MV Agusta 910s brutale problems?

[cthulhu]

Rode a 2008 second hand Brutale 910s today. It looked amazing in burnt orange, and the throttle response and exhaust note, well... brutal.
I want to purchase this bike. It has <9000km, it rides as well as it looks and it is in my price range... In fact it seems very well priced.

However.
I have a paranoid feeling that it may be a lemon or may end up costing me a great deal of money and time to fix.
I've google searched, searched the forums, spoke to the blokes at rick gills and inquired elsewhere. They seem to be largely reliable aside from boiling over in high ambient temps, shitty fuel line connectors and tight chains damaging rear axle bearings.

The question I ask is is there any brutale owners who have come into any strife with their machines? particularly the engines? are there any particular gremlins that i should be worried about. I suppose the major (only) thing that puts me off about the bike is the fact it has NO books or service history, and only one key, and the seller mentioned he did the services himself.

Half of my mind is telling me to walk away, but the other half wants me to drop all my coin on it and laugh myself silly leaving black lines up and down Beaufort Street.

any advice on this model brutale / MV 's in general?
thanks in advance.

[Sventek]

I had a 910R, and only kept it for a few months. I knew that if I kept it I would go broke and I'd wind up hating it. Look for stalling problems when backing off the throttle approaching a stop, overheating, headlight glass falling out, leaking instruments, and rust, among other things. It's tough, because it was no doubt the best bike I've ever ridden, but I wouldn't get one again.

[cthulhu]

I had a 910R, and only kept it for a few months. I knew that if I kept it I would go broke and I'd wind up hating it. Look for stalling problems when backing off the throttle approaching a stop, overheating, headlight glass falling out, leaking instruments, and rust, among other things. It's tough, because it was no doubt the best bike I've ever ridden, but I wouldn't get one again.

You know, I had a similar feeling when I was riding the bike. I loved it, but I wondered in the long term if it would have been worth the heartache. During my undergrad years I had a TL1000 that kept eating clutches and shitting water pumps, I loved it so much but it drove me insane. Do not want to repeat...

[Shady7/8]

I've had the burnt orange '08 Brutale -would happily have again. Only 18 in Australia, and 4 known in WA. (including my wrecked and repaired one)

I now have an '06 Brutale...
Never any issues that weren't my own fault. If they had the issues Sventek mentioned you would have seen it long before 9000kms. The only one that takes longer is the rear bearings, but these should be inspected at 12K and repacked with lube, and off you go again.

I have no intention of ever selling mine. Will do a build project on it one day which will include a big bore kit.

[Commander Keen]

I can vouch for Shadow's Brutale(s) being frustratingly reliable for an Italian bike.

They ride better with more than 20psi in the front tyre though.

[R160]

Vincenzo has a orange Brutale 910S Over in Tassie too, you can hit him up for his experiences too.

[Donsie]

I had a Brutale 910s too, only race my F4 now. Engine wise they are very reliable, stalling problems are easy fixed with a PC and some iridium plugs as well as a TPS reset. Spilling liquid is not too much of a problem on the B4's, most guys just overfill them, leave the coolant on the LOW level and she'll be fine mate, otherwise there is a upgrade waterpump impellar availible from variuos suppliers in the UK and USA. If the price is right, get it, you won't be sorry. And if you ned parts or bling bits, get in touch with me.

[-JC-]

Rear hub bearing is an easy fix (usually caused by overtightened pinch bolts not chain) I think a new bearing is around $40...although there is a hub-upgrade also available but that's around $1K but not really needed...I'd probably replace the bearing if you don't have a service history and a fairly good chance the pinch bolts have been over tightened in the past. Metal connectors for the fuel lines are pretty easy and cheap too.
the MVAgusta.net forum is a great source for info...there's a bunch of how too's (Donsie's posted up a few really good ones).

[Shady7/8]

And if you need parts or bling bits, get in touch with me.

orly?

Not to threadjack but I may be keen if you have parts

[Shady7/8]

Metal connectors for the fuel lines are pretty easy and cheap too.

Not really necessary if you are careful. It's usually caused by people too eager and start yanking. There's a metal slide that needs to be pushed back and they disengage easy

[muffmonkey]

Try the mvfaq at blogspot

MV Agusta FAQ

Comments for F4 apply for the Brutale, same engine architecture. Engine is reliable but there's little finicky things ("character") that all Italians seem to suffer from; such as:

- Headlight glass falls out, bead of silicon plus clear tape solves that
- Plastic fuel connectors on fuel pump and fuel lines rot due to age, replacement is recommended (around AUD80 for parts), should've/would've been done at some stage if the bike has decent KMs on it; Triumph spares has the same metal connectors for Daytonas, they're about AUD25 ea
- Bearings need replacement at 30,000 kms/2 yrs according to the manual but early replacement is recommended. Parts about AUD200-300 all up, regular clean/grease and shouldn't have a problem; BTW grease the threads on the rear wheels when removing/replacing, axle material and nut material can gall
- Overheating is usual, only remedy is to ride harder!! These things aren't built to pootle around town
- Early models had a crap cam chain tensioner, from memory if it's got a black tip then it's the good one
- Valve adjustment/major service is about $700 or so (on par with Duc?)
- The fuse box is crap on early models but I from memory the 910S were sorted (overheated and died prematurely)

Good thing is, some parts such as sensors are the same as Ducati (eg the oil level, foot pegs) so interchangeable

That's all I can think of, Donsie races the buggers, has to say something about the reliability of the engine!

[Donsie]

Not really necessary if you are careful. It's usually caused by people too eager and start yanking. There's a metal slide that needs to be pushed back and they disengage easy

Not quite true, there has been many cases reported where the fittings had cracked and/or broken without being touched, while riders where in transit. The plastic do deteriorate over time, why take the chance?

[Donsie]

orly?

Not to threadjack but I may be keen if you have parts

I don't have any but I know of a few very reliable sources with great parts and who have supported me with great service.
Design Corse - MV Agusta Parts F4 & Brutale - Ducati parts
EvolutionBike MV Agusta Special Parts
Motovation Frame Sliders, Swingarm Sliders, Arrow, Akrapovic and Leo Vince Exhausts and Rizoma Accessories