If you?ve always fancied an MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR (who hasn?t"), but can?t afford one, you?ll be pleased to read the news that MV are launching a Brutale 1000 RS; a more ?accessible? version of the ridiculously fast, ridiculously sexy, ridiculously expensive ?RR?. But it?s still fast, it?s still sexy and it?s still (we think) going to be expensive.

Whilst we haven?t had confirmation of the price just yet, the performance figures of the RS appear to be very similar to the RR. The 998cc inline four-cylinder engine, with its titanium conrods and valves, central timing chain and DLC coated tappets makes 208hp and 116.5Nm; the same as the RR. That?s a phenomenal amount of poke for a naked bike.

Not only is the engine very similar to the RR, so is the frame. Radical, compact and extremely light are the words MV have used to describe the Brutale?s frame. That said, the RS is 10kg heavier than the RR (186kg to 196kg – dry).
So what else is different, and how have MV made the RS so much more ?accessible? than the RR" Well you don?t get fancy electronic Öhlins suspension on the RS. Instead, you get Marzocchi forks and a Sachs shock. It?s still all fully adjustable, but manually, rather than electronically. That?ll account for a big proportion of the price difference between the Brutale models.

You also get higher handlebars and some new footrests, which, by the sound of it, will make the RS a bit more comfortable than the RR if you eve...