VOL. 50 ISSUE 26 JULY 2, 2013
P43
The bike weighs in the same as
the 675 – 380 pounds.
our existing customers. Through
the course of 2012 we already
evolved four upgrade maps for
the F3, making big improvements
with each one."
Unfortunately, the F3 800
uses the same dashboard instrument as the other MV triples, a
small, compact triumph of design
over practicality that is overly cluttered and downright hard to read
– especially at the increased
speeds of which this new bike is
capable. Only the gear selected
readout parked in the far left corner is instantly legible at any kind
of speed.
But the improvements on the
F3 800 aren't restricted to the
engine package. In addition to
the fully adjustable 43mm Marzocchi fork and Sachs piggyback
monoshock being re-valved to
handle the bike's extra power,
the new MV's chassis package
(that's otherwise identical to the
F3 675's), is also now fitted for
the first time on any bike in MV's
three-cylinder range with radiallymounted Brembo Monobloc onepiece front brake calipers, although disc sizes are unchanged
at 320mm up front, and 220mm
on the rear.
This upgrade delivers absolutely outstanding stopping power on such a small, light bike, and
I'm sure the Marzocchi fork's revalving included some steps to
counter the massive weight transfer delivered when you squeeze
the lever hard and feel the rear
wheel start to lift off the ground.
In addition to the noticeable,
and welcome, amount of engine
braking that MV has left dialed
into its slipper clutch settings,
there's phenomenal bite from the
front brake package - to the point
that I'm not sure I'd like to ride
this bike on a wet road surface.
However, that thankfully wasn't
an issue I had to contend with
at sun-drenched Misano – but
the ABS that MV is developing in
conjunction with Bosch should
be included as standard on this
bike, thereby resolving this issue.
So, nestle aboard this small,
slim motorcycle that mostly resembles a 250cc GP bike fitted
with an evocative sounding fourstroke engine, with a relatively
