Mv Agusta F3

MV AGUSTA F3

UPDATE

Italian middleweight Triple a key to MV’s future success

MV AGUSTA CEO GIOVANNI Castiglioni and engineer/ designer Massimo Bordi are very optimistic about the Italian company’s future. Not only is Castiglioni’s father, Claudio, feeling much better after his recent chemotherapy in the U.S. and hoping to be back in action soon, but there is a lot of optimism on the business side, as well.

Encouragement springs from a relatively solid financial condition and also that the all-new threecylinder 675cc F3 is rapidly approaching final stages of testing and will enter production by the end of the year (earlier than expected).

The F3 family—which includes the supersport seen at EICMA 2010, the Brutale that will be introduced there in 2011, and even a Supermoto expected in 2012—is a key element in MV’s expansion plans. All three models—unlike the F4 and 990 Brutale—will share a common chassis and running gear, simplifying production and helping MV reach its future unit goals.

MV expects that the higher-volume F3 lineup will allow it to double production numbers from its current 4000 units a year to 8000 in 2012 and 12,000 the following year. Ultimately, the company would like to stabilize production at a healthy 16,000 bikes annually.

During a recent visit to MV, I was allowed a sneak peek inside the engine development and testing department to take a closer look at the new Triple. Old man Ezio Mascheroni (of Aermacchi and Cagiva Race Department fame) still appears to be a genius at designing engines. His F3 Triple is so compact and “short” that it makes everything else in its class look overweight and bulky.

By using the balance shaft (mandatory on an inline-Triple due to the rocking couple caused by imbalance of primary order) as an intermediate member of the primary transmission, Mascheroni was able to piggyback the entire gearbox onto the back of the cylinder block (à la Yamaha R1/R6), making the crankcase ultra-compact. The crankshaft rotates backward to diminish its inertial influence on the front end, reducing the tendency of the front tire to get light under hard acceleration and making the bike more neutral and precise exiting comers.

I was also allowed to take a look at the innards of the Three (but no pictures), and it looks like mechanical jewelry inside. In its 675cc guise, the Triple uses 79.0 x 45.9mm bore and stroke measurements. Wall thickness is down to 4mm between the barrels, which means that displacement can be increased to 800cc by stroking, but enlarging the bore within the current crankcase looks unlikely. MV claims that in its current form, the 675 engine makes in excess of 130 hp (presumably at the crankshaft) and that the F3 will be very light.

All that remains is the opportunity to actually ride and test an F3 to see if all the hype meets our expectations.

—Bruno dePrato