MV Agusta F3 800 first test: maxi Supersport
Developed at the same time as the 3-cylinder MV Agusta 675, the 800 cc version of the Tre Pistoni was unveiled this winter on the Brutale. Today, the F3 800 is entering the track on the Misano circuit (Italy). First try !
F3 800 EAS: the maxi Supersport
Launched in early 2012, the is joined this year by its almost twin sister, the F3 800. "The choice to present in order the F3 675, the Brutale 675, the Brutale 800 and finally the F3 800 is only dictated by the marketing, because these four motorcycles were all developed at the same time", reveals Giovanni Castiglioni, Managing Director of MV Agusta.
MV Agusta F3 800: availability, colors and price |
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Extremely close to the "first" F3 (engine, cycle parts and electronics are common: read our Technical point on the penultimate page), the new F3 800 arrives in a market segment that is shrinking like hell: sport motorcycles n ‘are more popular, especially in France, today .
However, Giovanni Castiglioni firmly believes in the potential of his new (top) model and has no fear of cannibalization with the F3 675. "It’s a false problem in my opinion", short cut …
"The observation is very simple: whether the customer leaves with an F3 675 or an F3 800, it ultimately remains an MV Agusta sale.", exposes the young Italian big boss."The main thing is that he does not choose a competitor’s motorcycle. The 800 is for us the means of increasing our margin, that of the dealer … and for the customer? Thanks to it, it benefits from 20 additional horsepower compared to the 675. Everyone is happy !"Capito ?
Still according to Giovanni Castiglioni, this new MV Agusta is "the motorcycle offering an ideal compromise, perfect for going to have fun on the circuit. I am even convinced that it will be able to interest customers of 1000 cc".
The figures put forward by the manufacturers plead in its favor. Displaying on the scale – from MV Agusta – the same weight as its little sister (173 kg dry), the F3 800 logically has a much better weight / power ratio: 1.17 against 1.35.
Admittedly, the new 2013 F4s do even better: based on the manufacturer’s figures, Site calculated that the Varese Superbikes benefit from a ratio even lower than 0.98 for the standard version F4 and R, or even 0.95 for the high-end RR (read our).
"Personally, I would rather fall for a 10,000 because I have always preferred large motorcycles", readily admits the CEO of MV."But you’ll see it tomorrow on the Misano circuit: the F3 800 is really fast. Fast and nimble, which counts for a good time !"
While waiting to be able to judge on the evidence and on the track, let’s take a look at the two models (one black and one white, with a red frame) on display in the hotel, on their stand…
The young ladies of Varese
Aesthetically, it’s simple: the all new MV Agusta wears exactly the same outfit as its sister 675. Fortunately, a small "800" underlines the name of the model "F3" on the side of the fairing: just enough to flatter the ego of its owners, eager to stand out from the pilots of the "small" model.
A sense of purity and lightness emanates from virtually every part of the bike: perforated front fender, tubular steel frame, aluminum footrest brackets, finely split five-spoke rims – and with angled valves! -, exits of pot always so crisp, backsplash and its tiny passenger seat … There is no fault of taste !
The plastic of this Italian is just as admirable: the lines of the front face, the tank and the backsplash are perfectly curved. In addition, the fairing assemblies are made with care and the paints appear to be of very good quality..
But in this beautiful sleep a beast … The second half of the frame – in cast aluminum – and the single-sided, very robust appearance, indicate that the F3 is perfectly able to manage the 148 horsepower and 88 Nm developed by the " Tre Pistoni "in its 798 cc configuration (read our Technical Update on the penultimate page).
Likewise, the adoption at the front of new brake calipers branded "Brembo" – in red! – increase the sportiness of the Italian top model by a notch. For our test, MV Agusta pushed the cursor a little further by replacing the original tire tread (Pirelli Rosso Corsa) with Supercorsa from the same brand … Diantre !
By completing the tour of the lucky owner, MNC regrets only one thing: that the wiring harness and its layout have not received more attention from the factory..
As on its cousin Brutale 675 (read our), the wires and terminals of the F3 800 are not even camouflaged and the black cable ties – supposed to guide them correctly! – denote black and white colors on the red frame … Too bad.
The fully digital dashboard is both complete and readable. The controls on the handlebars used to scroll through the information and navigate the menus are easy to use with thin track gloves, but the observation would probably have been less positive in the middle of winter with mittens…
The most finicky bikers will eventually be disappointed not to be able to adjust the gap of the clutch, while the brake lever has six notches that will satisfy both large and small hands. MNC and his "normal" hands had no complaints.
The same maniacal attentive readers will note that the other buttons of the commodos (starter, ignition switch, indicators, etc.) have a somewhat basic appearance that does not really correspond to the class of the F series of MV Agusta. Nor at their price !
Last question to the MV Agusta staff before taking the track: the price of this new toy for big boys? "€ 13,990 ex-factory for this F3 800 which has the "EAS" or Electronic Assisted Shift system as standard", tells us the Italian manufacturer.
Regardless of the packaging, transport and start-up costs, this corresponds to an extension of € 1,400 compared to the F3 675 EAS. Either 70 euros per additional horse (in the free world, or in France from 2016) or 82.35 € per Nm. Are they worth the cost? Test !
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