When it comes to motorcycles that pack a punch and look good doing it, one name always comes to mind, MV Agusta. The Italian manufacturer is well-known for its stunning motorcycles and their latest offering, the 2024 MV Agusta Rush Mamba Edition, is no exception.
Devoid of fairings and sporting an exclusive red and black livery with gold accents the Rush Mamba is the epitome of hyper-naked style. It’s the kind of motorcycle that will never fail to turn heads, but rest assured, it’s no show pony.
MV Agusta has labeled the Rush as the definitive hyper naked, which they explain is a result of the bike’s blistering performance; and rightly so. The Rush is powered by a 998 cc water and oil cooled inline 4 that produces an eye-watering 208 bhp at 13,000 RPM. If you’re brave enough to keep the throttle pinned, the Rush will rocket you to speeds in excess of 300km/h and its acceleration is said to “possess the irreverent appeal of drag racing”.
All that power is of course useless (and unsafe) without high-performance suspension and brakes, which, unsurprisingly, the Rush also offers. At the pointy end of the Rush sits a set of Öhlins Nix EC hydraulic “upside down” forks offering complete electronic adjustability via the 5.5-inch TFT dash. Proppping up the aluminium swingarm is a Progressive, Öhlins EC TTX single shock which can also be tweaked on demand electronically. To keep the front end stable you also get an Öhlins EC steering damper with electronic manual and automatic adjustment modes.
Stopping power comes courtesy of Brembo with twin Stylema radial 4-piston calipers clamping down on 320mm floating discs up front and a Brembo 2-piston unit on a 220 mm disc at the rear. There is, of course, an ABS system in the form of a Continental MK100 that offers rear wheel lift mitigation and a cornering function too. Specially designed forged alloy wheels help keep unsprung weight to a minimum and they’re wrapped in premium Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa rubber.
The use of carbon fiber throughout the body of the Rush gives it a high-end appearance but also helps keep the bike light and nimble. Many of the body panels, including the unique cover on the rear wheel, and engine covers have been forged from carbon. MV has also made use of titanium and aluminum for many of the brackets and fixings resulting in a dry weight of merely 186kg.
MV Agusta has decked the Rush Mamba out with a plethora of tech to help manage the power. Their Motor & Vehicle Integrated Control System lets you tweak just about everything from power output to the suspension and throttle sensitivity. Via the TFT dash owners can also control a GPS system, cruise control, and the bike’s launch and front wheel lift system. You can also adjust all of those settings via a purpose-built smartphone app and the bike is protected by a Mobisat anti-theft system with geo-location.
On top of everything we’ve already mentioned the MV Agusta Rush Mamba comes with everything you’d expect from a modern luxury performance vehicle. The semi-raised clip-on bars are designed for day-long riding comfort, as is the theme-matched red Alcantara “comfort” seat. The clutch is an electronically assisted up-and-down quick shift system and the lighting is all LED powered.
Featuring an impressive list of premium components, the MV Agusta Rush Mamba is limited to only 300 units worldwide. As a result, many of us will never see one in person, and with a price tag of over $50,000 USD, it’s aimed at a very exclusive audience. Those with money to burn can also spec up the Rush Mamba by adding an optional Arrow titanium racing exhaust, carbon exhaust cover, CNC fuel tank cap and brake/clutch levers, and a customized motorcycle cover. Sadly I won’t be parking one in my garage any time soon.
