WORDS: PRETTY BOY PICS: GARY CHAPMAN
ROB JARVIS’S
I ‘ve owned so many bikes through the years from trials to motocross to 1,199cc superbikes, yet I’d never had a triple or an MV Agusta. The heritage grabbed me as did the beautiful lines and Reparto Corse livery on the F3 RC, and as I love race bikes I had to try and get one – but was cautious to buy it from the right dealer to get one that was pre-Euro 4. Moto Corsa in Salisbury thankfully sorted it out, and I managed to bag the last Euro3in production. Perfect! I believe it’s one of the best looking sports bikes available today, even before I got started on it. I like to modify most of my bikes by removing the mirrors and indicators and fitting a decent track-oriented exhaust, but then again, that’s a must right? The high level SC Project system was an easy decision as they are developed for World Super Sport teams and the sound at full throttle is a proper scream, which luckily comes with a baffle as it blows 110dB without and 101 fitted which just about makes it the good side of the noise level testing–essential when it’s your track bike. I even ended up replacing the standard air filter with a DNA race type which helps it breathe and give off a sweeter induction sound in the process. Onto some finer details, I stuck a lighter race chain conversion from 525 to 520, coupled with a more aggressive gearing change on both sprockets which made 16/42 for better track performance. I then stuck on a set of BlackStone Tek seven-spoke Black Mamba carbon fibre wheels. Coupled with ceramic bearings they help lose a fair bit of rotational mass to give some extra punch put of corners while aiding the braking too. Having said that, the F3 doesn’t come with a steering damper (I know, I was surprised too) so I fitted an Ohlins damper, essential as she’s pretty flighty on the front end with the gearing change and lighter wheels!