VOL. 50 ISSUE 34 AUGUST 27, 2013
2013 MV Agusta F3
Dyno performance can't convey the character of the MV's motor, which crushes the Triumph.
The rich tones from the threepipe exhaust makes the Daytona
sound plain by comparison – a
staggering feat considering the
effusive praise we've granted the
Triumph over the years. Every
test rider fawned over the MV's
distinctive sound.
"The sound alone of this bike
makes me giggle," gushes Adam.
"It's so raw that it's crazy to me
that a company would even build
such a thing. "
Now for the bad news, as fueling issues plague the MV engine. Call it glitches, gremlins or
ghosts in the machine, the F3
lurches and stutters from its unpredictable ride-by-wire throttle.
The most frightening effect came
when rolling off throttle and our
test bike continuing to feed the
gas for a moment, on occasion –
with the inconsistency the most
troubling aspect.
"Ugh, the F3's power delivery
was soooo sketchy," bemoans
Adey. "I can't imagine a new model bike coming from MV Agusta
feeling so unrefined in the power
delivery department."
"That bike is crazy – crazy in a
good way, but crazy in a couple
bad ways too," agrees Steeves.
"The fly-by-wire throttle needs
more tuning and refinement.
When you let off the gas, it's not
ready yet – it still wants to party,
even though I've tried to cancel it."
The MV engine has the rider
at times praising and cursing its
nature – sometimes at the same
time… It's the lynchpin of the
whole F3 package. The triple's
character and performance,
once it is in sync with the rider's
wrist, enraptures. But it's just too
inconsistent and unrefined to forgive or ride around the problem.
6
P81
TH
PLACE
Frustrations for the fickle F3
can best be summed up by
our first pit stop on the street
ride. After charging up to the
top of Ortega Highway, all of
us gathered round to admire its
lines. But closer examination
revealed an overflow of coolant
– forcing us to jury-rig a waterbottle coolant refill.
Transmission woes further reduce our confidence in the F3
performance package. On the
plus side is an electronic quickshifter, which makes for smooth
upshifts. But riders found the
wet clutch requires extra work
when feathering out from a full
stop, and the six-speed transmission is rougher than the
super-smooth competition. As
the day wore on, the MV clutch
started slipping too, casting further doubts on the bike.
Troubled launches help explain the F3's poor acceleration data down the Chuckwalla
airstrip. Adam piloted the MV to
a 4-second 0-60 time, worst in
class, and 12.25 quarter-mile,
beating only the GSX-R600.
Coming to a stop from those
speeds is better news, as the
MV's two-piece Brembo brakes
provide ample power. The initial
bite isn't as stout as the onefinger monoblocs, however, the
less grabby lever is preferable
for street duty – depending on
test rider tastes.
"You get good feel and stop-
