MV Agusta Dragster no show

WE were expecting MV Agusta to show at least one more bike at the recent EICMA Milan show but the firm’s Dragster 800 has failed to make an appearance.

Now while we’re quite used to unfounded rumours before major shows, and rarely surprised when they don’t turn out to be true, the Dragster is far more than just vapourware. It’s left a paper-trail so clear that there can be no doubting that it’s a real bike and that MV Agusta has – or had – plans to sell it in 2014.

First comes the name. Trademarked by MV Agusta months ago, the firm has even revealed the official logo in its applications to the patents and trademarks offices in Europe and America. But a name doesn’t tell us much about the bike itself.

No, for that you need to turn to the American Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Research Board. Both have homologated the MV Agusta Dragster, listing it as sharing the same 800cc three-cylinder engine as the Brutale 800 as well as sharing that bike’s weight and emissions. The implication is that it’s a heavily Brutale-based bike, possibly even just a paint-and-accessories special edition version of that machine although it’s more likely to be something longer and lower, to rival the Ducati Diavel. It’s clearly listed as a 2014 model, but so far has failed to appear alongside the rest of the firm’s range.

Of course, there are still shows it could be revealed at, either later this year (the NEC perhaps?) or in early 2014. Or perhaps it’s a project that MV has simply dropped at the last minute – it’s never made an official announcement about it, so there’s no need to even admit to its existence. Intriguing…