Italian superbike-maker, MV Agusta, has finally taken the wraps off their first ever 'factory custom' creation – the RVS#1. The company began to build the hype last month when they released a small teaser showing a silhouette of the motorcycle. Now that the bike has broken cover, we can assert that it certainly looks stunning.
The RVS in the name stands for Reparto Veicoli Speciali, Italian for Special Vehicle Operations. The objective of this division is to make limited-edition bikes based on models from MV Agusta's line-up, and that's why their first ever handiwork gets the RVS#1 moniker. But the design studio's motorcycles aren't going to be your typical limited-edition fare. The premise here is one bike, one customer, essentially making this #1 a hand-built one-off.
The RVS#1 started life as a Brutale Dragster 800 RR, but then the designers and engineers at MV Agusta's Castiglioni Research Centre (CRC) have gone bonkers with it. There's liberal use of titanium in the form of plates on the fuel tank and the steering head. Custom-designed parts by CRC such as rearsets, engine protectors, handlebars and dashboard support are all part of the bike's unique look. The seat unit is custom stitched in a honeycomb pattern and also features an embroidered design of a red-eyed skull for a bit of personality.
At the front, the RVS#1 gets exceptionally dramatic-looking brake rotors, courtesy of Braking Sunstar's Batfly disc brakes. At both ends are custom wire-spoke wheels from Kineo, shod with Pirelli MT60 RS tyres. Mounted on the right side are a pair of LED lights on a carbon-fibre support, but the headlamp is a far more interesting element. Consisting of an array of LEDs, it features an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) due to which the headlight can automatically illuminate in the direction the bike is turning, based on lean angle and speed.
Powering the RVS#1 is MV's familiar 798cc, three-cylinder motor, which makes 140hp of peak power and 87Nm of torque in its road-legal configuration. However, bundled along with the bike is a titanium SC Project exhaust that's designed for track use only; it bumps up the power figure to 150hp. This exhaust also drops the weight of the bike by 8kg. No matter which way you look at it – 140hp/168kg (dry) in its road-legal trim and 150hp/160kg (dry) in its track-only trim – the RVS#1 is all about high performance.
Since each motorcycle is built so specific to customer requirements, the best way to get your hands on an RVS creation is to contact MV Agusta and let them know you have the interest, and oodles of cash, so that they can commission a two-wheeled work of art for you.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
