 59 lb-ft of peak torque at 7100 rpm. 90% of this is available at only 3,800 rpm. The performance at high revs is superlative due to double overhead cam timing system with four titanium valves per cylinder.

Now, the same powerplant will conform to Euro-IV emission norms and will have various technical redesigns to accommodate the same without lowering those performance figures. Primarily, the engine gets optimized balance shaft and gearings along with new intake cam profiles and titanium valves. The fuel consumption is 20% lower than the rest of the line-up.

The Rekluse SCS clutch avoids engine stalling and punches better torque, thanks to more friction plates. The SCS gives you the option of shifting normally as you would on any other bike by flicking the lever when your purist heart desires. If you feel tired of this, the SCS takes over and changes gears for you based on the engine revs. When the engine is switched off, the SCS de-clutches and one needs to make use of the parking brake pedal to stop the bike from rolling away.

The MVICS (Motor & Vehicle Integrated Control System) platform combines fully electronic management of the accelerator and throttle body and 8 level adjustment traction control in case you decide to go bonkers with this and to let loose is not for the faint-hearted. It also makes use of a new and the EAS 2.0 up and down with-blipper shift system that can be controlled by the TFT instrument panel.

Giving serious thought to lightweight, the engines weighs at only 114 lbs and houses a counter-rotating shaft which was exclusive to only MotoGP monsters. This makes the engine reduce inertia during quick directional changes and enhances engine balance to give the bike a better handling ability. Functional changes include a new sprocket, which improves smooth driving characteristics and precision.

The MV Agusta Turismo Veloce is the only sports tourer with a counter-rotating crankshaft making riding a smooth pleasure unlike anything in its class, and for 2018, it is further redesigned to further reduce vibration and noise. The front engine mounts have increased longitudinal chassis stiffness and subsequently driving dynamics.

Engine Specification

RIDE AND HANDLING

Being a tourer, the Veloce is MV Agusta’s most comfortable and supple ride to take you more than 200 miles at a stretch without hurting your body. Compared to all its competitors, it also handles like a racer. With 850 mm of saddle height, it is a task to put your feet planted on the ground at a standstill, or even to throw it around the saddle. Talking about the saddle, it is much better padded for 2018, and heated grips come as standard on the Lusso adding to that comfort level.

Derived from the MV Agusta Stradale 800, the Veloce’s tubular trellis frame now has a revised steering geometry. The chassis response is positive, giving you the right amount of flex and has the quality to put many touring bikes to shame. It uses a trellis frame coupled to aluminum alloy side plates acting as a pivot for the single swingarm.

Three engine settings: Rain (80 hp), Touring (90 hp) and Sport (110 hp) and a custom mode along with the ride-by-wire throttle let you play around with the bike’s performance according to your imagination. Some of the parameters that can be customized are the engine torque curve in-line with power output (two levels), rev limiter cut-in point (Hard or Soft), throttle sensitivity (three levels), engine braking (two levels), engine response (two levels) and of course the traction control (eight levels).

The Lusso version also features MV’s Skyhook algorithm that supplies all the key parameters for the semi-active suspension adjustments. 43mm Sachs semi-active units handle the front while progressive Sachs with electronic dampers monoshock at the rear suspension.

Braking units are taken by the Brembo radial-type monoblock with twin 320 mm discs in the front and a 220 mm at the rear clutched by 4 and 2 pistons respectively. Bosch 9 Plus with RLM (Rear wheel Lift-up Mitigation) ABS comes as standard. Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tires provide sufficient grip on the asphalt.

Chassis Specifications

PRICE

The MV Agusta Turismo Veloce 800 Lusso SCS will be soon made available in America dealerships for a premium price of around $21,000. The Lusso SCS will be available in Fire Red & Dark Metallic Opaque Grey, Pearl White & Avio Grey color options.

You will also get MV’s accessory lounge access to customize your bike to your needs. You can install bags, carbon fiber mudguards and silencer covers, seats and stands.

Price

COMPETITION

The MV Agusta Turismo Veloce has very few contenders for the 800cc category, and the biggest one amongst them is the British-made Triumph Tiger. The ‘Tiger’ range got the much needed revamp and were launched earlier this year.

Triumph Tiger 800 XCA

Triumph has a beeline of buyers for this Tiger for its practical approach and usability as an adventure motorcycle. Seeing its success, Triumph has loaded it with changes and updates than to make sure they reign the middleweight segment. The 800 gets 200 improvements over the engine and chassis components making it more capable off-road and more comfortable.

It gets a new full-color TFT instrumentation, heated seats and grips, all-LED lighting and backlit switchgear just like on the Veloce RC, albeit the heated seats. Keeping the 800 looking smart is the new bodywork and decals with updated side panel designs that keep the off-road stance pronounced even better. It gets new five-position adjustable windscreen and aero diffusers for segment-leading aero protection.

The 800cc in-line triple is now mass-optimized to give out 95 ponies and 58 lb-ft of torque with a fine-tuned throttle response for immediate power delivery. The powertrain sees significant improvements in the form of shorter ratio 1st gear for enhanced off-road traction and responsiveness and gets a lighter, free-flowing silencer to create a raw soundtrack.

Giving the 800 a commanding riding position is the new handlebar position and new saddle compounds that cater to all-day comfort on and off-road. High spec Brembo brakes and Showa suspensions do their job perfectly. Electronic rider aids include ABS, traction control, ride-by-wire throttle, cruise control and up to six riding modes including the new “Off-Road Pro” mode (XC models only), which allows the rider to disengage the electronic rider aids.

The top-of-the-line Tiger 800 XCA is available for $15,850.

VERDICT

The Turismo Veloce is the most versatile motorcycle by the Schiranna brand ever since it was launched back in 2013. Then came the Lusso edition that got semi-active electronic suspension setup and a few accessories as a standard kit that took the riding pleasure up a level. With this Lusso SCS, MV has given its extroverted customers another reason to travel to remote places with its smart clutch system.

As a “supersport machine that’s built for comfort,” the SCS takes care of all your gear changes for you if you wish for, and I am sure you do in those urban snarls. Being as gorgeous as ever, the top spec electronic damped suspension and the smart clutch gives the rider more reasons to go the extra mile without feeling lethargic. The plethora of rider aids including the traction control setup works wonders keeping the rider intrigued, engaged and most important of all satisfied with his exotic ride.