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MV Agusta DRAGSTER RR LH44
MV Agusta DRAGSTER RR LH44
Lewis Hamilton and the Dragster RR have much in common. They are both radical and extreme as regards style, are obsessive about detail, exuberant, bold and fear no rivals. They share the same winning nature and desire for the absolute. Together, they form an irresistible force which, summed up in just a few letters, will become legendary: Dragster RR LH 44.
The intrinsic value of a hand-built Dragster RR featuring special parts and finishes will now be even higher as a collector's item. Never before has an F1 champion participated directly in the creation of a new motorbike, and the fact that it was an MV Agusta speaks volumes.
Lewis Hamilton was in very close contact with Castiglioni Research Centre for several months as they chose details, finishes and very exclusive accessories. The graphics are a good example: the pearl white colour scheme and panther logo are taken from his helmet, while 44 is his race number, which decorates the front and side of the bike, not to mention the ignition key.
The bike features countless examples of true craftsmanship, ranging from the Alcantara quilt pattern saddle to numerous parts made from Ergal (brake lever, handlebars, fuel filler cap, brake pump cover) with a special anodised red finish on the logos, frame, footpegs and spectacular spoked wheels. Other features of the Dragster RR LH44 include adjustable clip-on bars finished in matt black like the side stand, frame and footpeg plates.
Like an F1 car, most of the bodywork on the LH44 is made from carbon fibre with a matt 3K finish. This highly expensive, exotic material was used to make the front and rear mudguards, the screen, air box and side covers, exhaust heat shields, gear box and swingarm covers and sprocket guard. Â The similarities with F1 extend to the front of the bike, which is dominated by the race number 44 (incorporated into the limited edition ID plate on the 244 bikes) as well as the panther and Hamilton's signature.
In detail, the main features of MV Agusta Dragster RR LH 44:
- In-line three-cylinder engine, 798 cc
- Bore 79.0 mm, stroke 54.3 mm
- Maximum power 140 HP-EC (103 kW) at 13,100 rpm
- Maximum torque 86 Nm at 10,100 rpm
- Rev limiter at 13,200 rpm
- Dry weight 168 kg
- Power-to-weight ratio 1.19 kg/HP
- Tyres Pirelli DIABLO Rosso II 120/70 - ZR 17 (front) and 200/50 – ZR 17 (rear)
ENGINE
Universally acknowledged as the modern benchmark for in-line 3 cylinder power units, the MV Agusta engine requires no introduction: it is pure Italian technology at its best, energy that continues to evolve. In fact, MV Agusta has taken an already exemplary bike and fine tuned it even further. Like every RR, the Dragster just “has to†offer something more. Hence the most powerful engine in its category. Developed from the 3- cylinder engine that powers the Brutale 800 and Brutale Dragster 800, this most recent 3-cylinder version unleashes 140 hp and puts out Superbike- like revs (maximum power is achieved at 13,100 rpm), making the Brutale 800 Dragster RR not just uniquely eye-catching but also placing it beyond the reach of its competitors in the same segment. Don't waste your time looking: the only place you'll find another equally powerful 3-cylinder 800 engine is on another MV Agusta, the F3 800. To build an engine as light and compact as possible. To combine racing performance with outstanding rideability. These were the goals that MV developers set for themselves when they designed the 3-cylinder engine range: goals that the Brutale 800 Dragster RR engine achieves admirably. Weighing in at just 52 kg and being extremely compact despite the displacement, the in-line 3-cylinder engine optimises weight distribution while the counterrotating crankshaft - a solution never before adopted on standard production models - enhances the dynamic performance of the Brutale 800 Dragster RR. These are characteristics that make this engine the best example of Italian engineering excellence and one of the most advanced triples in the world.
The constant quest for perfection in every detail has led to the development of a new hydraulic chain tensioner, which makes the engine both quieter and more reliable. For an engine that is not an F3 800 offshoot but the evolution of the 3-cylinder unit mounted on the Dragster, the configuration on the Brutale 800 Dragster RR is the most powerful ever to go into production. The 140 hp at 13,100 rpm are achieved in part because of the fully redesigned airbox and an optimised, more efficient exhaust system. Changes have also been made to the electronic injection, which has an advanced sixinjector system (two per cylinder, instead of the single injector used on other Brutale models): a reshaped fuel tank interior provides the necessary space and keeps everything hidden from view. The resulting power delivery is linear at low revs and explosive at high revs, giving the three-cylinder engine eye-watering acceleration, which ends only at 13,200 rpm when the rev limiter kicks in. Power is not the only thing to have been given a considerable boost: torque has also been raised, from 81 to 86 Nm. Figures like that clearly illustrate the impressive individuality of this revamped MV Agusta 3-cylinder engine. The removable 6-speed gearbox was naturally maintained - another solution taken from the racing world - with gearing specially designed to provide staggering on-road acceleration and outstanding versatility even on the racetrack.