2010 MV Agusta F4
MSRP: $18,500
Engine
Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse DOHC inline four, 4 valves/cyl.
Displacement: 998cc
Bore x stroke: 76.0 x 55.0mm
Compression ratio: 13.1:1
Induction: Mikuni EFI with 49mm throttle bodies, dual injectors/cyl.
Transmission: 6-speed
Chassis
Front suspension: 50mm Marzocchi inverted cartridge fork, 4.7 in. travel; adjustable for spring preload, rebound and compression damping
Rear suspension: Single Sachs shock absorber, 4.7 in. travel; adjustable for spring preload, rebound and compression damping
Front brake: 2, radial-mount/four-piston monobloc calipers, 320mm stainless steel discs
Rear brake: Single four-piston caliper, 210mm disc
Front wheel: 3.50 x 17 in.; cast aluminum alloy
Rear wheel: 6.00 x 17 in.; cast aluminum alloy
Front tire: 120/70ZR-17 Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP
Rear tire: 190/55ZR-17 Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP
Rake/trail: 23.5/24.5 deg. (adjustable)/3.9 in. (100mm)
Wheelbase: 56.3 in. (1430mm)
Seat height: 32.7 in. (830mm)
Fuel capacity: 4.5 gal. (17L)
Weight: 468 lb. (212kg) wet; 441 lb. (200kg) all fluids except gas
Instruments: LCD panel for digital speedometer, bar graph tachometer, coolant temperature, odometer/dual tripmeters, lap time, traction control level, sport/rain engine mode, night/day dash setting, scheduled maintenance, EOBD diagnostics; warning lights for neutral, high beam, turn signals, low oil pressure, kickstand down, low battery level, low fuel level, traction control activation, shift points
Performance
Quarter-mile: 10.21 sec. @ 149.38 mph (corrected)
Top speed: NA
Roll-ons: 60-80 mph/2.88 sec.; 80-100 mph/2.86 sec.
Fuel consumption: 25-30 mpg, 29 mpg avg.
Opinions
Troy Siahaan
I was glowing after riding the F4 around the Almeria circuit in Spain during its intro a few months ago and I'm still glowing after riding it back at home. Sometimes at these intros the manufacturer will have us riding "cheater" bikes that have been specially prepared for the day, and it's not until we get a unit back at the office that we find out the two are nothing alike. I'm glad to report that's not the case here. As far as literbikes go, it's just an easy bike to ride quickly. Gobs of power right where you need it most makes it feel like a freight train and the chassis always feels planted. Ergonomically the F4 is all business-high pegs and low bars make for a torturous ride during the daily commute-but the quad pipes in the rear sound so delicious that I really don't care. Once on the track or in the twisty bits and the seating position starts to make more sense. I think it's a shame a small company like MV Agusta can't afford to fund a strong racing effort anymore because this bike is the real deal and let's face it, racing grids all over the world would be better off with the red and silver machines occupying a few spots. Here's to hoping...
Kent Kunitsugu
When the MV Agusta F4 first made its appearance in 750cc form back in '98, it was a fantastic styling exercise but not much else. It was overweight, underpowered, and despite the radial valve cylinder head, seemingly a generation behind technology-wise to the class leader, the Suzuki GSX-R750. The jump to liter-size engines in '05 helped it close the gap to the competition, and the F4 1000R in '06 was right in the wheel tracks of the class leaders. But there seemed to be a lull in development from that point, as the engine grew to 1078cc and more special editions with different bits and graphics were paraded through the MV lineup.
But with the apparent influx of Harley-Davidson capital, it appears the development curve is starting to gain some speed again. The latest F4 is a superb literbike, with gobs of quick-revving yet linear power, a sharp-steering yet stable chassis, and excellent brakes. And it's definitely not lacking in technology, with a well-developed traction control system that appears to work quite well despite its lack of wheel-speed sensors.
To top it all off, the MV is now priced within sight of the other literbikes, instead of floating about up in the stratosphere. It's still pretty exclusive, but now that exclusivity is attainable by more than the well-heeled.