When MV Agusta designer Massimo Tamburini designed the F3, his original intention was for it to act as a smaller-displacement wingman to the top-of-the-line four-cylinder F4. But the F4′s continuing reliability issues combined with the sales success of the F3 soon relegated the larger-displacement model to the background on the dealership floor, and eventually being cut from the company’s catalog. Meanwhile the F3 has grown from its original 675cc to 800cc, and has undergone continuing refinement and evolution in an age where hardcore supersport machines are slowly disappearing.
The 798cc three-cylinder with the counterrotating crankshaft (which counteracts the gyroscopic effects of the wheels, helping agility) received some upgrades in 2021 aimed at meeting stringent Euro 5 emissions standards while improving power. The sintered metal valve guides and DLC-treated inverted cup cam followers make the valve train more efficient, while the latest-generation main bearings reduce frictional losses at the crank assembly. The lubrication circuitry has been modified, reducing the volume of oil required, and a more efficient oil pump results in reduced power losses, lower oil temperatures, and reduced oil splashing with its consequent drag on the crankshaft.
The thick aluminum frame plates that connect to the frame’s steel-tube trellis structure have been redesigned, increasing torsional rigidity and lateral flex substantially. The F3 RR chassis is very compact and race-oriented, with a 54.3-inch wheelbase, 23.5 degrees of rake, and 3.9 inches of trail. Both the 43mm inverted Marzocchi fork and Sachs rear shock are fully adjustable, while braking is handled by twin 320mm rotors and Brembo Stylema Monoblock four-piston calipers up front and a single 220mm rotor with a two-piston caliper at the rear. The Eldor ECU is equipped with a six-axis IMU, enabling a full electronics suite to control the ride-by-wire throttle system, offering up adjustable traction control, torque control, launch control, and wheelie control. The up-spec RR and RC models have fairings that feature internal downforce winglets.
The 2024 MV Agusta F3 comes in three variants: The F3 R is available in Rosso Ago for $19,398; the F3 RR is available in Nero Carbon Metallizzato/Grigio Scuro Metallizzato or Rosso Fuoco Opaco/Grigio Scuro Metallizzato Opaco for $24,298; and the F3 RC is available in RC Pearl White/Ago Red/Emerald Green for $25,998.
