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MV Agusta Releases Photos of New F3 Triple; Details Emerge

After months of speculation and sightings of a new 675cc three-cylinder sportbike, MV Agusta released photos last week of what looks like a pre-production model. According to rumor, speculation and educated guesswork, the bike could be under 400 pounds gassed up, make about 120 horses at the wheel and be priced somewhere in the low teens. But will the bike be enough to finally turn MV into a profitable venture?

Although there is no information about the bike on MV’s website, plenty can be inferred from gazing longingly at the high-resolution photos. That the bike is ready for production is likely; the parts look like production parts, down to the heat insulation on the exhaust collector and the embossed MV logo on the sidestand. The bike’s “budget” (compared to other MV models) nature is clear, too: the suspension doesn’t look like big-bucks Öhlins, and though the four-piston, radial-mount brake calipers are Brembos, they lack the signature red lettering of the fancy race stuff the F4 has. Also, more parts—like the top triple clamp—appear cast rather than machined. Expect to spend more time riding this machine than gazing lovingly at it in your dust-free, climate-controlled garage.

But that shouldn’t be a bad thing, either. The frame looks like Tamburini’s signature chromoly-tube birdcage, and the partly exposed motor has a tough, industrial look to it. If MV’s engineers used Triumph’s 675 mill as a benchmark, expect this motor to best it by 10 or 15 percent—maybe as much as 140 hp at the crankshaft. Italy’s Motociclismo reports the bike will have F4-style radial valves, a cassette gearbox and weigh in at 354 pounds dry. I’d expect pricing to be within 10 or 20 percent of what Ducati is charging for the 848 EVO, which starts at $12,995 in the USA (and I am looking forward to doing the comparison test). Anticipate a naked Brutale version in the next year as well.

Will this new model change the fortunes of struggling MV Agusta, a company that for many years has lost much more money than it’s earned? Five years ago, the answer would have been a much more solid “yes.” However, in the new Great Recession world, the shrunken market for large motorcycles and tight credit markets make it a less clear bet. An email to MV Agusta USA netted a promise for more information in the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned.

20 Comments

  1. Eric says:

    Wow.. how small is that bike? I think all the manufacturers (except maybe Guzzi and Harley) are sizing their bikes for 12 year-olds. Guess I will just have to stick with my ponderous, bloated, and ill mannered V-Strom until the bike testers (and moto-mag editors) start getting arthritis. Ride safe my brothers.

  2. Big Al says:

    As a authorized Benelli dealer I know the triple inside and out! You can’t bet the the Benelli triple! Look for more from Benelli in the coming months. Ride safe!

    Al

  3. MikeD says:

    Like Clasqm, i would like to see more Triples (on any class, not just anorexic 600 and crazy power 1000s), specially from the Japanese OEM’s.

    Triumph may have capitalized on this Format but they ain’t the greatest nor the first ones to make use of it…for the other OEM’s to try again is not a Heresy.

    More choices never hurted the consumer (too bad the same can’t be said for the manufacturers).

  4. Michael says:

    Hmm, hasn’t somebody already done a 675cc triple?

  5. Trpldog says:

    Open letter to Motorcycledaily,
    I can’t leave without saying, and I think every regular MD reader here will agree – that the format, the content, the road tests, the photography – in fact ALL of MD is simply OUTSTANDING. It has been my home page for a long long time and will continue to be so for a long time to come. A big THANK YOU to the staff for your time, and obvious dedication and downright work to make and keep MD what it is. BRAVO.

  6. buddygixxerninja says:

    owning a MV and other european bikes is so costly. they may try to get close with the japanese for pricing, but when i found out how much the maintenance, parts, other materials, to keep the bike running smooth, the cost is enormous! for example, the bmw s1000rr. did you know that to replace a brake/clutch lever cost between $250-$370??? compare that to a 2010 honda cbr 1000rr, is about $35-45 bucks! tell me, how insane is that?? what the hell is the lever made out of? titanium, gold, platinum?? for middle class people like me, i can’t see the justification.

    • Jeff says:

      Don’t crash and you don’t have to worry about it.

      • buddygixxerninja says:

        it’s not about crashing. the maintenance alone is out of this world. i found out that for just a minor tune-up, it’ll cost over $800. that’s pretty costly. crash or not, just replacing parts is 10x more than the japanese bikes.

  7. Stinky says:

    I’d love to see MV get into a better part of the market, then maybe we’ll see more dealers, parts, etc. Harley letting them go was the second biggest gaffe that moron CEO could’ve made. Unfortunately, I’m completely the wrong size and not near flexible enough to even consider this or the Daytona.
    I’m looking forward to riding a friends Brutale, I fell in love with the Street Triple on the showroom. I’ve only ridden the Speed Triple and the grin is painful. My face hurt from smiling so much. In the showroom the Street fit my 6′ even better than the Speed. If MV spreads the love to larger folks they might be able to nab some of the Ducati/ Triumph market.
    Great time to be a biker!

  8. Kjazz says:

    Trpldog definitely knoweth of what he speaks. The triple is the magic motor in my estimation. I’ve got the 1050 from Triumph, but I’m sure the characteristics are found in the smaller version too.

    As far as ever buying an MV……I personally just dont register the value enhancement enough to purchase one over an more pedestrian brand. Plus, isn’t scratching, or God forbid, actually wrecking an MV considered a felony with mandatory time……???

  9. Bob says:

    I agree with several of the posts. I’ve always lusted for the MV but my nearest dealer is 250 miles away in Texas. There are also no delears in my neighboring states, Louisianna, New Mexico and Arkansas. The Texas dealers really don’t keep any parts other than some consumables, mainly because they have difficulty getting them. They also have had very few bikes on the floor. Some were already a couple years old or more as well. Then there’s the service departments. As the dealers were multi-branded, do the techs have top notch MV specific training rather than hacking their way though fixing your bike? It was this, specifically, that promted me to buy the manuals and work on my own bikes. But under warranty, I wouldn’t do that. I’d have to go 250 miles just to have a dealer look at it, then let it sit there for a few months while they wait for parts so a guy can work on it that may not be MV specific trained. Very sad because I’ve always wanted an F4 and a Brutale. The deck is stacked against me.

  10. John says:

    I like it, but it will have to have better street-going ergos than the Daytona for me to ever seriously consider buying one.

  11. Artem says:

    I don’t care.
    Saarinen was faster on Yamaha.
    Sorry for that.

  12. Trpldog says:

    Interesting. As a triumph triple owner, I wonder how many of these MV’s will, in reality go out the door. If MV wants me to buy one and put some miles on it, what about dealership locations, parts availability, part costs, dealer work turn-around time, etc.
    We’ll see. In the mean time – Hoo-Doggie, me and Speedy are goin fer a romp in the twisties!

    • Trpldog says:

      P.S. As a side-note, if you are considering a triple cylinder motorcycle, I can’t say enough abour it being pretty close to the perfect configuration for the street. I’ve owned about 15 bikes, from an RD350 to an XB1200R Buell since 1974 and the 1050 Speed Triple motor is an absolute hoot. I never ever considered a Triumph – I’m SO glad I test rode one. It’s got the down low torque of a twin with the higher rpm of a four still available. The power-band is table flat all the way up from ground zero. A giant dirt bike on steroids. It’s like a well kept secret. On second thought, DON’T test ride one, then I’ll will still be the only one in town smiling ear to ear every time I turn the key. Ride safe!

      • Gabe says:

        For shizzle, ‘Dog…Dirck and I had a long conversation today aobut the Triple…we both concur that it’s an ideal middleweight sportbike engine, and we’re surprised it’s taken this long for a competitior to build one (Benelli would count if they could make more than a few hundred bikes a year).

        • clasqm says:

          After Kawasaki’s evil-handling 2-stroke triples back in the 70’s, and the rather stodgy tourers from Yamaha and BMW a little later on, triples fell out of fashion. Then Triumph picked up the theme and made it their own, to the point where everyone else now seems afraid to be seen to be copying them.

          I hope this bike becomes reality. MV is a great historic marque that should not go under (again). And we need more triples. And more V-4’s but that is a whole nother story.

          • HM in Appalachia says:

            Triumph had one before BMW,it was known as the “Trident”.MV had triples and fours in GP racing long before most anyone else,albeit in racing.Yes,I am as old if not older than dirt!

      • GaryF says:

        I totally agree. LOVE my 1040 Sprint. It is the perfect STREET motor. There are faster bikes, but none with a better, more useable powerband.

        • Trpldog says:

          Yeah! I first rode a 675 Street Triple when I started thinking about a Triumoh while still owning the XB12R Buell. I got on the 675 Street Triple – fit good, upright, light… So far so good, until I asked it for some torque. Just wasn’t there to be had. Before I even got into 3rd gear I knew that one wouldn’t work for me at all. I just got off a 1203cc Buell torque-monster and the Street Triple felt like Barbie and Ken’s bike. My biking world changed 2 weeks later when I went back and test rode a 1050 Speed Triple – thats the end of that story. Torque, personality, good reliability record, dealers, parts, aftermarket etc. Best motorcycle decision I ever made! I surely wish MV the best of luck, but don’t be surprised if a Rouelette Green Bug-eyed Speedie with Jardine cans goes PASTA your Italian MV in the twisties above Los Angeles. I would like to have a MV triple in the garage – who wouldn’t – but it ain’t gonna happen. So, me and Trpldog will continue to soldier on. Ride safe.

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