Can anyone remember those little men waving their cute arms up and down as they passed swiftly across the screen on their way to destroying your virtual house at the bottom of the display? Oh yes, hours of fun were, er, wasted, as one tried to get the ultimate bragging rights of the chest inflating “highest-score”. Indeed I was captivated, like millions of others, with this particular video machine that spawned our modern world of interactive gaming but depressingly I never achieved the “highest-score” status in my local pub – shame that.
So what has the past swarm of irritating little aliens to do with this new and gorgeous MV Agusta Tourismo Veloce 800 you ask? Well, nothing really besides the fact that it looks like a spaceship and it’s designed to “invade” the sort of roads that MV motorcycles are not normally accustomed to. Also, that superb thin-film screen, which is the one of the biggest talking points of this new bike, would surely be hyper-fun if you could play Space Invaders on it, which in reality you can, but more of that later.
What makes this bike extra special is it’s the first genuine touring motorcycle MV has produced and I’m most certainly impressed. You see MVs are normally associated with hardcore sports bikes so I was more than keen to get my video game fingers on this one because I’ve always been a big fan of the MV brand. The Tourismo Veloce (fast touring in English) is a MV that’s designed for everyday use and a good long ride at the weekend with your partner sitting high on the unique seat and even though this model didn’t have panniers they are an optional extra to tug your stuff around.
This 798cc three-cylinder engine is definitely not from a tug though because MV has taken their F3 engine and reduced the power output to 110hp (148 in the F3) and decided to concentrate more on torque delivery instead. So much so that 90% of the torque is produced after 3,000rpm and, I know I’ve done it, you can actually pull away in sixth gear with a bit of clutch slipping. And while I’m on that subject it also has the same slipper-clutch from the F3 so you’ll never lock up the back wheel with unnecessary foot abuse. To be honest you won’t use the clutch at all once you’re on the move because the gearbox is connected to a quick-shifter that goes both up and down the gears with auto-blip, which makes going through the gears too quickly horribly addictive and this is without doubt the best gearbox I’ve felt on any MV and better than many other makes as well, nice one MV!
Now if you enjoy modern day components like the quick-shifter you’ll really love this bike. Eight levels of traction control are there, as are three power modes plus one more that can be set up to your liking with your smart phone. But wait, there are three levels of throttle response, cruise control and speed control, two USB ports for rider-to-rider connectivity and two 12-volt power sockets on the front and rear of the bike for heated suits and the like. But the amazing dashboard steals the show with its Bluetooth ability to connect to your smart phone and then you can see the GPS App off your phone so you don’t need one, read e-mails and, if you have it downloaded onto your phone, play Space Invaders on the five-inch screen, how’s that?
But this bike isn’t just about the plethora of modern gadgetry because it’s one sweeeet ride! The seat is wide and super comfortable, but it is 850mm from the floor, so little dudes beware. The handlebar to foot rest ratio is spot on for my six-foot chassis and for once I didn’t complain about anything, besides Natalie wanting to steal “my” MV every chance she could. But a short and sharp visit from the “Slap Fairy” sorted that out quickly!
So the engines a peach, it’s nice to live with on a daily basis and there’s no denying that the Tourismo Veloce is a dramatically stunning bike to look at from all angles. And at only R170,000 from www.cayenne.co.za I believe it to be a bit of a bargain compared to its competition in this sort of class of motorcycle, of which there are many alternatives, but this “space ship” styled MV stole my heart, thank you very much and I’d proudly have one in my garage any day.
And the days in the saddle of the new MV can and will be long with a big 22-litre tank and a 20% better fuel economy than any of their other 800 models. You so easily get into the MV groove with the sport bike handling it offers the rider, due to its 212kg weight fully fuelled, which is light for a bike with all this stuff on board. Touring, track days, or just being plain ol’ naughty are all beautifully contained and so easily accessible within the frame rails of the Tourismo Veloce and this is without doubt the nicest MV I’ve come across, as you’ve already gathered from my words.
So if you’ve always fancied owning a MV but felt they’re a bit too focussed on the sporty side of life this is, maybe, what you’ve been waiting for and it’ll sit soooo nicely next to your old Space Invader arcade machine in your man cave as well.
