MV Agusta F3RR Review

Just a decade ago, if you wanted something fast and focused without the liability of a 1,000cc superbike for the road, you had a lot of exciting bikes to choose from: multiple 600cc machines, 675s from Triumph and MV, Kawasaki’s 636; turn the clocks back a little further and you’d find the Suzuki GSX-R750 and Kawasaki’s ZX-7R. But today the development these apex-hunting middleweights has slowed dramatically. Yamaha’s long-serving R6 is still available as a track-only option, and Ducati still produces the twin-cylinder Panigale V2, which is now eligible to compete in World Supersport alongside MV with its F3.

MV Agusta is almost the last man standing. The company is not only still producing the F3 800cc triple, but doing so in two versions, the Rosso and the exciting RR. To keep the MV F3 RR in production, the Italian manufacturer has had to make some adjustments to meet Euro 5. It has done this with a list of engine changes that have kept power at a quoted 145 hp from the 798cc triple, the same output as the base Rosso version.

The most dramatic and obvious update is a new aerodynamic package designed to generate downforce, a first in this middleweight category. The new RR features attractive enclosed wings much like those found on the new Fireblade. According to MV, these clever little “appendages” add 17.6 pounds of downforce at 149 mph. There’s also a taller screen and a very trick Moto2-style front hugger that wraps around the fork legs.

Note the F3 RR’s new aero package, designed to add downforce and stability at the high speeds where they’re most needed.

Not so obvious is the 10 percent lighter rear wheel, which MV claims reduces inertia by 7 percent. There are new CNC-machined footpegs and a new seat with a grippier surface. Keen-eyed readers will notice that our testbike isn’t a standard RR; MV fitted ours with its race kit, which includes a CNC-machined fuel cap and brake and clutch levers, a pillion seat cover, and an Akrapovič silencer, which will likely attract the most admirers. This chops 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds) from the total weight, bringing it down to just a quoted 165 kilograms (364 pounds) dry, and the exhaust and race kit ECU boost power by 8 bhp to 155 hp at 13,250 rpm; peak torque remains the same.

We spent a few days trying out the new MV F3 RR in perfect conditions. Is there still a place in the market for a pin-sharp sports middleweight? And does the ride match the obvious desirability of the new RR?

Power Freeze

The stock three-cylinder 798cc motor maintains its 147 bhp at 13,000 rpm and 88Nm at 10,100 rpm despite now meeting tight Euro 5 regulations. That is an impressive achievement for a high-revving engine, eked out through numerous and detailed tweaks including diamond-like coating on the tappets, new valve guides, and new low-friction bearings. There’s also a new exhaust and a new clutch, but essentially MV has counteracted the restrictions of Euro 5 by allowing the engine to spin more easily.

Thanks to top-notch suspension, this MV Agusta eats up turns and loves to carry corner speed.

Sounds So Good

It’s hard to find a dull-sounding MV. Given that our testbike was fitted with the race kit it was always going to sound fruity, and the Akrapovič silencer amplifies the triple’s howl gloriously. There is plenty of torque on tap and no need to rev the F3 RR hard in daily use, yet you can’t help but hold onto gears too long and let the motor scream free.

The updated bidirectional quickshifter adds to the occasion. The shift is near perfect, fast and racy, cutting the ignition only for the fraction of a second it takes to slip in another gear. Backshifts are equally impressive, with each gear dropping in smoothly even at high revs.

Most current sportbikes are fitted with launch control, so the F3′s is nothing new, but I can’t remember the last time I used a track-focused rider aid so much on the road. Select launch control, then first gear; hold the throttle to the stop and let the electronics do the rest as you release the clutch and go. It’s simple, intuitive, and amazing every time.

It’s all too easy to get carried away with the top-end performance of the F3 RR and indulge in the romance of a lovely sounding Italian-built MV while forgetting about all practicality. Thankfully, MV didn’t overlook criticism of its balky low-rpm fueling, which is now much improved. The F3′s fuel injection and low-speed throttle response are on par with the competition, something you couldn’t say of any MV a few years ago.

Hungry for an Apex

For close to 20,000 pounds/$24,700 (plus 2,000 pounds/$2,470 more with the race kit), the RR comes with the same fully adjustable suspension as the standard F3 Rosso, which means a Sachs shock on the rear and an inverted 43mm Marzocchi fork up front. No shiny gold Öhlins, then, and still manually adjustable.

That said, this setup works and works well. MVs of the recent-ish past were infamous for having too little suspension travel and a too-stiff setup, but the RR’s ride is forgiving and makes the bike feel anything but a rigid racebike that’s found its way onto the public highway.

Head for a bumpy backroad, ride like you’re at the TT, and yes, the RR will respond with the odd twitch and kick. But on normal UK pavement, the quality suspension and track-ready Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa II tires work together with a purpose. The MV encourages you to ride harder and faster, to let go of the brakes and carry corner speed as you lean ever deeper. The new footpegs are grippy and the seat is too, so riders will feel comfortable hanging off midcorner.

A good balance between responsiveness and suspension compliance means the F3 RR will let riders do this sort of thing all day.

The fun isn’t hindered by the electronic rider aids, which have been updated with an upgraded six-axis IMU. MV has worked closely with Milan-based specialists e-Novia, who has clearly done its homework; the electronics are some of the best ever equipped to an MV. The front wheel lift control in particular is delightfully smooth, and can be deactivated for full-blown bouts of immaturity. Less experienced thrashers and experts alike will appreciate the overall electronic control, which can be easily tailored to match the rider and conditions via the new 5.5-inch color TFT dash. Our test was done under dry and sunny conditions, so the lean-sensitive traction control was never really tested, but if it works as well as the lift control, new quickshifter, and launch control, it will at least be in the ballpark.

Riding modes include Race, Sport, Rain, and Custom. It’s easy to switch between them, and the current mode is clearly displayed on the dash. Rider aids are also clearly displayed and can also be changed or deactivated on the move.

As for the F3 RR’s new winglets and their claimed 8 kilos of generated downforce at 150 mph, that will have to wait for a track test. They’re said to only start to work above 100 mph, which is not a speed you see on public roads too often, though high-speed stability is excellent.

The proven and impressive 320mm front discs and their Brembo radial Monoblock four-piston calipers remain the same, but the electronics controlling the ABS have been upgraded to work in corners and at lean. The addition of cornering ABS is a big step for MV and puts it on par with its neighbors at Ducati.

The 2023 F3 RR gets elegant Brembos with gorgeous carbon ducts.

There were no issues with ABS intervention during testing, as expected with perfect weather and road conditions. However, the Brembos were a little inconsistent, sometimes strong and sometimes almost spongy. Other MV models with a similar brake setup have never had this issue. Note that the rear ABS can be deactivated but not the front.

Improved Tech

MV is unusually enthusiastic about its MV Ride app, and for good reason. It’s easy to connect to the bike, and riders can track a route, check out lean angles, use the navigation to give live directions on the dash, and even show text messages. The dash readout is clear and the app is useful on both road and track. It can be used to change riding modes, reduce or increase the rider aids, or create a custom map for the track you’re lapping. Brilliant.

Browse our MV Agusta F3 RR inventory and get $2,200 off right now.