Anyone who sits astride an MV Agusta motorbike knows exactly what he wants: he's looking for power and sports performance, an advanced-technology bike that challenges and excites him on the road, bend after bend. Because deep down a motorbike is a strange beast: it crouches close to the ground but at certain times seems ready to challenge the laws of physics, exploiting the faculties of human balance and mechanical ingenuity. At the same time, however, the creations of the marque from Varese have an allure that lies not only in the power and reactivity of its engines but also in its exclusivity, a trait that true bike lovers increasingly seek. It's here, for decades, that the paths of Pirelli and MV Agusta have crossed And it's here that you need to start if you're to understand the essence of the Dragster 800 RR Pirelli, the latest fruit of the collaboration between the two companies. It's a bike that combines extreme excitement with advanced technology, design and performance.
This limited edition version of the Dragster 800 RR, presented to mark the opening of the new P Zero World in Monte Carlo, is also a celebration of Italian ingenuity, of the spirit of craftsmanship 2.0 that unites the two companies. Because customisation is key in satisfying the needs of the most demanding bikers. And this street fighter has been enriched in its functional virtues by the technological know-how and inimitable style of Pirelli. It wasn't easy to improve this masterpiece of mechanical engineering in which the weight distribution, the refined chassis and the character of the three-cylinder MV Agusta engine are perfectly balanced, redefining the concept of sports motorcycling. But constantly raising the bar is integral to the spirit of two small but great workshops. And the image of two modern but artisanal workshops is precisely what is evoked by the partnership between Pirelli Design and Centro Ricerche Castiglioni - the fulcrum of MV's Research & Development created back in 1993 by Claudio Castiglioni to seek out ever more technological and innovative solutions. This pioneering spirit, made of intuition, experience and innovation, emerges clearly from a thousand elements of the Dragster 800 RR Pirelli. The colours, first of all, work to enhance the shape. Two colour combinations have been designed and created by Pirelli Design together with Centro Ricerche Castiglioni: the first enhances the aggressive soul of the bike and has a matt black base and gloss inserts painted in yellow to echo the Pirelli corporate colours, with the yellow logo on also the sides of the fuel tank. The same goes for the Diablo logo, which identifies Pirelli's range of high-performance tyres. The other colour option targets elegance, featuring a gloss white base with blue inserts.
But this time Pirelli Design the incubator of high-end projects with a vocation for the most innovative challenges, has gone further than in past creations: as well as targeting aesthetics it has also set out to enhance the functional aspects of the bike. One glance at the fuel tank slider and the top fairing is evidence of this. For these two components the Pirelli Research and Development department has developed a special rubber that ensures better resistance to scratches and friction as well as to atmospheric and chemical agents like fuel. The iconic and distinctive Diablo flash symbol is also imprinted on the saddle, in a double texture with contrast stitching specially created by Centro Ricerche Castiglioni, and the tail section has been refined by Pirelli Design. If it's true that excellence is hidden in the particulars, here MV Agusta and Pirelli Design reaffirm their constant attention to detail: even the finish on the exhaust silencer terminals is unique, achieved by applying a special ceramic-based paint than can withstand very high temperatures.
Demonstrating the partnership between the unmistakable MV Agusta and Pirelli brands even more eloquently is the option to equip the bike with Diablo Supercorsa SP tyres featuring coloured sidewalls: these have a yellow or blue band depending on the colour version of the bike. From the lab – or rather the craft workshop – to the road, the Dragster 800 RR Pirelli is designed to stand out and create excitement.
