MV Agusta F3 Rosso | Motorcycle Porn

Ever made love to a motorcycle? No, me neither. But that might change when I see one of these puppies in the flesh. The 2021 MV Agusta F3 is the latest edition to the Rosso range and, like the rest of MV’s three-cylinder bikes, it’s had some saucy upgrades.

The rest of the ‘Rosso’ models are marketed as slightly more accessible, lower powered versions (of Dragsters, Brutales etc). But not the F3. The F3 Rosso doesn’t lose any power. The 800cc triple is good for 148hp, which is a lot more ponies than any of it’s Rosso stable mates. And the same amount of power as the full fat, F3 800. But not quite as much as the F3 800 RS (153hp). I could probably bore you to tears with details of the engine updates, but if you’re interested in the Rosso version, it’s probably because of the way it looks, rather than all the technical details. So I won’t rabbit on about them, but I will mention the DLC anti-friction coating on the buckets and shims, the titanium valves, and the new main bearings, con-rods and countershaft. Oh, and there is a new set of injectors, too.

Curvy

The entire exhaust is completely new and it’s said to fill out the torque and power curves, without muting the delightful sound. But even if this bike sounded crap, I don’t think I’d mind, because it looks so good. It’d be like having a supermodel girlfriend with a scouse accent; you’d just put up with it, wouldn’t you? Actually, on second thoughts…

Anyway, I digress. There’s a new, tougher clutch basket, a shifter and blipper and a more comprehensive electronics package. The new IMU has been developed exclusively for MV Agusta and allows much more precise electronic intervention. That’s everything from the TC, to the ABS and even the new FLC (Front Lift Control). All the settings will appear on the 5.5” TFT dash; which you can connect your phone to with the MV Ride App. The app allows you to share trip data, but also adjust all the electronic settings directly from your phone.

Kleenex

If you owned this bike though, I expect all you’d use your smartphone for is taking pictures of it. Or ordering some more Kleenex from Amazon.

It was my understanding that these Rosso models were easier-to-get-along-with, slightly tamer, less powerful versions. Notice I didn’t refer to them as kids bikes or beginner bikes; I don’t think they really are. Anyway, it’s not entirely clear from the MV Agusta press release what makes the F3 Rosso more ‘accessible’. On paper, it doesn’t seem to be any tamer performance-wise. They haven’t told us the price yet, perhaps they’ve been able to do some ‘value engineering’ and the Rosso will be sub-£15k. Although I’m not holding my breath.

I expect it will be getting on for Superbike money. But just look at it. It’s a real dreamboat. Then again, a subscription to Red Tube is only a tenner a month. Decisions, decisions.