Riding the 2016 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce 800

What a great time to be a motorcyclist!

MV Agusta’s Turismo Veloce 800 is the latest adventure-inspired sport touring bike to enter the market, and what a machine it is!  If you are in the market for a sport bike that can take you on long trips with comfort you should take a closer look at this bike.

2016 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce

2016 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce 800

This bike has just arrived at the MV Agusta dealer network in the United States and a couple of weeks ago I took one of these beautiful machines on an extended ride.

MV Agusta Turismo Veloce

MV Agusta Turismo Veloce 800

This bike represents a major move from MV Agusta.  It joins BMW, Ducati, Aprilia, KTM and others at the higher end of the growing adventure inspired sport touring segment.  Similar to the S1000XR, the Multistrada DVT, the Caponord and the 1190 Adventure, the Turismo Veloce 800 delivers sport bike performance, it is packed with the latest riding technology, it is put together to deliver ergonomics for comfort travel, and has the luggage capacity for long distance travel.

2016 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce

2016 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce

Lighter and more compact than the other bikes in this segment, the Turismo Veloce opens up the possibilities by delivering great urban manners, excellent handling characteristics, accompanied by the raspy exhaust note of a free-revving three cylinder motor. On this segment, the Turismo Veloce is the least powerful, but likely the most engaging of them all.

2016 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce

2016 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce

Daring to show up with no beak nor double headlights I would argue the Turismo Veloce is also the best looking and sexier motorcycle in this segment, if not beyond.  Welcome to what’s new in the motorcycle touring world!

A Touring Motorcycle from MV Agusta, you said?

This bike’s DNA makes the Turismo Veloce somewhat of a surprise entry on the touring world. MV Agusta is known for its racing history, it has more Moto GP Championships than any other manufacturer, all coming from their dominance on race tracks spanning across three decades, from 1952 to 1974.

IMG_3354Despite a few changes in ownership along the years, MV Agusta has remained a sports bike manufacturer and only lately started diversifying its product lines, adding naked bikes, street fighters, and roadsters to line up alongside the F4 and F3 sport bikes.

Diversified line, Brutale and Stradale models at the Bellevue MV Agusta shop

Diversified line, Brutale and Stradale models shouldering an F4 at the Bellevue MV Agusta shop

The Turismo Veloce is the latest and a most radical example of MV Agusta’s product line expansion.  Although this bike can be considered an unexpected move from MV Agusta, there is a reasonable explanation for investing on this segment when we consider the increasing popularity of adventure and adventure-styled machines of the last several years. Ducati’s successful venture with the Multistrada is a point in case.

Turn Signal, MV Agusta Turismo Veloce 800

Turn Signal, MV Agusta Turismo Veloce 800

The Turismo Veloce’s motor is a variation on the F3 motor, where the 800 cc three-cylinder motor has been re-worked to prioritize torque over horse power, ridability over race ability. The result is a very docile machine when on touring mode (the bike has three pre-set engine performance maps you can choose from: rain, touring or sport), perfect for a relaxed ride, if you so wish for, which works great for city riding as well – fueling is spot on!

Three Cylinders

But the power is there, and although 110hp and 62 lb-ft of torque may be viewed as small numbers when compared to the Multistrada DVT and the S1000XR, the Turismo Veloce has a sport map where you will experience a nice rush of power, especially felt at the mid-range of the torque curve.

This bike sounds great!

This bike sounds great!

It happens to deliver power where we spend most of the time when in spirited riding, when having fun still at reasonable speeds. Unless you are racing for a prize, I bet the BMW and Ducati bikes won’t be able to shake this MV Agusta down on street and canyon riding. Add to this equation this bike’s lighter weight (when compared to the BMW and the Ducati), riding this bike is quite an engaging experience.

Black and gold colored trellis frame

Black and gold colored trellis frame

Aside from the F3 motor and MV Agusta’s racing history, the Turismo Veloce’s DNA is clearly shown in its looks as well.  The cornerstone of MV Agusta’s latest incarnation as a motorcycle manufacturer was the F4 machine, designed by the late Massimo Tamburini (Cagiva Research Center – CRC- chief designer) and launched in 1997. The F4 design was worth of making that motorcycle the center piece of the Guggenheim museum’s “The Art of the Motorcycle” exhibit.

MV Agusta F4 750 in

MV Agusta F4 750 in “The Art of the Motorcycle” exhibit, at the Guggenheim museum

It is not surprising the Turismo Veloce is one of the most beautiful adventure-inspired touring machines out there. You can see in it the F4’s shape with its flowing lines, the diamond shaped headlight, and in the case of the red version, the juxtaposition of red and silver.  Just like in the original F4.

2016 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce

2016 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce

Although the Turismo Veloce is an Adrian Morton design, current senior designer at the CRC, this bike makes it clear Massimo Tamburini’s influence is still alive at the CRC. Overall, this bike makes sense under MV Agusta’s “Motorcycle Art” moto.

F4 CC (Claudio Castiglioni) available for sale in the Seattle store - one of 100 made.

F4 CC (Claudio Castiglioni) available for sale in the Seattle store – one of 100 made.

Selected Technical Data

The Turismo Veloce 800 comes in two models, Turismo Veloce (Red/Silver or Silver/Gray) and Turismo Veloce Lusso (Red/Silver or Pearl White/Gray).  I have only seen and tested the standard version.  Main difference between the two is in the suspension.  The Lusso comes with a Sachs semi-active suspension, while the version I tested has Marzochi fronts and Sachs rear, both manually, but fully adjustable.

Base model comes with Marzochi front forks and Sachs shock on the rear, fully adjustable

Base model comes with Marzochi front forks and Sachs shock on the rear, fully adjustable

Other differences between the standard and the Lusso versions are accessories, such as grip warmers, GPS, center stand and a data logger which are standard equipment on the Lusso.

Peral White 2016 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce, Lusso Model (MV Agusta Photo)

Pearl White 2016 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce, Lusso Model, with bags (MV Agusta Photo)

Although the bike was partly designed to look good and slim with bags, you need to purchase the bags separately.

Some key numbers:

  • Displacement: 798 cc
  • Power: 110 hp at 10,000 rpm
  • Torque: 61.2 lb-ft at 8,000 rpm
  • Electronic quick-shift (assisted shift): MV EAS 2.0
  • Wheelbase: 57.48 inches
  • Maximum speed: 143 mph (230kmh)
  • Dry weight: 421 pounds (191 kg)
  • Fuel tank capacity: 5.8 gallons (22 liters)
  • Front Suspension (standard model): Marzocchi “upside down” telescopic hydraulic fork with rebound-compression damping and spring preload external and separate adjustment. Fork travel: 6.3 inches.
  • Rear Suspension (standard model): Progressive Sachs, single shock, absorber with rebound and compression, damping and spring preload adjustment. Wheel travel: 6.5 inches.
  • ABS System: Bosch 9 Plus with RLM (Rear wheel Lift-up Mitigation)

The ABS system is the Bosch 9 Plus, with rear wheel lift up mitigation (RLM).  It is not clear whether this version of the Bosch 9 Plus offers the motorcycle stability control (MSC) which comes on the 2014 KTM 1190 Adventure and newer models, 2015 Ducati Multistrada, and BMW 2016 S1000XR.

Up Close and Personal

When I arrived at the Bellevue MV Agusta shop, in the Seattle area, the bike was sitting outside the store, the bright MV Agusta red shining under the sun light. First impression, it looks even better in the metal than on photographs. Second impression, it is a compact machine! Third impression, after throwing a leg over it you will notice it is tall but feels very light on side to side balancing – for a reference, with a 30 inch inseam I’m not flat-footing the bike on both legs, but did not feel the need for that at any time during my ride which included stop-and-go traffic, stops for photos, one stop for gas, and a few u-turns on tight roads for a good measure.

2016 Turismo Veloce in front of MV Agusta store, Seattle, WA

2016 Turismo Veloce in front of MV Agusta store, Seattle, WA

The bike has a nice color TFT display with operation information and several settings to chose from.

Color TFT Display

Color TFT Display

From a switch on the left side of the handlebars you control the settings.  On the bottom of the display, from left to right you have:

  • Settings menu: This is where you work on general settings. Among them you will find the quick shift settings, which has an “off” or “on” position, and when “on” you can select active when changing gears up only or active for both up and down.
  • Grip warmer (Lusso model only)
  • Suspension settings: Operates semi-active suspension, available on the Lusso model only – looking at the bike’s manual, it is similar to other bikes with Sachs semi-active suspension.
  • ABS:  Two positions, on or off.  It can also be operated from a switch on the right side of the handle bars.
  • Traction control:  Eight levels of intervention.
  • Trip information: Trip counter 1 and 2, odometer from start, odometer with reserve fuel, average speed, duration of the ride.  Comment: It is interesting to note this bike does not show miles to empty or any fuel consumption data – perhaps something that is only available on the Lusso model’s data logger – the bike does have a fuel level gauge the amber light for reserve, and a trip meter starting from zero when the reserve light comes on.
  • Map:  Selection of engine map.  Rain, Touring, Sport or Custom.  Custom being the one map you customize for your riding style.  Custom includes gas sensitivity (normal low high), engine torque (full power or low power), engine brake (normal or low), engine response (fast or slow), RPM limiter (soft or hard). Maps operate independently of ABS and Traction Control levels.  Comment: I do not know what levels of each of these variables are pre-set for the rain, touring and sport maps.  I assume sport modes has all the goodies on (high gas sensitivity, fast engine response, full power, normal engine braking, hard RPM limiter) .
  • speed limiter (I did not try this function…)
  • cruise control:  It’s operation is very intuitive, with levels of speed +/- settings, or it is also operated by a button on the right side of the handlebars which is basically a one touch operation, adjusting it for the speed you are riding at the time of engagement.
  • bluetooth (I did not test the bluetooth function)
  • data logger:  This is a GPS data logging, Lusso only.  According to the manual, this function enables data logging from the GPS navigation system and from bike’s sensors. Comment: I do not have the list of information the data logger collects and displays nor whether it can or not be downloaded to devices via bluetooth.
On top is the button that operates the bike's settings and information display

On top is the button that operates the bike’s settings and information display (press and left, right movement

Wen pressing the button on the top, you can maneuver left and right the items on the bottom part of the menu.  For example, I set traction control to level 4.  On the photo below we can’t read the numbers, but it goes from “off” on the left to level 8 (most interference).  And most of the settings can be done on the fly, no need to stop the motorcycle.  Although I would recommend stopping and setting it up before you get going.

Very intuitive menu-driven setting system

Very intuitive menu-driven setting system

You can also work on your settings via a smart phone app which will communicate to the motorcycle via bluetooth.  I downloaded the app to my IPhone to learn more about it via a demo mode.  You can set the engine configuration for the custom map (custom tuning of all the settings) and on the Lusso, with its semi-active suspension, you can work on the suspension settings.  You can also log your trips via the app.

Smart phone app for Turismo Veloce

Smart phone app for Turismo Veloce

I tried the custom tuning demo but somehow it did no come up on my demo version.  The suspension setting worked though and in a short time I was able to play with some settings.

Suspension settings of MV Agusta Turismo Veloce Lusso via Smart Phone App

Suspension settings of MV Agusta Turismo Veloce Lusso via Smart Phone App

It allows you to work on rebound and compression, for front and rear, and allows you to save various settings for future use.  You can pre-program several suspension settings, and save them for specific use (the standard names below are eclick 1, 2, 3… etc and you can rename each of them for your specific set up purpose – passenger, urban, race).

Suspension Settings via Smart Phone App - Turismo Veloce Lusso

Suspension Settings via Smart Phone App – Turismo Veloce Lusso

On rebound you can set it by changing stiffness (soft, medium and hard) or stroke speed (slow, medium, fast).  Same for compression.  And you can do it for front and rear, of course. After you set up several different settings, with this app you can change them very quickly, allowing you to experiment with several variations of rebound and compression and finding which setting works best for you for any given type of riding.

Suspension Settings, swiping dot on rebounding to change stroke speed from fast to slow.

Suspension Settings, swiping dot on rebounding to change stiffness from hard to soft.

As mentioned before, the app will also log your trips.

Trip logging via the smart phone app

Trip logging via the smart phone app

It will show a map of where your ride took place, and you can zoom in and out of it and move it around by swiping on your phone’s screen.  You will also be able to review speed, roll angle, and throttle levels.  You can also log the photos of your trip, making it into a complete trip report.

Speed, roll angle and percent at throttle levels

Speed, roll angle and percent at throttle levels

It is a very neat application and considering the bike’s bluetooth communication system, its various sensors and computer(s), one can assume this app can be modified as things evolve, other apps can be developed for this bike by independent developers, new variables could be included. It’s a fun new world.

Back to analog controls, on the right side you will find the other controls.  It is great that this bike has a handlebar on/off switch for ABS.  Same for cruise control, which is also very easy to operate.

Right side of the handlebars: cruise cotrol and ABS.

Right side of the handlebars: cruise control and ABS.

In summary for managing settings, this bike offers several entry points for different items.  In the case of ABS, you can do it via a switch on the right side of the handlebars or via the button on the left that operates the settings menu in the dashboard screen.  And for suspension and engine map, you use the phone app or the settings menu on the dashboard screen.  Both the settings and the phone app seem to need a bit of an improvement, though. With all of these electronics, I did not find any information that would show miles to empty for example.  The phone app’s engine settings were not working on the demo version of my app, and it seems to have some lost in translation items, that are probably working or better explained on the non-demo version.  You can download it and check it for yourself.

Back to the motorcycle, the mirrors are small but their shape and position offer great rear view.

IMG_3366fixedThe seat, while it looks slim, is very comfortable. How did they do that? More than one hour into the ride I remembered to check for comfort, and I have no complaints about it.  Not sure whether a passenger would enjoy the rear seat though.

Seat is very comfortable. Did not try the passenger seat

Seat is very comfortable. Did not try the passenger seat

Some bikes seem to have bags which look like they were an after thought.  This is not the case for the Turismo Veloce.  The capacity to carry bags for touring was an intrinsic element of the bike’s design.  The rear of the bike is tall and has a unique, and good looking subframe which accommodates the bags.  The bags are large (30 liters each) but a portion of them sit under this tall subframe, to where they attach via two insertion points each bag (check the four plastic caps which hide the two insertion points for each bag). The other attachment area for each bag is at the passenger foot peg.  The Seattle store had not received this bike’s bags in time for this test ride.

The subframe is looks like a sculpture

The subframe is looks like a sculpture

According to others who have already reviewed this bike with its bags installed, the width of the bike at the bags is narrower than the width at the handlebars.  It makes for a perfect urban riding machine.  We can assume there are other benefits associated with this narrower profile, better fluid dynamics for touring, for example.  The bags are symmetrical (no cutout for exhaust) and MV Agusta claims each bag will fit a full face helmet.

2015 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce Lusso - narrow profile of bags

2016 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce Lusso – narrow profile of bags – narrower than handlebars’ width

I don’t know if you would ever take this motorcycle on a dirt and gravel adventure but if you decide to do it, besides the ABS on/off switch at the handlebars this bike comes equipped with Pirelli Scorpion Trail tires.

Pirelli Scorpion Trail

Pirelli Scorpion Trail, 17 inch front wheel.

And what about those beautiful 12-spoke wheels!

17 inch, 190 / 55 rear tire mounted on gorgeous 12-spoke wheel.

17 inch, 190 / 55 rear tire mounted on gorgeous 12-spoke wheel.

The bike has four sources of power for accessories.  It includes two USB plugs below the dashboard.

Two USB Connectos at the Handlebars

Two USB plugs close to the dashboard

The other two connectors are SAE style plugs, one for the rider, the other for the passenger, perfect for electric vests.

Passenger's 12V SAE plug.

Passenger’s 12V SAE plug.

I almost forgot the lights! It has LED lights, and the frame of the diamond shaped lights are the running lights.

LED running lights.

LED running lights.

Let’s take it for a ride!

Never ridden an MV Agusta before I was a bit unsure about what to expect and had been waiting for this opportunity since I’ve first heard about this motorcycle.  The triple motor sounds similar to my Tiger 800XC motor, but it has an edge to it, a bit raw, it is a lot more inspiring for its sound and in action a lot more engaging for its higher torque and hp when compared to the 800XC motor.  Part of the experience about riding this bike, the sound and the power delivery, this is something about this bike that keeps bringing me back to that ride.  I’m glad I have it on video for when I feel like listening to it again (eventually I will edit some of the video action for another post).

MV Agusta Turismo Veloce in the Washington Cascades, October 2015

MV Agusta Turismo Veloce in the Washington Cascades, October 2015

My plan for this test ride was to find some curvy roads on the west slope of the Cascade Mountains not too far from Seattle on either side of Hwy 90.  But I first had to navigate the heavy traffic of this busy area of the state of Washington.  I started my ride on the Touring map and while still on stop-and-go traffic I decided to change it to sport.  The touring map delivers very linear acceleration, it is perfect for riding in town and I would assume it would work on the road as well.  The change to sport mode is very noticeable. The sport map unleashes action on the middle of the RPM range, begging you to stay on the 5K-7K of the RPM range where the motor becomes very responsive to throttle input.  I assume the sport map has all the fun engine options on the “on” position (see above for custom map choices).

The original Tamburini's F4 design lives on the Turismo Veloce based on Adrian Morton's interpretation

The original Tamburini’s F4 design lives on the Turismo Veloce based on Adrian Morton’s interpretation

Unless you are racing or really pushing a motorcycle to its limits, you will want to spend most of the time in the middle of the RPM range, right?  At least that’s where I like to stay, riding fast, but with plenty of degrees of safety.  And this is a key aspect about this motorcycle: it is extremely fun to ride it at that mid range of its RPM curve!  I did not try it faster, so I will not say anything about that.  For more information on that, though, I included a few videos on this report where you can see journalists and a couple of professional riders exploring the limits of this bike during its launch in Europe.  You will notice that some of those journalists agree with me (well, I agree with them), this bike delivers plenty of excitement at reasonable speeds.

Solid signs of fall, wet road and leaves on the ground! Riding the Turismo Veloce. Washington Cascades, October 2015

Solid signs of fall, wet road and leaves on the ground! Riding the Turismo Veloce. Washington Cascades, October 2015

It is clear to me after riding it for almost two hours, this bike is a serious contender for guys looking for a sport touring motorcycle. This could be riders who are looking to move to a more comfortable sports bike, people who want to downsize from their heavy adventure motorcycles after they realized they mostly ride on pavement anyway, or riders who are just starting to discover the fun of multi-day riding.

Riding the Turismo Veloce 800 in the Washington Cascades, October 2015

Riding the Turismo Veloce 800 in the Washington Cascades, October 2015

This bike feels very light on several aspects.  The throttle and clutch action feel very light. It feels very light when in motion, very responsive to minor counter steering input, it likes to lean into curves.  Its tallness and short wheel base, together with wide handlebars are probably responsible for that feel.  It requires attention at greater speeds, but it never turned into a compromise. That is, I say you will probably enjoy a lot more the much it offers on tight curves than what little it may take away from you on long sweeping fast curves.

2016 Turismo Veloce 800

2016 Turismo Veloce 800

The acceleration is great, it sounds phenomenal, the quick-shift works great, has a quick turn in, ergos are spot on (for me, at least).  This bike delivers plenty of fun at slow and faster speeds.

Riding the Turismo Veloce 800 - October 2015

Riding the Turismo Veloce 800 – October 2015

I did not adjust the suspension, the bike’s default setting was what I used on this ride. Only thing I noticed was a bit of front dive when hard on brakes.  I believe this can be fixed by a proper suspension set up. And the Lusso will have that taken care via the Sachs semi-active suspension.

The distance seat-to-pegs felt good, I would have preferred a bit more leg room – but it was not a problem.  The handlebars came right up for a perfect sit up position, they felt right where they should be, very similar to my Multistrada, and better than my Tiger 800XC.  Now that I think about it, the entire ergos, from leg room (seat-to-peg distance) to position of the pegs, to handlebar position is better in the Turismo Veloce than on my Tiger 800XC.  That is surprising considering the 800XC was really meant to be an adventure machine.

Tall handlebars, perfect reach for adventure style touring!

Tall handlebars, perfect reach for adventure style touring!

There are three issues that I did not like on this bike.  The first one is the windshield which was not very helpful for me.  Similar to my experience in the BMW 1000XR, having it up or down did not make much difference. I kept it on the lowest position and still got a lot of dirty air right at the helmet level. I have this problem on my Tiger 800XC, used to have it on the Multistrada, solved it by using the Multistrada’s short carbon fiber screen.  Not sure how to solve it for the MV Agusta, someone will eventually come up with alternatives that will reduce air turbulence. But this is a personal thing, different riders experience different results from the same level of wind protection.

Turismo Veloce 800

Turismo Veloce 800

The second issue was the lack of information regarding fuel consumption. Yes, I’ve become dependent on the miles-to-empty data on other motorcycles. On top of that, the Turismo Veloce does not show instant or average fuel consumption either.  The Lusso model has a Data Logger, maybe some of that information is available there.  If not I will assume it may eventually be possible to have that information available for this bike via software development. On the other hand, with a 5,8 gallon fuel tank this bike probably has a solid 200 mile range, which ameliorates the issue.

The third issue is the wide turning ratio.  I had to do a few u-turns as I was exploring unknown to me roads on this test ride.  All of the u-turns where left turns and on all of them I hit the turning lock.  On the first one I dabbed my foot on the ground, as it caught me by surprise on a tight one lane road u-turn.  After that I learned it was coming and managed the situation better.

None of these three issues would be deal breakers to me.  Wind buffeting problems are common for most adventure-styled motorcycles and what doesn’t work for me may work for somebody else – that’s how windshields are for motorcycles.  Fuel consumption is something that can be learned after a few tank fill-ups.  The turning radius issue was just a question of knowing whereabouts the handlebar stops.

What others say about this bike? 

I have collected a few videos about this motorcycle, all from the time it was launched in Nice, France.  If you haven’t seen these videos yet I recommend you check them out as they provide great information about the bike.

It’s straight from the adventure bike brief and it’s become instead something brilliant, it’s a comfortable sportbike (…) It’s the smaller Multistrada Ducati isn’t making.  Steve Farrell @ Visor Down

I get what Steve Farrell is talking about.  The Turismo Veloce reminds me of the Ducati Hyperstrada.  Both bikes are similar in ergos, power, torque figures, and weight.  The Hyperstrada is a motorcycle I really enjoyed riding, but something was missing from that experience.  Ducati kept it pretty much as a motard and simply added bags, fuel capacity, and a small screen.   That bike is fun, but in my opinion it needs to mature some more to enter the touring world.  This is what the Turismo Veloce offers, a motorcycle package which brings it closer to the Multistrada, but with the riding characteristics, the fun you get on the Hyperstrada.

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The layout of its chassis and ergonomics strike that same magic balance between comfort and handling as other upright seated, wide barred and properly suspended sport adventure themed bikes. Sean Alexander, Motorcycle.Com

(…) it sounds the business, looks like Sophia Loren in her prime, is comfortable, handles well, and MV has made a strong case for its pre game homework on this, its first ever Touring model. Sean Alexander, Motorcycle.Com

If the new Turismo Veloce truly offers the same level of comfort and stability as its competition, but also turns inside them, accelerates harder, sounds better, and looks much better, than I think a strong case can be made for actually spending all that extra cash to get an MV. What a great time to be a motorcyclist.” Sean Alexander, Motorcycle.Com

No question, I agree, what a great time to be a motorcyclist!  But… Sophia Loren in her prime? That means it has been a long time since an Italian woman has been identified as synonymous for what a beautiful woman should look like. At least we have here a beautiful Italian motorcycle to become one of the next icons of beauty in the moto world.

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I have to give MV Agusta thumbs up and thank you for bringing some style to the touring world.  Tor Sagen

Right on, Tor.  It was about time for and adventure-inspired motorcycle to actually look great.  In a certain way, it is a sport motorcycle and without bags it looks a bit like one. Just that it offers a different experience about riding a sports bike.  One that I actually enjoy more.

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Would I buy it?

Yes, this is a great time to be a motorcyclist, once again, I agree.  On the other hand, the more and better options we get, the more difficult it is to select which bike best fits the bill.  After riding the Turismo Veloce I can see this bike as a strong candidate to join the others in my shed.  And I would go for the Lusso version just because I’ve been enjoying the semi-active suspension in my Multistrada!

There is however a great deal of distance from my house to the closest MV Agusta dealer, in Bellevue, WA (just outside Seattle).  That’s 300 miles each way.  The next dealer is in Reno, 400+ miles away, or in San Francisco, 500+ miles away.  It’s a long haul to get a computer re-flash and do all the services while hoping nothing will go wrong in between.

MV Agusta Dealer Network

MV Agusta Dealer Network, far from my house

For now I will enjoy this motorcycle from a distance. Literally. But yes, I can see this motorcycle in my shed, the first one on the line, the favorite for short rides around town, for spirited rides on the special roads I know well, or just for touring around the state.  It would not replace the Ducati.  I would leave the Multistrada for longer touring trips and for the times when I need a fix of V-twin power delivery and sounds.

The Turismo Veloce would not substitute my Tiger 800XC in its adventure riding job either, as I see them as completely different bikes.  Nonetheless I could see taking a Turismo Veloce to Dead Horse, Alaska, do the end of the road through the Arctic Circle, doing hundreds of miles on gravel roads.  I don’t think the late Claudio Castiglione had that type of riding in mind when he drafted the plan for this motorcycle.  In my case such a ride with this machine would be more for making a point, even if I think it would actually do it reasonably well.

Beautiful from all angles!

Beautiful from all angles!

Was this post the first time you’ve heard about this bike?

This bike has not generated the same media hoopla other sport touring bikes have received here in the United States. I don’t even know whether this bike has had an official launch for the United States media or not.  If it hasn’t that would be a shame, this motorcycle is an amazing piece of machinery that deserves media attention and exposure to riders who are in the market for a new motorcycle.

Special Thanks!

I want to thank Bill, Mike, and Brett at the Bellevue Motors store, in Bellevue (Seattle area).  I contacted them as soon as I heard this motorcycle would be available in the United States.  Bill was my point of contact for organizing a test ride, keeping me appraised on the status of this bike’s arrival.  He was was nice to set aside the time for me to have an extended ride on the demo bike.  It was great meeting those guys in person, guys who genuinely appreciate motorcycles and talking about bikes. They are all enthusiastic about the Turismo Veloce!  Give them a call and take this demo bike for a spin!

Bonus Videos

This is the official MV Agusta video about the Turismo Veloce.  I call this video the “Tiramisu motorcycle”.  Tiramisu means “pick me up” or “lift me up” in Italian, the name of the dessert, a reference to the good dose of caffeine in it.  The bridge of the song on the video starts with “Lift me up, I’m moving on…” or something like this.  The name of the song is “Give our dreams their wings to fly” (thanks for the Shazam app to help me find the song’s name). Yes, this bike is engaging, it tira mi su!

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This last video shows the bike being ridden fast on the roads above Nice during its European launch.  No music, no words, just the sounds of the machines at work. Enjoy!

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Bonus Photo

The bike depicted on this photo was MV Agusta’s first touring bike in the early 1950’s. So “Turismo” is not a new word on the MV Agusta line up, nor is the Turismo Veloce its first touring bike.

1950's MV Agusta C175TL Turismo Lusso

1950’s MV Agusta C175TL Turismo Lusso

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Thank you for reading!  If you have any questions about my experience riding this bike please send me a note, I will be glad to respond or discuss or add something I may have missed to report about my ride on this bike.

As always, don’t take my word for it.  If you are lucky to have an MV Agusta dealer near you, call them and take one of these bikes for a ride.  If you can’t resist the purchase after the test ride, don’t blame me.  This bike in particular, it may talk to you.  It talked to me.  My bank account is happy this bike lives 300 miles away.

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46 Responses to Riding the 2016 MV Agusta Turismo Veloce 800

  1. Daniel Croft says:

    Hey Cesar,
    Did the dealership say anything about the fuel data question? i.e. Did they think that there’d be some solution? Seems like something that MV would want to add (range/consumption avg./etc).
    Thank you very much for doing the review, I’ve been waiting (not so) patiently to hear more on this bike from the local availability.
    Dan

    • cesardagord says:

      Hey Dan,
      I haven’t heard anything about this from anyone at this point. I’m just assuming this is something that can be done via software development. Perhaps it may be available under a setting on the data logger (Lusso model only). If I hear anything from them or others about this I will update this post!
      Thanks for asking the question!
      Cesar

      • danielacroft says:

        Hey Cesar,

        I’m considering the Lusso myself and have been told that the bags are included (as well as the quick shifter, heated grips, full LED headlights, etc). I’m certainly interested in logging, etc but I can’t imagine how they’d make the fuel consumption information dependent on a GPS logger. I hope it’s as you say and some update down the line, made available for both versions. I’m also curious about whether cornering ABS is a thing on these bikes, perhaps with the Lusso if not both? I’d be interested as well in what the setting screens looked like if you have any pictures of that.

        Thanks again, mate.

        Dan

      • cesardagord says:

        Hey Dan,
        On the manual it says the data logger collects information from the GPS and other bike’s sensors. That’s where the possibility is, considering the sensors we know the bike has which provide information to the fuel gauge and the reserve light. I will add other photos of the screen settings, I have a couple more that I did not include on this report. The ABS MSC function remains an unknown at this point. Soon we will know more!
        Thanks!
        Cesar

      • danielacroft says:

        Hey Cesar,

        This dealer description of the Lusso says that it has an inertial platform, would be an interesting way to differentiate between the base and Lusso for there to be an IMU and cornering ABS… hopefully we’ll find out in the next week or two.

        http://www.teasdale-motorcycles.co.uk/new/mv-agusta–6128#prettyPhoto

        Regards,
        Dan

      • cesardagord says:

        Good info Dan. They seem to be talking about the sensors associated with the semi-active suspension. It is similar to what is available on the Multistrada, S1000XR, Caponord. They rely on several sensors. Yes, we should know more soon!

      • danielacroft says:

        There’s also mention in a couple of reviews that the traction control uses the lean sensor as well…

        My dealer says they’ll be in early next week. 😀

      • cesardagord says:

        Great! And please keep us posted!

  2. V Star Lady says:

    Looks like a beautiful bike – nice review but does it come in a short leg model?

    • cesardagord says:

      Thank you and yes, it is a beautiful and very nice looking bike.
      I hear it can be lowered, but I would try it first before assuming it won’t work. It is very light and the seat is narrow on the front.

    • Tim says:

      I’m a 61 year old chap, 5’8″, 31″ inside leg and in the ‘as received’ set-up it was just too tall to feel safe for me. I specified the 25mm (1 inch) lowering kit and the lowered seat. I took delivery without the lowered seat (still waiting after nearly 6 months from ordering). I’m going to cancel the order for the lowered seat as I’ve found that with 1 inch heels I feel comfortable handling the bike (aside from the lousy turning circle!). Occasionally I have to ‘slide a cheek’ on heavily cambered roads but otherwise it’s manageable. Thicker, or built-up heels, would make it easier to handle for someone shorter. A big plus is the lack of weight when compared to other bikes I tried. This is a great bike. Not perfect but seriously addictive. I don’t agree with the comments about it being good for short rides around town though. This bike doesn’t like going slow. It hunts and snatches and just wants to go. If I want to go for a bimble around England’s beautiful country lanes, I take my BMW rnineT.

  3. Pingback: My thoughts on the 2015 MTS DVT - Ducati.ms - The Ultimate Ducati Forum

  4. Tommy says:

    Hey Cesar, great Review again and nice photos. The MV is really a beauty, i cant understand why so many people dont like the front, to me it looks great. Good to hear that you wouldn’t replace your MTS PP for the Veloce, i love that bike even more after three seasons. This year i changed the stock Termignoni exhaust to the full QD Hard Rock system, the Bike sounds awesome now, very similar to the small panigale.

    Looking at the map you postet i was wandering if you ever considerd to climb Pikes Peak with your MTS?

    All best and keep up the good work.
    Tommy

    • cesardagord says:

      Hi Tommy,

      The Turismo Veloce is an excellent motorcycle – but I can’t see it trumping my Multistrada for long distance travel. But it would be lovely to add it to my shed, just because it is so much fun to ride it. Extremely fun!!! Yes, it can do touring, just that the Multistrada’s issue on being heavier helps on long distance travel. Now, I would love to ride my Pikes Peak on the Pikes Peak. It would make it more legit for me. 🙂

      Meanwhile I have to plan on how to add the Turismo Veloce to my garage. I’m so glad (my bank account is) the closest dealer is 300 miles away.

      Cesar

  5. sspeidel says:

    Thank you for the very thorough and well-written review, especially for all the video. Did you ever edit and publish your film from this ride?
    I love a beautiful motorcycle. When I bought my 2005 Ducati ST4s there was an early multistrada next to it, which the salesman really hyped as the latest and greatest. “Maybe so,” I said, “but it’s so ugly!” (Sorry if I insult your MS.)
    I enjoyed that ST and since totaling it (don’t ask!) have been looking for another light, fast, beautiful sport-tourer, which seems to be a dying segment. This MV may be it. It irks me, though, that the F3 from which it derives sports 148 peak horsepower and 66 ft-lb of torque, while the Tourismo gets a “retuned” 110/62. Sixty-two! Despite being tuned for torque, they say.
    I understand the torque peak comes at lower revs, like the Ducati ST3 vs the ST4, but I had NO problem getting off the line in the ST4. The ST4, though, like many sport bikes, was a trial at parking-lot speeds. Any comments about this bike’s low-speed manners, or the compromised engine?

    • cesardagord says:

      You are welcome sspeidel.

      I haven’t edited the video about the bike yet. It is video from my helmet cam riding the bike. It is not going to be a good production, as I did not have much time (I drove 300 miles to get there, rode the bike, rode another 300 miles back home). I plan to draft a post comparing my Multistrada to the Turismo Veloce and the BMW S1000XR, and that’s where the video will be posted.

      I agree with you, the Multistrada is not the best looking bike out there. It somehow grew on me after a few years, especially the Pikes Peak version I currently have. Yes, the Turismo Veloce is one sexy machine and there is no comparison between it and the Multistrada for which one attracts more attention. I would like to have the two of them side by side in my garage.

      In terms of power and performance, what makes the Turismo Veloce interesting is not the final numbers (and I should edit my post to reflect that), but where these numbers happen on the RPM range. Of course it doesn’t have the torque nor the experience you get when twisting the throttle of a Ducati twin-cylinder. As a matter of fact, no bike does in my opinion. No matter, the Turismo Veloce responds very well to throttle input, starting at very low RPMs. I would think you would be able to keep up with an ST3 or ST4 very easily on a Turismo Veloce.

      The best comparison between the Turismo Veloce motor though, is with the 821cc Hyperstrada motor. Very similar in response. That is the only Ducati I’ve ridden lately where you have a usable 6th gear below 75 mph (I haven’t tried the 821 motor on the Monster nor the Multistrada DVT). What is different is that the Turismo Veloce is a 3 cylinder motor, of course. It is a different feel. It is similar to my Tiger 800XC. Having said that, it is much more engaging than the Tiger. Especially at the mid-range, while the Tiger is a bit linear and boring until you get high up in the RPM, and it still does not “explode” it just gets more responsive and sounds great at the higher RPMS, while the Turismo Veloce gets to be a lot of fun much sooner, and it sounds great sooner also, and it is quite interesting and engaging at mid range. Of course the Turismo Veloce sounds great every where on the RPM range.

      About the throttle response on the sport map, which was how the bike I rode was set, it is actually a bit too much in the middle range. As I described in the post, it has several parameters you can control on the custom map. I did not play with them, but if I would ride this bike again I would perhaps lower a tad the throttle sensitivity of the bike to perhaps get a more realistic throttle to engine response at the mid range. These are the things you only think about after you’ve ridden the bike and can better elaborate on the experience.

      Where the Turismo Veloce can not get me to sell my Multistrada is on long distance travel, with a loaded bike. The Multistrada’s 1198cc motor navigates long trips, bike loaded, with ease. At the 5K RPM the motor responds well, and although it is throttle by wire, it responds on a very realistic manner. And it has that pulsating V-twin feel. The Turismo Veloce, by comparison, feels more like it wants to race, and it is more agile. It will travel well at speeds and feels like there is room for performance with gear as well, but it is a different experience. The Multistrada feels solid. The Turismo Veloce feels light. Two different bikes. I wish I could have both.

      Low speed manners? The Turismo Veloce is much better than the Multistrada at low speeds. Even on the sport map, which is what I used most of the time, it feels very good on stop and go traffic or U-turns. The motor does not stumble nor requires too much clutch slippage. It’s just good. The light feel of the bike helps too.

      Having said all of that, nothing like taking one for a test ride… nothing that I write will actually help you until you take one for a ride. If you do, please post your experience here. Coming from an ST3 or ST4, you probably will have interesting things to say about the Turismo Veloce.

      • Daniel Croft says:

        You have 3 options for throttle response on the Turismo Veloce, they make a significant difference to the way the bike works. I’ve been testing using all three and pretty much don’t use the fastest throttle response at all, that might change if I end up doing a track day on the bike, though. The setting for throttle response, power and engine response are all separate, btw.

  6. Tony says:

    Hey Cesar, Great review! I wanted to ask your opinon since you have tested the Turismo and own the Mutistrada. I am considering purchasing either the 2016 Multistrada S or the Turismo Veloce.

    I will be using either bike mostly as daily commuter (and of course some weekend fun 🙂 ). The comute is approx. 60 mi. on mainly a major multi-lane fwy in So Cal. I know I still need to test ride both and the higher weight of the Multistrada is a consideraton. But I was curious of what you think would work best in this scenario.

    Any input would be greatly appreciated!

    Thanks,

    Tony

    • cesardagord says:

      Hi Tony,
      Overall, the Turismo Veloce should be better on urban traffic, filtering and all of that. It has a slightly better riding position for that, keeping your body very upright for better view of traffic on all directions. It is lighter. If you commute with bags, they are tucked in on a narrower profile, which is better for filtering. On the other hand, the Turismo Veloce is more engaging, and depending on your style of riding, it can be too much. As a comparison, the Multistrada (the 2013, not the DVT), even on its highest output (150 hp with higher throttle response) feels more behaved to me than the Turismo Veloce on Sport. On touring or rain mode, or on a custom map, you may be able to tone down the Turismo Veloce’s throttle response, I believe. In 60 miles you have to take all of these scenarios in consideration.

      I rode the Turismo Veloce for 74 miles and felt it was always under control, and it was a tremendous pleasure to ride it. The Multistrada offers a more relaxed ride. But it is heavier and wider than the Turismo Veloce. I can’t see these bikes as an either or… I want them both!

      Having said that, I have not ridden the Multistrada DVT, which is expected to be smoother than my 2013 Multistrada, has more power (both torque and hp) than my 2013. It has a few issues, which Ducati has been working on.

      Perhaps Dan (who posted a few times here earlier) can offer his take on your question. He recently sold his Multistrada DVT and bought a Turismo Veloce Lusso and he lives in California.

      • Tony says:

        Cesar,

        That is great feed back and I see Dan has also left me some info.

        Time to take the demo for a ride!

        Thanks again!

        Tony

    • Daniel Croft says:

      Hey Tony,

      I owned a DVTS for 6 months or so and put about 5200 miles on it. I’ve had my Turismo Veloce Lusso for a bit over a week and have a bit over 600 miles on it. Prior to the DVTS I had a 2012 MTS S Touring that I put 17k miles on. I’ve ridden to NorCal and back on the DVTS, haven’t done any longer rides on the TVL yet except back and forward to San Diego from Lake Elsinore.

      The TVL is definitely a lighter, smaller motorcycle than the DVT which I’m quite happy about, this makes filtering easier, even with the bags on the bike. The suspension on the DVTS is better than the TVL, you feel more change from it but, the DVTS suspension has electronic pre-load on the rear whereas the TVL doesn’t (neither have electronic control of the front pre-load). You still feel the change on the TVL and, now that I have had my sag set, I can really start to get a handle on the bike. Having said all that, I have already dragged a knee on the TVL (under 200 miles on the ODO, actually lol) but I could do that on the DVTS as well. If you ride at night a bit (in the mountains, not city or freeway – that’s fine) the DVTS lights are definitely better but the cornering headlights are a fail. The TVL seems to get hotter in traffic than the DVT but, as long as you’re moving, it’s fine. Side bag attachment on the DVTS is really poor, I broke a pannier tab twice before I got the TVL (remember, this is after putting over 17k miles on a 2012 MTS). It’s awkward and feels weak. The TVL uses zeus clips to hold the bags on which is a little awkward but, I’d prefer that to them just breaking. Cruise control on the TVL is *only* in 6th gear for now, I’m hoping they change that (I’ve sent feedback) and a little more cumbersome than the DVTS to operate because you don’t have bump controls. I’m a bit weird though because I use CC ALL the time, a lot of people don’t. The DVTS feels plenty powerful but I don’t think it really lives up to the “160HP” claim that Ducati have made, unfortunately. The TVL feels stronger than the numbers suggest which is interesting. The TVL is a faster handling and lighter motorcycle over all which is really nice for me because I like to hit the twisties.

      I would say that you’ll probably be a little more comfortable on longer hauls on the DVTS than the TVL but, having ridden the TVL all day, it’s a really comfortable bike. Personally I’m happy to trade off a little comfort for (handling) performance – the TVL does this, the DVTS trades a little (handling) performance for comfort. Obviously, comfort is subjective so, YMMV. The fit and finish of the TVL seems better to me than the DVTS. The range will be a little better on the TVL than the DVTS but they *should* both get over 200 miles from a tank if you’re not on the gas all the time. The TVL doesn’t have range estimate or MPG, like, at all. That’s not great on a touring bike but, based on comments by my dealership, MV is much more inclined to fix that.

      I haven’t talked about the app yet and all the config you can do in there, it’s huge. There’s a lot more to say on the subject but, I think I’ve done my quota for this post at least. Moto Forza has two TVLs in right now, a white and a red so, if you want one, that might be a good place to start. They also have a second hand DVTS with about 5200 miles on the clock in there… Tell James I said hi. 😀

      Let me know if you have other questions.
      Dan

  7. Tony says:

    Dan,

    Thanks for the feed back! I am definitely leaning towards the TVL. Funny you should mention James, I stopped by Moto Forza the other night and he showed me both bikes :).

    I don’t really have a need for the side bags and would be more interested in a rear top bag for my needs. If I understand it correctly they have not introduced a rear top bag for the TVL yet. Either way I’m probrably looking at picking up a TVL after the first of the year. I may go with the Standard and use the savings on an FM exhaust and heated grips……..I’m not sure I would use all the features from the Lusso package and the standard with a couple mods seems like it would work out just fine. Unless I’m missing something about the Lusso?

    Again, thanks for all your input it does help navagate through the buying decision.

    Tony

    • Daniel Croft says:

      Hey Tony,

      I’ve always preferred side bags, myself. They’re lower and, on bikes like the MTS and TVL, they don’t require a frame or modification to the bike. You’re right though, there isn’t a top box available for the TV/L yet so you’ll be waiting.

      The bike is very new so, right now FM doesn’t have an exhaust for it and the only exhaust that might fit is the QD for the Stradale because the mount points are different than the other F3/B3 MVs. There isn’t a midpipe so far, either.

      Personally, the things on my list are a touring screen, integrated tail light (the turn signals on the rear are too low, IMO, but I’ll keep both) and midpipe. I may do a full exhaust but not sure yet; I don’t want to make the bike too loud. There are comfort rider and passenger seats as well as a lowered rider seat now available from MV for the bikes. Puig will be releasing a touring screen at some point for the bike.

      The last 3 bikes I’ve had have had electronic suspension. The two Multistradas were easier to get my head around in terms of use but I’ve just got the TVL so, I am still figuring it out. In the US, the TVL comes with heated grips and the side bags. It also comes with the data logger. I personally really like electronic suspension so, that’s something I’m likely to get on my bikes if I have the option.

      They do have some work to do with the firmware and possibly hardware, though so, waiting a year might be a good idea but I wouldn’t tell my friends not to buy one like I did with the DVT.

      Let me know if you have other questions.

      Dan

  8. rob says:

    Bought my bike on Sept 2nd 2015, have the Veloce , love the bike. I have short inside leg so had it lowered by 35mm which has been a great help.

    • cesardagord says:

      Hey Rob,
      Congratulations on your purchase! Keep us posted on how things go – how much fun the bike delivers!
      Cesar

    • Mark says:

      Hi Rob, I’m thinking of buying the Veloce, I test rode the BMW GS1200, Triumph XRX and the Veloce in one day, The veloce put the biggest smile on my face, but I have a short inside leg too. Did the lowering have any affect on the handling that you noticed?
      The GS gave me more confidence but I think that is because I could touch the ground more. I think the GS would hold its value more.

      • Tim says:

        I’ve had mine lowered 25mm and something as simple as thicker footwear heels makes a big difference. I’m now getting used to the height so I’ve cancelled my order for the lower seat (had been waiting months anyway!). Word of caution. I have the centre stand fitted and dropping it 25mm causes it to ground when going on to the drive if I hit it a bit quick.

  9. nostatic says:

    curious to hear more about comparisons with your Tiger 800XC. I’ve got about 5K miles on an XRx, and before that was on an R1200GS. I ride 2-up almost always (wife loves being on back), and the Tiger is a pretty decent 2-up bike. Have a Givi top box and she’s fell asleep a few times -evidently it is comfortable. I think the Tiger is great for overnights and motel camping, and an occasional dirt road is fine.

    For canyons though I find I could use a bit more refined suspension and maybe a little more snarl. The Multi is just too much of a good thing. I had a gen 1 MTS that as a great bike, but the new one is big and has lots of juice. The Tiger has sold me on the beauty of the 800 triple, but I still have a think for Italian rides (and the wife has an electric Fiat in the garage).

    I’m thinking that the Turismo would be a great weekend fun bike that can double on short touring, and the Tiger would be for longer hauls or worse conditions.

    So long story of asking about how you’d compare the Triumph and the Turismo.

    • cesardagord says:

      Hey Nostatic

      Tiger 800 XC vs. Turismo Veloce 800

      First things first, these bikes have been designed for different purposes. The 800XC is closer to the idea of what an adventure bike should look like, the Turismo Veloce is more of a sport touring machine. The Tiger has a 21 inch spoked front wheel, for example, and more suspension travel. The Turismo Veloce is a more refined machine overall.

      Having said that, let’s start with the ergonomics. Incredible as it may seem, climbing on the Turismo Veloce will give you more of a dirt bike riding position than the Tiger does. The handle bars are taller and come closer to you on the Turismo Veloce than what they do on the Tiger.

      Second thing you will notice is weight. The TV will feel lighter moving it on the garage floor, lighter on side to side movements when you have climbed on it and are stopped. It will also feel lighter when riding on tight curves, with a sharper and faster turn in. While the Tiger will feel like a freight train on curves with its 21 inch front wheel, the Turismo Veloce will more easily accept changes of direction. Some people consider this a riders’ preference. I like the nimble attitude of the Turismo Veloce.

      The Turismo Veloce will also feel lighter on acceleration. Sometimes a bit too much actually when on sport mode (I wish I could have experimented with throttle sensitivity settings on the custom map).

      Talking about the motor, the Turismo Veloce and the Triumph sound similar. Except that the Turismo Veloce sounds much more aggressive and is devoid of that “Triumph whistle” (which can be very annoying in my opinion).

      The Turismo Veloce has more power and more torque than the Triumph and you really feel that difference, perhaps more than the actual difference would seem to indicate. Perhaps this more aggressive experience when riding the Turismo Veloce is amplified by the bike’s lighter weight, better motor and exhaust sounds, and more aggressive handling. After all, the Turismo Veloce is an engaging motorcycle in the sport mode. The Tiger 800XC is a lot tamer and requires a lot of twist of the throttle to bring it up to speed. But it is no slouch. Just not aggressive as the Turismo Veloce is in sport mode.

      In terms of fun of riding, on paved and curvy roads, after riding the Turismo Veloce the Tiger will feel like riding a truck. A fun truck, but still, a truck. Some people consider this a preference. And let’s be honest here, although the Triumph is more of an adventure motorcycle when compared to the Turismo Veloce, it is more of a street bike than the BMW 800GS, for example. But still, it will feel like a truck when compared to the Turismo Veloce (on sport mode at least). Having said this, I have not ridden the new Tiger 800 XCx, which has riding modes and throttle by wire. It may produce a different riding experience than my 2012 XC, and I would not know it.

      As always, only you can tell what a riding experience is all about. They are very different bikes, although they share many similarities. If it would be only for daily fun rides on pavement, and even on urban settings, the Turismo Veloce is the better bike, no doubt. Riding two-up, I would not know how to compare the two. You will need to test that with your wife. She will have to tell you how she will enjoy that slim and tall seat on the Turismo Veloce. I have a feeling, and I could be wrong since this is just speculation, the Tiger will be the winner here.

      What about the looks? I don’t think we need to go there… It is a no contest situation. 🙂

      Of course, what about reliability? It is too soon to know. On the other hand, the Triumph has been surprisingly good for me. Bottom line, if I had an MV Agusta dealer near my house I would have added the Turismo Veloce to my stable. I would not sell the Tiger (too different) nor the Multistrada (better long distance tourer). But I would certainly ride the Turismo Veloce more often than the other two bikes. Perhaps not more miles. Juts really more often.

      • nostatic says:

        Hi Cesar – thanks, that is helpful. I do have the current generation Tiger which is ride by wire, and the XRx is a 19″ front wheel with a bit less suspension travel than the XC so there are some differences but I think that would just take the XRx from being a “truck” to something like a Subaru Brat (for those of you old enough to remember that ;)).

        My wife used to ride 2-up on my Aprilia Shiver back when we first met so she’s used to less-than-ideal pillion situations. That said, between the GS and now the Tiger with the big top box, she certainly prefers that setup. My thinking is that like you, the Turismo wouldn’t replace the Tiger but rather that would be the “SUV” for us and the Turismo would be the “sports car.”

        btw, I put the Arrow pipe and map on the XRx and it seems to get rid of the “whistle.” It doesn’t really get much louder though. I think the Turismo feels quicker in part due to the counterbalanced crankshaft and a lighter flywheel. When you crack the throttle, it goes. The Triumph doesn’t really have that immediate jump due to the heavier flywheel (which helps a lot at lower revs, e.g. on dirt).

        Now just need to figure out if I can get a deal on a Turismo…

    • Daniel Croft says:

      Just to add to Cesar’s comments, the “normal” throttle setting for the TV/L makes the throttle response much more manageable. That’s what I run for just about everything.

    • Daniel Croft says:

      I should also mention that my girlfriend – who doesn’t have a lot of experience riding on the back of motorcycles – says that the 2015 MTS was more comfortable than the TV/L because the passenger seat has that weird hump in the front of it that she says doesn’t feel good… I’ll let you put two and two together, there.

  10. nostatic says:

    we probably need to see pics of the g/f to put two and two together…

    I kid, I kid 😀

    They supposedly have a “passenger comfort seat” that appears to have a less pronounced…umm…thingie. The ideal way to go would be to ping Bill Mayer up in Ojai and have him to a custom on the same seat pan. That was a nutsaver with my GS…

  11. Lincoln says:

    Hi,

    Thanks for the great review – I currently own a MV Agusta Brutale 1090 and looking at getting a more comfortable bike that I can tour with on occasion. I was considering either the Turismo Veloce or the Ducati Multistrada. My main concern was that the Turismo Veloce wouldn’t be comfortable enough on longer rides 2-3 hours (this is very difficult to make sure on a test ride). From all the reviews above I can see a 2016 Turismo Veloce in the garage :). Thanks again for the great information.

  12. warholio says:

    I tested both the Turismo Veloce and the Multistrada both on the SW fringe of London UK. What I can say for sure is that on the MV, the number of people who turned to look at it was huge compared to the people who looked at the Multistrada. And that felt good!!

  13. jaxxsun says:

    As I was going to pull the trigger on a Duc Multi. I stumbled across the MV. I was done! I put my deposit down for the red lesso. And a Pearl white arrives. At first. I was dissapointed. But as I walked toward her. She became more beautiful. Don’t get me wrong. I love red. But, the pearl white is stunning. The word white in a paint color description sounds as boring as anything vanilla can. And this is NOT vanilla . All that I wait for now? Is warmer weather.

  14. nostatic says:

    I ended up buying a silver TV and just passed 750 miles on it. It is a spectacular bike, both solo and even 2-up. Very different beast compared to the XRx (which I have kept as well). The Triumph is more like an SUV – comfortable, stable, and drama free. The TV is…well…Italian. 1st gear just annoys it as it wants to get into higher gears quickly. Steering is telepathic – you think, it’s already going in that direction. While the XRx has some flat spots and runs out of breath higher in the rev range 2-up, the MV gets more frenetic as you climb past 6K.

    It is a spectacular bike. I owned a 1st generation Multistrada (2005 model), and have ridden the last two variants. I would take the MV every single day over the Ducati. I don’t need 140+ hp – and instead all of the engine of the MV is usable and fun. Totally under-rated bike that more people should consider.

    • Tim says:

      Your comment on the handling being almost telepathic is spot on. I’ve tired of telling people about the amazing handling. Twice now I’ve had it keeled hard over and had to pick it up mid-corner, then drop it down even harder, and it’s taken it totally without any drama. It makes me feel a better rider than I am. Note to self “beware of complacency!”.

  15. Hi Cesar,
    nice report, i’m on the go to buy a TVL or an hyperstrada 939, did you have yet opportunity to try one ?

    • cesardagord says:

      Hi Laurent, thank you for corresponding. No I have not tried the Hyperstrada 939. I did try the Hyperstrada 821 and like dit a lot. What a fun motorcycle. The 939 can only be better. 🙂

  16. Mark says:

    Excellent review thank you

    • Tim says:

      I’ve now had mine for nearly 3 years now and covered 12000 miles. It has taken me touring from the UK around Spain in 2017 and last year a 2300 miles tour of Europe where the bike was just superb. It is the most comfortable bike I’ve ever owned, it’s really light and with amazing handling it is a really competent and credible choice of tourer. We’ll over 200 miles per tank too. The only fault I’ve had is an intermittent quick-shifter issue where a quick launch could result in a kangarooing and occasional wheelie. Happened about 6 times in 3 years.
      I’ve fitted a QD exhaust system and it sounds amazing though I’ve had it modified to make it a bit quiter. I’ve replaced the Pirelli Scorpions with Metzeler Roadtec’s and it feels even better. I love this bike it to bits. Not perfect, as outlined by other contributors, nearest (decent) dealer is over 2hrs away but haven’t seen anything else I’d rather be riding for touring. For me, a belt drive would be the icing on the cake.

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