It was only a few hours ago that we were talking to you about the upcoming plans for the new World Supersport regulations, and now MV Agusta gives us a glimpse of the machine that they will be offering this reimagined middleweight category.
Built for the purpose of winning races, say hello to the 2022 MV Agusta F3 RR.
In a surprise move, reigning WorldSSP champion Randy Krummenacher has announced that he is splitting with the MV Agusta Reparto Corse team with immediate effect.
The Swiss rider gave only vague reasons for the split. In a press release, he blamed “serious breaches on the part of the company that compromise both the rider’s performance as well as his professionalism, reputation, and personal integrity.”
It is not uncommon for manufacturer to merely update a motorcycle’s graphics package for a new model year, even if no other mechanical changes are coming. It helps keep the bike fresh in the consumers’ eyes, and perhaps it is just enough to lure some would-be buyers into a purchase.
This started the marketing phrase “bold new graphics” to be uttered when such visual refreshes occurred, but in the past decade or so, the phrase has taken on more of an ironic meaning to show that no new changes are coming for a particular motorcycle model, leaving only the color change to be touted.
In the case of the MV Agusta F3, however, the phrase “bold new graphics” is quite literal, as the graphics are indeed bold in color and application, and they are a bit of a departure from what we would expect from the Italian brand.
By now, true motorcycle enthusiasts should be familiar with MV Agusta’s lineup of “RC” models from its sport bike lineup. These race inspired machines are limited in quantity, feature a unique race-inspired livery, and arrive with extra go fast parts that come in a special wood box.
The RC models are strong sellers for MV Agusta, so it is not surprising to see that the concept has permeated from the company’s superbike offering to virtually every machine in the Italian company’s lineup. For the 2019 model year, this idea is no different.
Sometimes, it seems like motorcycle manufacturers are intentionally tanking the supersport segment. For proof of this, I look at the electronics available, on this supposedly cutting-edge segment.
Something as ubiquitous as traction control is still slow to come to the supersport space, while it remains a standard feature on virtually every new street bike model. The concept is so foreign in this segment that less than half of the available supersports on the market have a traction control option.
One of those brands is MV Agusta, which was the first motorcycle marque to bring TC to the supersport class. Now, the Italian brand is ready to raise the bar another notch further, bringing the power of an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to supersport riders.
PJ Jacobsen will once again be the sole American representation in World Supersport this year. The New Yorker had his first taste of his MV Agusta F3 in the dry while at the Jerez test, and came away suitably impressed by the bike that has won eight races in the hands of Jules Cluzel in recent years.
The 23-year-old tested the bike in Jerez last year in what was seen as a shootout for the ride, but on a damp track he didn’t get a real feel for the bike.
“Today was my first day on the bike this year,” said Jacobsen. “I did half a day on the MV last November in Jerez, but it was half wet, half dry so today was good to get out there.”
“It was fully dry so I learned a lot and I’m quite happy with it. The bike is totally different to what I’ve ridden in the past, but the team works really well and they’ve impressed me.”
American Patrick “PJ” Jacobsen will get an equipment change for his 2017 bid in the World Supersport Championship, jumping ship from Honda to the MV Agusta Reparto Corse team.
Jacobsen tested with MV Agusta at the recent WSBK test in Jerez, where his results on the MV Agusta F3 675 must have impressed the Italian factory, as the audition landed him the job.
The move to MV Agusta will hopefully be a benefitical one for Jacobsen, as he starts his fourth full season in the World Supersport Championship. PJ was the 2015 runner-up in the Championship, and finished the 2016 season fourth overall.
MV Agusta and AMG are at the 66th IAA Frankfurt International Motor Show this week, celebrating the partnership the two brands share, as AMG is a minority shareholder in the Italian motorcycle brand.
Helping that celebration is this very colorful “Solar Beam” MV Agusta F3 800, which is just so damn yellow, we had to share it with you.
The machine isn’t anything more than a paint job, which happens to also be a nod at the Mercedes-AMG GT that rocks the same “Solar Beam” livery, but that’s ok with us — it’s a fetching color design, no?
We won’t waste more words with you: more photos of this impossible-to-lose-in-a-parking-lot motorcycle are after the jump, for your viewing pleasure.
The sidecar class at the Isle of Man TT is about to get a pretty big change, as the ACU has announced a shift in the sporting regulations for sidecars. Already opening up the engine spec for the 2014 Isle of Man TT, the governing body has once again modified what the three-wheelers can use for their engines.
Applying the solo-class Supersport engine specs to the sidecar class, teams will have more strict guidelines on what they can and cannot modify for their machines, but they will also have greater flexibility in what engines they base their racing operation upon.
Since the Isle of Man TT Supersport class allows for 675cc three-cylinder sport bikes to compete, Sidecar class entrants can now make use of power plants from the Triumph Daytona 675 and MV Agusta F3 sport bikes.
Just as our Bothan spies had predicted, the folks in Varese, Italy have debuted an 800cc version of the MV Agusta F3. The new machine is cleverly named the MV Agusta F3 800, and as you may expect, the street bike features the 798cc three-cylinder engine that is found on the MV Agusta Brutale 800 and the still unreleased MV Agusta Rivale.
Pepping that three-cylinder motor up to 146hp (note: MV Agusta continues to have some trouble converting kW into horsepower, and other publications continue to fail at checking MV’s math. Last we checked, 108.8 kW equalled 145.9 hp), MV Agusta has wedged the lump into its supersport chassis, and reports that no additional weight has come as a result.
If we had to summarize MV Agusta’s new model plans right now, we would classify it as a “no stone left unturned” approach, as the Italian brand seems committed to make every possible iteration of machine from its common parts bin of motorcycles.
Debuting the MV Agusta F3 675 three-cylinder supersport in 2010, and finally bringing it to market in 2012, the Varese brand is set to bring another iteration of the F3 to market, the MV Agusta F3 800.
As the name implies, MV Agusta will use its 800cc three-cylinder engine, which can be found on the MV Agusta Brutale 800 and the still-not-released MV Agusta Rivale 800 as well.