MV Agusta F3 675

After being elected the “Most beautiful 600 in the world”, the MV Agusta F3 675 is now ready to become the new reference both on the street and on the track. This Supersport boasts an ultra-advanced chassis and vehicle dynamics control unit MVICS (Motor & Vehicle Integrated Control System), that is on par with the most advanced Superbikes.

The MV Agusta F3 675 is a revolutionary motorcycle offering extreme emotions to the rider on the street and on the track. The three cylinder engine utilizes a revolutionary counter-rotating crankshaft, a solution that has only been previously seen on Moto GP motorcycles. Together with the most compact and light weight layout ever seen on a Supersport bike, these characteristics make the new F3 675 one of the best handling and most sophisticated Supersport motorcycles.

The MV Agusta F3 675 engine is the most advanced and powerful middle weight engine ever produced. It is an ultra-compact in-line three cylinder with the perfect balance between advanced mechanical engineering, advanced materials and electronic technology. Thanks to the MVICS system it is the first middleweight motorcycle with Full Ride by Wire engine controls. It includes 4 pre-set engine maps, one personally tunable map, and an 8 level traction control.

The chassis is also incredibly advanced. Studied and designed to obtain the maximum dynamic performance, it was created to have optimum rigidity and when compared to the other motorcycles in this category, offers an unparalleled level of feedback during all riding conditions. The development of the style of the MV Agusta F3 675 was based on the core philosophy that has always characterized all previous MV’s: the perfect balance between form and function that creates an object that is unique not only for its beauty but also in its effectiveness.

The new MV. A new work of art on wheels is arriving that will upset the balance of power.

As with all MV’s this new model is synonymous with excellence, style and technology. The new F3 will apply these principles to a new market segment, the middle weight supersport category.

If the F4, considered the most beautiful motorcycle in the world, set the styling and performance standards by which all others are judged, the new F3 has completely exceeded all previous conceptions of what a supersport motorcycle should be, redefining an entirely new category. Light weight, power and electronics working in complete harmony on a new motorcycle that pushes the concept of supersport to the extreme. Powerful, hyper-light and more compact than any other motorcycle in existence. The F3 sets the new standard by which all other supersport motorcycles will be judged and compared. A completely new project that was created by CRC, the research center that has continually designed and developed the motorcycles of dreams.

The styling is pure MV Agusta, as with its big sister the F4, but the F3 is even more unique. The new “middle weight” by MV follows the philosophy of all the MV Agusta works of art while pushing the limits of the supersport category with a maniacal attention to detail. The exhaust system has a triple pipe side exit muffler and is the perfect example of how design and function coincide perfectly. There is no doubt, the new F3 is a true MV Agusta!  

F3, the new frontier.

Three cylinders. Pure supersport. The MV Agusta F3 675 is the new benchmark in its class. It is three times unique with:
innovative electronics, revolutionary engine and a superior chassis. Compact, light weight and powerful. Essential and refined.
Beautiful and effective both on the road and track. Four personalized engine management maps and eight levels of traction
control: the most advanced MV Agusta ever.

Exceeding your dreams.

The new frontier of the supersport category by the numbers: 128 hp at peak power and a maximum engine speed of 15,000 rpm. The fully electronic engine management system utilizes a full ride-by-wire throttle control, unique technology to the supersport class.

The frame is unmistakably MV Agusta: steel and aluminum are combined to achieve perfection. Pure driving pleasure coupled with exhilarating performance: the tubular steel trellis frame coupled to the cast aluminum side plates offers the maximum in handling efficiency.

The dynamics are further enhanced by the incredibly short 1,380 mm wheelbase. As is the norm with MV Agusta, the rear swing arm is single sided and is coupled with Marzocchi forks and a Sachs shock absorber together with Brembo radial calipers and ultra light wheels. Every single component is considered an essential part of the project.

MVICS (Motor & Vehicle Integrated Control System): fully electronic engine and traction control, the most advanced in the world on a motorcycle in this category. The Ride-by-Wire throttle is connected to three 50 mm diameter throttle bodies and two fuel injectors per cylinder, another record for the 675 F3. The ECU offers the opportunity to choose between 4 engine maps, three standard and one custom.

This adjustability has been engineered to get the optimum performance in all driving conditions from the only three-cylinder engine utilizing a counter-rotating crankshaft, a solution that until now has only been used in MotoGP.

Mass centralization and low center of gravity: the core objectives of the project become a reality thanks to unique solutions such as placing part of the fuel tank under the seat. This translates into absolute driving pleasure with immediate response to the rider inputs.

Additional solutions that were applied without compromise was the use titanium for the intake and exhaust valves. The F3 675 is the only supersport to offer technology of a superbike.

MV Agusta F3 675 Features and Benefits

ENGINE

The 3 cylinder layout has won a record number of world championships for MV Agusta, and the new 3 cylinder 675 pays homage to that history. This new engine employs the most advanced technical solutions to achieve top performance.

Only MV Agusta has been able to develop an incredibly short and narrow, ultra-compact engine due to the unique layout of its internal organs. Utilizing a 79mm bore, a super-short stroke of 45,9mm the MV Agusta 3 cylinder engine is extremely over-square and able to rev the highest levels ever achieved by three cylinder sports bike. It is an ultra-modern, extremely advanced engine capable of 128 hp at 14.500 rpm and 71 Nm of torque at 10.600 rpm. This level of performance has never before been available in this category and it is on par with the performance of a number of 4 cylinder engines thanks to a 15.000 rpm limit. For the first time ever, a production motorcycle utilizes a counter-rotating crankshaft that contributes to its perfect dynamic balance as well as increasing the lightning quick handling of the motorcycle.

Ultra-compact dimensions, reduced weight best in class performance are the characteristics that make the engine of the new MV Agusta F3 675 the new reference in the supersports class. An engine destined to become the new benchmark of supersport engines thanks to innovative technical solutions such as the use of a single shell mold casting resulting in the “closed deck” integration of the cylinders into the crankcase, the use of titanium both for the intake and exhaust valves and the new MVICS system. Another unique feature is the integrate oil and water system: the pump system (water and oil) and passages are placed entirely inside the crankcase castings offering both performance and styling advantages to the most powerful Italian 3 cylinder ever produced.

With this layout MV raced and won an unprecedented number of races and world championship titles. Today the 3-cylinder engine has returned in the form of a Supersport with the most advanced technical solutions and performance. 

ELECTRONICS

The most advanced electronic engine control system ever seen on a Supersport has been designed specifically for this extraordinary new three cylinder. A fuel injection system that is extremely sophisticated using a two fuel injectors per cylinder coupled with a throttle body employing 50mm throttle valves, a new record for a Supersport! The F3 675 introduces for the first time the MVICS system that allows the engine to unleash a record level of power and control in every situation. The rider can select one of the 4 available maps, or customize an additional map to obtain the power delivery desired. With the MVICS system it is possible to generate a perfect harmony between the power delivery and the traction control. As with every MV Agusta the Traction Control offers 8 levels of adjustment and is now accessible through the input on the left handlebar and the dashboard interface. This system is incredibly advanced and can be custom tailored by the rider with a series of optional MV Agusta Special Parts:

- Vehicle lean sensor capable of reading all of the vehicle inclination data. This interfaces with the traction control and engine control algorithms effectively reading the wheel slip during all angles of lean and then adjusting the throttle opening, spark advance and fuel delivery to ensure the optimal safety and acceleration in all dynamic conditions
- Launch Control which permits the optimum performance during starts and offering the maximum acceleration possible
- Anti-wheeling which permits the optimization of the vehicle acceleration
- MV Agusta EAS (Electronically Assisted Shift) which allows incredibly rapid shifting without ever having to close the throttle or employ the clutch.

 CHASSIS

As always, those who ride MV Agusta’s have become accustomed to having the very best components and maximum performance from the chassis. The new F3 675 follows this tradition with a level of quality that exceeds most of the 1000cc superbikes on the market. As with all previous MV’s, the advanced frame design incorporates a mix of steel tubing and aluminum side plates that wrap around the ultra-compact engine offering a level of compactness never before seen on a supersport motorcycle. The compact engine dimensions left the maximum liberty to design the most advanced chassis on the market with an exceptionally long single sided swingarm that guarantees traction and feedback to the rider. All of this encapsulated in a 1,380 mm wheelbase with a 173 kg weight that has set a new record for the Supersport category. The components, as always, are of the highest quality. The Marzocchi 43mm front fork is completely adjustable as well as the Sachs piggy-back rear shock. The front brake system consists of a Nissin radial master cylinder, Brembo radial calipers and 320 mm discs all coupled to ultra-light aluminum wheels that allows the F3 675 to offer handling never before experienced on a Supersport motorcycle.
 

THREE CYLINDERS MADE IN ITALY

The dominance of MV Agusta in the motorcycle Grand Prix’s is in part due to their most victorious engine design. Of the 37 world titles won by the bikes from Cascina Costa, 10 are attributed to the bikes with the inline three cylinder engines. MV Agusta was the first motorcycle manufacturer in the world to believe in this technical solution, a risk that paid off with countless victories. The three cylinder project began as a twin cam 350 followed by a 500cc version, these bikes were legendary for their power as well as their lighter weight and improved aerodynamics compared to the 4 cylinder competition.

The project was designed at the request of Count Agusta, developed on the race track by Giacomo Agostini and raced by the greatest champions of all time winning immediately. Initially the 350 twin cam, followed by the 500 twin cam, these motorcycles became the reference point for all of the other manufacturers as they offered unmatched performance allowing them to dominate the competition. This dominance was translated into 10 world championship titles, 9 Italian championships and 215 race wins. The MV three cylinder was a motorcycle unequaled by the competition by applying technology that was advanced for its time and destined to become the future for all high performance engines.

Even today, the classic three cylinder MV Agusta is an example for the rational application of technology and pure styling. A style so unique that it transcends to the soul of the MV’s of today. Having to choose which engine layout would power the new MV Agusta middle weight, Claudio Castiglioni chose the most rational configuration of the three cylinder. A choice that is technically advanced while at the same time respects the long history of MV Agusta and their countless successes with this engine layout. Today, as well as in the past, the F3 takes advantage of a very compact design, advanced technology and unparalleled power. With the new F3, history and future are fused into a single entity giving form to the most beautiful and technologically advanced “600”, a motorcycle that clearly marks the beginning of a new era.

Review

My journey back to Paul Ricard this past February for the press launch of the new MV Agusta F3 675 was special. This enchanting high-speed circuit is perched above the French Riviera in the arid mountains of Southern France. When I was in my early 20s, Paul Ricard was a place of “firsts”: my first race on European soil; my first team endurance race; my first time speeding at 180 mph through dense campfire smoke in the black of night; and my first 130-plus-mph crash. It took half of a French fire brigade to knock down the flames and bring the melted bike to its final resting place.

In stark contrast to the ambitious youngster who arrived here 13 years ago, I am sitting calmly in the media center enjoying an espresso that’s as smooth as the lines on the beautiful MV Agusta resting on the stand before me. With the pressure of professional racing behind me, my job today is to simply enjoy this little firecracker for all she is worth.

Incredibly, just four engineers are behind the new F3. Technical Director Marco Cassinelli, who was recruited from Lamborghini, tells me this small group is very efficient, that it directs all of its energy toward what it believes to be the future of the brand. Upholding MV Agusta’s heritage of beauty and performance is critical, says Cassinelli, but attracting mainstream consumers is also important.

While the engineers dive proudly into the many features incorporated into the electronic dash, my jet-lagged attention span goes no deeper than the panel’s elegant exterior. The display is spartan, its clean, simple design unencumbered by gadgetry. In fact, it’s more like the simple analog clocks on older racebikes than the bulky dashes that are so common today. Same goes for the rest of the bike; there are no flashy badges or logos, just the raw beauty of metal and performance.

I glance around the briefing room and am distracted by a tiny engine that looks like it belongs in a dirtbike. That little thing is the F3’s powerplant? While one of the engineers talks about fuel maps and torque curves, I sneak over for a better look at this compact engine. Yep, it would fit easily in my gearbag.

I’m still in a bit of a haze when I suit up and climb aboard the 675 for my first track session. My senses are confused straight away. The F3 is far too narrow to be an inline-Four, yet it feels curiously similar to a Yamaha YZF-R6. Pressing the Start button evokes different emotions; this Triple is grumbly like a Twin, but it’s too highly strung to be one. I accelerate down pit lane with the front wheel hovering above the pavement. This little torque monster revs out!

Reacquainting myself with Paul Ricard is anti-climactic. The lean 675 quickly finds its way from apex to apex with ease. Balanced ergonomics and a low seating position promote aggressive riding while keeping weight transfer to a minimum. The throaty exhaust note is solid gold, and the F3 seems to beg for more throttle, inviting its most remarkable feature, the engine, to come alive.

Capitalizing on six perfectly spaced transmission ratios and an excellent, full-throttle EAS (Electronic Assisted Shift) auto-shift feature, I busily hustle from first through sixth down the long front straight. The six-injector, 12-valve, dohc, 79.0 x 45.9mm motor is phenomenal, with a wide range of power and the ability to overrev. Strong torque is delivered linearly and right on time in relation to throttle position, with the potent power curve giving an extra pull on the bars between 10,000 and 14,000 rpm. MV claims 126 horsepower at 14,400 rpm and 52 foot-pounds of torque at 10,600 rpm. Redline is 15,000 rpm.

Now that I am fully awake, I’m ready for a second explanation about the many electronic functions. Engineer Mauro Marelli begins by saying the system is new from the ground up. It starts with a ride-by-wire throttle using a standard open-and-close potentiometer. This is augmented by a “safety closing” default to eliminate any surprises.

Moving on, Marelli says a new ECU was designed specifically for the traction control, torque maps and quick-shift functions on the F3. I watch as he scrolls through the well-lit display. The F3 boasts four map settings. The first three—Rain, Normaland Sport—are self-explanatory and preset for user ease. The fourth mode is called “Corono,” which allows on-the-fly customization using thumb switches located, MotoGP-style, adjacent to the left handgrip. Within Corono are five different parameters ranging from eight levels of traction control to torque delivery. Leaving no request unsatisfied, there is even an adjustable highway speed limiter to keep you out of trouble with Smokey. Okay, there are enough options to hang myself. Impressive.

Just how much do I trust the 675’s electronics? Getting to full throttle early on cold tires is never a good idea; but it’s my only opportunity to test the rain mapping, and, thus far, the engineers have not steered me wrong, so I’m willing to roll the dice. Riding out of the pit box, I scroll through to level eight on the TC selector, which is intended for wet conditions. At the apex of hairpin Turn 1, I aggressively pin the throttle in first gear. The familiar safety-net sound of the engine misfiring to limit wheel slip is music to my ears. As the tires reach optimum temperature, I methodically work my way from level eight down to zero. Each selection performs as it was designed, allowing for more wheel slip in a consistent progression. Although the traction control is well-sorted, the engine delivers such steady Twin-like torque delivery that TC is rarely in demand.

Speed is crucial in the evaluation of chassis. Lapping the track at a pretty good clip, I find it difficult to point out any major faults. Even in street trim on one ofEurope’s fastest circuits, the 675 with its hybrid aluminum/steel frame rolling on a 54.2-inch wheelbase carves up the track. Racing speeds, however, ask a lot of the stock suspension. The fully adjustable Sachs shock holds up remarkably well, but the 43mm Marzocchi fork is a little soft at maximum load, diving quickly under hard braking, making the rear end loose on entry and creating some pumping mid-corner. But that I find myself evaluating the F3 as if it were a racebike is the biggest compliment I could pay a stock motorcycle. The 320mm Brembo front brakes are exceptional, as well, offering phenomenal stopping power and feel.

Sitting directly behind the F3’s greatest strength lurks its biggest weakness: the transmission. Though solid in feel, the cassette-type gearbox is fickle; having to take a second stab at third and fourth gears gives away the generous gift that the potent engine delivers on corner exits. EAS helps, but considering the many other great choices in this displacement category, the F3 needs to be a complete package.

Can a small European brand like MV Agusta keep up with the big boys in development costs and still deliver an affordable product? Contrary to the popular notion that you buy a racy Italian motorcycle with your heart, the 675 F3 has an attractive price tag: $13,498. Couple that with incredible performance and elegant looks, and you have an amazing machine. Hopefully, MV Agusta will be able to maintain its newfound momentum.

Source Cycle World