TR20’s MV Agusta Brutale 800: A Kiwi-Built Super Hooligan Weapon

Kiwi tuner Dillon Telford transforms a base-model Brutale 800 into a full TR20 Retardo Corse build with a brand-new engine and extensive performance upgrades.
Custom AMA Super Hooligan styling, carbon race details, Matris suspension upgrades and SC Project exhaust elevate both the look and performance.
On the market for $12,000, complete with stands, tyre warmers and track-ready extras — a rare chance to own a handcrafted MV masterpiece.

MV Agusta specials are rare enough in New Zealand — but a fully hand-built Brutale 800 crafted by one of the country’s most respected Italian-bike tuners is something else entirely. This TR20 Retardo Corse creation from Dillon Telford is part race bike, part artwork, and 100% hooligan. And yes… it’s for sale.

Check out this incredible MV Agusta Brutale 800 build that we spotted from the team at TR20. This bike is dripping with sexiness and is the creation of Kiwi bike tuner and MV Agusta specialist, Dillon Telford from TR20.

Dillon and his partner Jo have lived and breathed motorcycles – especially Italian motorcycles – ever since we met them, and that’s a fair few moons ago. Their business, TR20, is based just outside Tirau in the Waikato, where they specialise in servicing, tuning, rebuilding, and setting up bikes for their legion of dedicated customers. Road or race bike, if you want someone who truly knows how to set a bike up, then Dillon is your man.

Dillon got his skills from many years of racing, including a stint overseas, and he’s raced successfully here in NZ. This year, however, he’s dedicating his time to making other riders go faster, supporting the likes of Luca Durning on the BMW M1000RR and Luke Ryder who is the current SuperTwins champion.

He’s been the NZ service agent for MV in recent years, and it’s during this time, while also campaigning an MV in the NZSBK championship, that he’s put together this very special Brutale.

As for why Dillon chose a Brutale to make this special, he explains, “People usually shy away from MVs, but they have been a poster bike for me since I was a kid, with the F4 750 one of my favourites. This MV has nothing but passion behind it, a pure love for the name and a pure love for making what I think is cool, something different, something unique.”

It doesn’t take long to realise this isn’t a standard MV Brutale 800, from its custom paint job done by TR20 close friend and current NZ#1 Supertwins champion, Luke Ryder, it has been designed to stand out with its aggressive AMA Super Hooligan derived styling, while technical updates should give the Brutale the sort of performance to match the wild styling!

What Is It?

Starting life as a base model Brutale 800, it is now anything but. Instead, it’s a ground-up built TR20 Retardo Corse creation.

There’s a brand-new 0km engine fitted with an updated black ported cylinder head and a manual cam chain tensioner fitted. Oversized throttle bodies from the MV F3 have been fitted along with an auto-blipper kit for seamless up and down clutchless shifting. There’s a performance MV Corse slipper clutch installed to keep everything under control during quick downshifts, and the SC Project slip-on not only adds to the look but also makes the Brutale sound on point as well.

Dillon remapped the Brutale with ECU Studios software, which was dialled in on a dyno to ensure the fuelling is sweet and the triple delivers the sort of performance Dillon was after. Brand new Pirelli SC1 tyres should provide ample grip, and the Bonamici rear-sets (fitted with a road shift pattern) not only look the part but will also mean they won’t be dragging when you’re making the most of the Pirellis’ grip. Finally, an upgraded Nissan master cylinder from a BMW M1000RR, combined with a Bonamici lever, ensures the braking package is up to spec.

Other modifications that Dillon has done just because he wanted this to be the best Brutale possible include: new rear hub and re-greased with Redline CV2 high-temp low friction grease, new engine case covers and silicon radiator hose kit, Matris steering damper kit, MV F3 clip-ons and top clamp, 520 chain and sprocket conversion, and finally, a keyless fuel cap.

The stunning custom pearl paint was done by Ryder Racing, with the frame painted in gold pearl and the swingarm and rear frame plates stripped and left in a raw finish for that more factory race look. Brutale 800RC gold fork tubes, a carbon intake cover, and a front number board finish the look.

“This MV has taken shape to look like a menace on and off the track, which I hope someone likes enough to want to have it in their own garage as much as I love seeing it in mine,” explained Dillon. “I always wanted to build a hooligan style MV and wish I could keep it, but I just have too many race bikes to water and feed!’

As for how much it cost to build, well, Dillon reckons it owes him much more than the price he’s after. “It’s had 100s of hours put into building it and owes us over $28,000 in labour alone! It’s been a 2-year project, and now she’s ready for summer track days. Just not for me…”

So, if you’re after a very special, rather exclusive MV Brutale 800, drop Dillon and Jo a line at TR20. Or, you’ll find them at pretty much every race meeting in the country, with the Suzuki Series and then the NZSBK approaching quickly.

The Brutale will come with a bike mat and stands, plus a set of 3-stage thermal tech tyre warmers, all valued at $1500, yet Dillon is only asking $12,000 for this unique machine. If we had the spare cash, then it would look primo in the BRM office, but a bike with this much passion put into it needs to be ridden.

If you’re keen, you can get hold of TR20 by email [email protected] or searching them up on Facebook (www.facebook.com/TR20nz).