When MV Agusta recently announced funding for superbike development had dried up, we told you there’d be more recycled models coming instead. The Dragster 800 Blackout is a good example of what’s ahead.
The Dragster 800 Blackout debuted at Motor Bike Expo in Milan yesterday. Mechanically, it’s nothing new, just another Dragster 800. Stylistically, though, there’s a lot going on. That main LED headlight actually looks pretty good when compared to the chiseled cowlings seen on the majority of naked bikes today. However, due to the black backdrop and dark lighting, it’s hard to tell whether that auxiliary light at the bottom of the fork leg is ugly, or attractive.
Perhaps the oddest styling choice would be the rain tires. They were obviously chosen for their looks, just as the backyard brat/cafe/scrambler builders like to use vintage enduro tread tires for the aesthetics, not performance.
An aftermarket exhaust and other bits, and blacked-out bodywork, complete the build; again, these are all common touches in the budget custom scene, and black paint is quite common across the industry as a factory option to lower a bike’s cost. That does not appear to be the tack MV Agusta is taking with this model, though.
Even if it was confirmed as a production bike, it’s unknown what this would cost if it came to Canada as a factory mode. The new importer was just announced last week, and has not announced any plans for pricing or any particular models to come into the country.
BNG