The MV Agusta F3 675 will be featured in an upcoming episode of the series “Ultimate Factories” on the National Geographic Channel.
The episode takes a look at the MV Agusta‘s factory in Varese, Italy, and examines the design, development, testing and assembly of the new F3.
“Ultimate Factories” (also known as “Megafactories” outside the U.S.) examines the inner workings of factories producing goods from Apache helicopters to Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 whiskey. Continue Reading »
Harley-Davidson dealerships topped the rankings for the 2012 edition of the Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index, an industry benchmarking study examining how well dealerships treat customers, and turning shoppers into buyers.
The Pied Piper PSI rated different manufacturers’ dealerships in a number of categories to produce an overall score. The study was conducted between July 2011 and April 2012 with 1,653 anonymous “mystery shoppers” gathering information at different dealerships across the U.S.
The study gave Harley-Davidson dealers a score of 108, a four-point improvement from 2011 and five points above the industry average. According to researchers, Harley-Davidson dealers scored the highest of all brands in 16 different categories, including offering test rides, obtaining contact information and asking customers if for the sale. Continue Reading »
A one-off officially-endorsed Ferrari motorcycle has been sold at auction, taking in 85,000 British pounds (US$137,700). That’s a hefty sum for a motorcycle, but far less from the initial reserve price of 180,000 pounds asked for when the bike was first up for auction in 2008.
The Ferrari motorcycle was designed and built by former MV Agusta engineer David Kay in 1995 as a tribute to the Italian car-maker’s founder, Enzo Ferrari. Kay received the blessing of Piero Ferrari, Enzo’s son, to use the company’s famous prancing horse logo. Continue Reading »
Motorcycle aficionado and owner of GP Motorcycles, a San Diego dealership specializing in European manufacturers, Paul Lima, suffered a paralyzing crash while riding an MX bike on April 4th. Following a 9-hour surgery to realign and stabilize his back, Paul is recovering well and undergoing rehabilitation. Paul has health coverage, but the costs not covered by insurance are mounting and the Lima family can use any help benevolent motorcyclists can afford.
A PayPal account has been setup to accept donations and you can follow his and the family’s progress on the their Facebook page.
MV Agusta announced both the 2012 F3 675 and the naked Brutale 675 will be available with its Electronically Assisted Shift (EAS) system.
The EAS allows for quick shifting without needing to close the throttle or apply the clutch. The EAS quick shifter was previously available for just the F3 as an optional accessory, but MV Agusta says it will offer EAS-installed and non-EAS versions of the F3 and the Brutale. Continue Reading »
A collection of 71 classic MV Agusta motorcycles will be up for sale in an auction, Aug. 16-18 in Monterey, Calif.
Organized by Mecum Auctions, the auction will be for all 71 motorcycles to be sold as a single lot. The MV Agusta motorcycles and scooters from a 1946 MV 98 “3 Velocita” (pictured above) to a 2007 MV Agusta F4. The collection belongs to Gary Kohs, a self-described fan of Massimo Tamburini who designed motorcycles for MV Agusta as well as Ducati and Bimota.
“This is not just a collection of motorcycles, this is a collection of art, and I’m thrilled that Dana Mecum and his staff agree that keeping it together as one is so important,” says Kohs. “MV Agusta is the only marque that can truly represent the post-war history of the motorcycle, and I look forward to sharing it all with the international motorcycle community.”
MV Agusta announced it is doubling production capacity at its factory in Varese, Italy, thanks mostly to popular demand of its new F3 675 three-cylinder supersport.
Thanks to the hype over new products such as the F3, its naked sibling the Brutale 675, as well as the RR1090 and R1090 Brutales, MV Agusta has already received more orders for 2012 than it had for all of 2011, which saw a 12% increase in sales over 2010.
To mark the doubling of production capacity as well as the start of production for the special edition F3 Serie Oro, MV Agusta released a video of the bike being constructed on its assembly line.
MV Agusta is returning to Isle of Man TT competition with the World Performance Racing team entering an F4 and an F3.
The Italian brand has a storied history in the Isle of Man TT, with the legendary Giacomo Agostini winning 10 times under the MV Agusta banner. Overall, MV Agusta claims 34 TT race victories and 61 podiums at the Isle of Man.
Most of that history came in the period between 1952 and 1972 however, with Agostini leading a boycott of the Isle of Man TT following the death of his friend Gilberto Parlotti in the 1972 TT.
Since then, MV Agusta’s presence at the Isle of Man TT has been rather muted, with the last high-profile entrant coming in 2007 with the late Irish racer Martin Finnegan riding an MV Agusta F4.
MV Agusta has released U.S. pricing information for its new F3 675 supersport and limited edition Serie Oro variant, but those looking for the Brutale 675 naked version may be disappointed.
The 2012 MV Agusta F3 675 will be available at American dealerships for $13,498 while the Serie Oro version will be more than twice the price at $27,900. The extra$14,402 gets you golden frame plates, swingarm, air intakes, wheels and chain, minimalist graphics, as well as radially-mounted Brembo monobloc calipers, fully-adjustable Ohlins suspension and steering damper and lighter carbon fiber components. MV Agusta will only produce 200 units of the F3 Serie Oro.
Hot on the heels of the release of full specs for the F3 675 supersport, MV Agusta has unveiled the naked version featuring the same engine and MVICS electronics package and a claimed weight of 163 kg (359 pounds).
The 2012 MV Agusta Brutale 675 is the smallest member of the Brutale line, but it’s also the most high-tech. The Brutale 675 gets the same ride-by-wire throttle control and traction control system as the new F3. The MVICS (Motor & Vehicle Integrated Control System) gives riders a choice of eight levels of traction control and four selectable engine maps (plus a fifth customizable map).
Powering the new Brutale is the high-revving 675cc three-cylinder engine used on the F3, but toned down a bit. Instead of the F3′s claimed 126hp, the Brutale 675 peaks at 113 hp at 12,500 rpm. Torque is said to be the same 52 ft-lbs at 10,600 rpm as the F3. According to MV Agusta, the engine offers linear power delivery while the torque curve is more like that of a literbike than a supersport.
