[Haych]

hi all,

newbie to this forum, the mv dealership just came to town and im drooling over the f3-800. I only ride at the track and my current bike is an r6. A couple of questions for existing owners please:

1. are there issues with the throttle still or is that a thing of the past?

2. this will be my first italian bike - any reliability issues i should be aware of?

3. has anyone else graduated to this bike from a 600 and if so, their thoughts please? i was considering but ruled out a liter bike - too much power. want to take it slow with a "middle of the road" approach.

many thanks

 

[Bruce Taylor]

Owned two F3's, 2012-2014 675 and a 800 since August last year, just about to change to the 800RC.
Road use, not track, but from that perspective, there have been problems in the past with fuel mapping and sprag clutch issues, but they now have been resolved.
800 is easier to ride, more mid range torque and probably as much power as you would require on the track

 

[Haych]

Many thanks Bruce,

yes the throttle issue in particular seems to have been quite prevalent. It got fixed through a software upgrade I assume?

 

[Spark]

Mine appears to have the "hunting idle" problem that has been described before. One thing I don't understand is this attributed to a leak in the throttle body or a software update? If I take the bike in for service at the dealer, what should i specifically ask for to correct this?

 

[channa27]

Mine had the same hunting idle issue, now I have done 1400 miles that seems to have disappeared. I didn't have it when I initially bought the bike, but after the first service it appeared. I was planning to take it back to the dealer, but then it disappeared. I just put it to some bad fuel or something like that. I have ridden the bike in the summer and the fall when it was a little cooler and the hunting issue did not appear. When it was there, it was a pain to take slow corners in 2nd as the throttle had a mind of its own.

 

[Haych]

hmmmm you mean it doesnt idle at a set RPM?

Gorgeous gorgeous bike :bawling:

i cant get over the stats of the 800 and the fact that all that power resides in something which feels (and almost weighs) just a tad more (in stock form) than my fully track prepared r6.

 

[Bruce Taylor]

My hunting issue was rectified with a new exhaust valve motor

 

[Stephen W.]

Haych, where on this big blue marble do you reside? Which tracks do you ride?

Bruce is correct, the 800 is the easier bike to ride. However, if this is going to be a “track only” bike then why not look for a gently used F3 675? I believe it’ll make you a better rider. Besides, it’s always more fun to ride a smaller bike fast than a larger bike which you may not want to push as hard. Not that the 675 is slow. It just requires more work from a rider than the bigger 800.

I do not want to resurrect the “Rear Brake Debate” but, one problem MV’s suffer from is rear brake air lock. I see on the latest F3’s that MV have relocated the rear reservoir. Anyone know if they have added a better heat shield or moved the rear master? Has what MV done cured the problem?

 

[99sitr]

Haych I have used the 800 and 675 over two seasons at the track almost exclusively. I haven't had either issue with sprag issues or fueling/idle. If using the 800 as a dedicated track bike my first suggestion to you is to dump the factory suspension if you are sub 140lbs or over 190lbs. There just isn't enough adjustability for a properly setup suspension above and below those ranges. The 800 has plenty of power on the track, enough so that you will run into issues with keeping the front end down if not accustomed to using the rear brake to tame it lightly at times until you are adjusted to the power output.

The rear brake will need to be shielded from the exhaust to maintain functionality on the track. We ended up removing the reservoir in lieu of a smaller piece of tubing with a cap on three of the F3's we track with. After heat shielding and doing this we have yet to run into of a soft or nonexistent rear brake.

A steering damper is a warranted upgrade on the 800 especially post tuning/upgrades. Matris Is my preferred damper but Ohlins is just as capable. This is a quality of life upgrade after the first track season where I didn't have one.

Bodywork is a no-brainer. I prefer Bikesplast due to their extended seat pan and solo tail design (I'm 6'2") but catalyst composites is another great company.

Braking is phenomenal on the 800 thanks in large part to the twin 34mm piston Brembos on the front. To give a more solid feel and feedback I went with a Brembo RCS19 master cylinder which was a marked improvement. This winter I will be changing the rotors and pads to a different setup (CMC rotors with appropriate pads).

The biggest change you will have to adapt to with an F3 is ties ease of steering and falling into corners. This is attributed to but not limited by its design, lightweight and counter rotating engine. This bike flicks left and right at 70-80mph like your r6 does at 40mph.

Last but not least the 800 will gladly boil your semen if you find yourself in hot pit for too long...

 

[venom540]

ask if the ecu has been upgraded with new software and also if the ride by wire throttle has been changed .....one cant be done without the other ......make sure it has a good battery ...........grab a bottle of meguiars scratch x 2.0...i will swear by this meguiars....get a good lid .....stay away from litters of cats because its a pussy magnet

 

[Haych]

thanks very much venom540, 99sitr and Stephen. lots to think about.

I live in Dubai at the moment and have been riding at the local track. The dealership is new here and theyre sorting out a test bike in a month or so, so i figure i will hold out on purchasing until ive actually tried the bike out.

That's interesting about the rear brake. Ive actually never used the rear brake in my life so thats going to be interesting.

Stephen i figured the 675 will be too close to my existing bike (r6) and my previous bike (the daytona 675R)...whereas the 800 seems to be a very clear upgrade.

We may even be able to pay to secure extended warranties here. If that happens it will seal the deal for me for sure!

 

[99sitr]

I've jumped between a track setup 675r and an f3 675 several times in one day and the 675r is well geared but it can't keep up with the f3 675. The 800 is a whole different story

 

[Haych]

making me drooolllll........cant wait for my test ride..

 

[kebo123]

I am re-opening this thread. Any suggestions from experienced owners - what to check before purchasing of used F3 800 MY2015? Have seen complains about sprag clutch, tank issues, throttle response... Are those issues really occurring so often and are so critical?

 

[jdgun]

I would say the Sprag issue would be the biggest concern, and possibly the throttle itself, giving you gas position codes.

 

[esq'z me]

The sprag isn't, but the throttle position sensor is an EMISSIONS WARRANTY item.

 

[kebo123]

Thanks guys. Can anybody explain how to identified symptoms of the Sprag issue? Is repair difficult and expensive?

 

[Black_Gold_Saw]

Thanks guys. Can anybody explain how to identified symptoms of the Sprag issue? Is repair difficult and expensive?

Symptoms:

Replacement:

Nothing aint cheap in the MV world. Only the gas you put in.

 

[kebo123]

Oops! Thanks for sharing. I started to be scared about MV reliability... Have an offer also for gsx-r 750 MY17 for same money as F3800 MY15. I love MV design and exclusivity, but as I am looking for hobby race track rides only, is not gsx-r better choice???

 

[silentservice703]

For you, yes.