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BIKES: 2013 MV Agusta F3 First Ride
Legendary Italian motorcycle brand, MV Agusta, releases its F3 supersport in the U.S. and we test ride it in this sportbike review.
The MV Agusta F3 comes in three flavors: Pastel White, Red/Silver and Pastel Black/Metallic Anthracite (not pictured) (Photo: MotorcycleUSA.com)
In the face of the global sportbike sales slump, boutique Italian motorcycle brand MV Agusta is aiming to revitalize the stagnant middleweight supersport market with its recently released F3. Powered by an ultra-compact 675cc three-cylinder engine, the F3 ($13,999) is another European take on the best way to arrive from apex to apex.
VISION BECOMES REALITY
Born four years earlier, the F3 is the dream of MV’s late president, Claudio Castiglioni, who commissioned a three-cylinder sportbike before passing away last summer from cancer. Considering its deeply rooted history in road racing, the machine was designed for competition and the demands of World Supersport - a global racing series that MV plans to compete in as early as next season. In excess of 20 million Euros was funneled into the project with the entire design undertaken in house at MV’s headquarters in northern Italy.
POWERTRAIN
The core of the F3 is a liquid-cooled, Inline Triple with a 12-valve head (all valves are fabricated from titanium) spun by twin chain-driven camshafts. Each cylinder uses a relatively over-square bore and stroke dimension of 79.0 x 45.9mm, squeezing fuel charge to a ratio of 13:1. The engine’s bottom-end employs a unique design in which the crankshaft spins backwards. This helps neutralize the forward inertia of the motorcycle in motion making it more maneuverable at high engine speeds, MV says.
Like most things Italian, form follows function and the profile of the motor is one of sleekest and minimalist we’ve seen on a street bike to date. Both the water and oil pumps are integrated into the engine block, as is the cooling passages, so the only external fittings are for connecting the stacked radiators (one water and one oil). A cable-actuated wet-style clutch (without mechanical back torque functionality, more on that later...) and a six-speed gearbox (with quickshifter) gets the power to the back wheel. Exhaust gasses are purged via an elegant low-slung exhaust that terminates into three slash-cut pipes behind the rider’s right foot.
ELECTRONICS
The engine is controlled by a sophisticated electronic ride-by-wire management system that does away with the physical cable connection between the throttle and intake. The system monitors a number of atmospheric and engine-operating factors that allow for near perfect running conditions. The nearly vertical intake tract uses a pair of fuel injectors and a 50mm throttle body for each cylinder. There’s also a lean-angle sensor and rear-wheel-speed sensor to supplement the traction/wheelie/launch control.
Additional functionality comes in the form of engine/throttle mode adjustment. Four settings are offered: Rain, Normal, Sport and a Custom map that allows the rider to configure Gas Sensitivity (throttle response), Engine Braking (Sport or Normal), Maximum Torque (Sport or Rain), Engine Response (Fast or Slow), and rpm Limiter (Sport or Normal), all independently of one another.
CHASSIS
Weight distribution and packaging was a key design concept and engineers were tasked with cramming components within the smallest area possible. The main frame is fabricated from steel tubes that merge to aluminum spars where the swingarm attaches (also fabricated from aluminum and single-sided). Wheelbase measures 54.23 inches, which is right inline with many of the Japanese 600s. A 43mm Marzocchi inverted fork takes care of front suspension duties while a Sachs gas-charged shock provides rear damping. The 4.22-gallon fuel tank is positioned above the airbox but stretches beneath the rider’s seat - further enhancing center of gravity. Braking components consist of Brembo two-piece radial-mount calipers paired to a pair of 320mm discs. The calipers are powered by a Nissin radial-pump master cylinder. A 220mm disc and twin-piston Brembo caliper control rear wheel speed during deceleration. No ABS option is available. MV claims that the F3 weighs around 420 pounds ready to ride.
For the rest of this story visit MotorcycleUSA.com
VISION BECOMES REALITY
Born four years earlier, the F3 is the dream of MV’s late president, Claudio Castiglioni, who commissioned a three-cylinder sportbike before passing away last summer from cancer. Considering its deeply rooted history in road racing, the machine was designed for competition and the demands of World Supersport - a global racing series that MV plans to compete in as early as next season. In excess of 20 million Euros was funneled into the project with the entire design undertaken in house at MV’s headquarters in northern Italy.
POWERTRAIN
The core of the F3 is a liquid-cooled, Inline Triple with a 12-valve head (all valves are fabricated from titanium) spun by twin chain-driven camshafts. Each cylinder uses a relatively over-square bore and stroke dimension of 79.0 x 45.9mm, squeezing fuel charge to a ratio of 13:1. The engine’s bottom-end employs a unique design in which the crankshaft spins backwards. This helps neutralize the forward inertia of the motorcycle in motion making it more maneuverable at high engine speeds, MV says.
Like most things Italian, form follows function and the profile of the motor is one of sleekest and minimalist we’ve seen on a street bike to date. Both the water and oil pumps are integrated into the engine block, as is the cooling passages, so the only external fittings are for connecting the stacked radiators (one water and one oil). A cable-actuated wet-style clutch (without mechanical back torque functionality, more on that later...) and a six-speed gearbox (with quickshifter) gets the power to the back wheel. Exhaust gasses are purged via an elegant low-slung exhaust that terminates into three slash-cut pipes behind the rider’s right foot.
ELECTRONICS
The engine is controlled by a sophisticated electronic ride-by-wire management system that does away with the physical cable connection between the throttle and intake. The system monitors a number of atmospheric and engine-operating factors that allow for near perfect running conditions. The nearly vertical intake tract uses a pair of fuel injectors and a 50mm throttle body for each cylinder. There’s also a lean-angle sensor and rear-wheel-speed sensor to supplement the traction/wheelie/launch control.
Additional functionality comes in the form of engine/throttle mode adjustment. Four settings are offered: Rain, Normal, Sport and a Custom map that allows the rider to configure Gas Sensitivity (throttle response), Engine Braking (Sport or Normal), Maximum Torque (Sport or Rain), Engine Response (Fast or Slow), and rpm Limiter (Sport or Normal), all independently of one another.
CHASSIS
Weight distribution and packaging was a key design concept and engineers were tasked with cramming components within the smallest area possible. The main frame is fabricated from steel tubes that merge to aluminum spars where the swingarm attaches (also fabricated from aluminum and single-sided). Wheelbase measures 54.23 inches, which is right inline with many of the Japanese 600s. A 43mm Marzocchi inverted fork takes care of front suspension duties while a Sachs gas-charged shock provides rear damping. The 4.22-gallon fuel tank is positioned above the airbox but stretches beneath the rider’s seat - further enhancing center of gravity. Braking components consist of Brembo two-piece radial-mount calipers paired to a pair of 320mm discs. The calipers are powered by a Nissin radial-pump master cylinder. A 220mm disc and twin-piston Brembo caliper control rear wheel speed during deceleration. No ABS option is available. MV claims that the F3 weighs around 420 pounds ready to ride.
For the rest of this story visit MotorcycleUSA.com
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