MV Agusta F4 1000R

                       MV Agusta F4 1000R

It’s called the ‘312’ because MV claims it’ll do 312km/h, which equates to about 193mph. When we put it to the test it only managed 182 along a two-mile runway, albeit in a headwind. Costing fifteen grand it needs to be head and shoulders better than the GSX-R1000s and R1s of the world, and it isn’t.

Ride Quality & Brakes5 out of 5

With the MV Agusta F41000S's beefy 50mm Marzocchi forks and Sachs shock (fully adjustable of course and the shock comes with high and low-speed compression damping for added finessing) the F4 tracks as true a line as any train. It will lean for Italy, with only your courage and ability the true limiting factors. The six-piston Nissin brakes aren’t radial, but they’re brilliant.

Engine4 out of 5

The MV Agusta F41000S's fuelling isn’t perfect at the bottom end, with a fluffy response that needs to be balanced with more gas and the heavy clutch around town. On the open road nothing short of a six-figure supercar or the Red Arrows will even come close. Think on this - it’ll hit 184 miles an hour in the time it takes to read this paragraph.

Build Quality & Reliability3 out of 5

The MV Agusta F41000S's componentry is top draw stuff, but the build standards remains somewhat suspect, despite new quality controls brought in by Proton, the Malaysian car giant. Keep it well away from salty roads and preferably rain, too.

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Insurance, running costs & value3 out of 5

Lined-up against Suzuki’s equally fast and much, much cheaper GSX-R1000 K5/K6 and the MV Agusta F41000S seems like poor value. It redeems itself with a desirability the Japanese bike can never meet and it will hold its value better. But if you can afford an F4 you’re not really going to be worrying about that too much, are you? Find an MV Agusta F4 1000 for sale.

Insurance group: 17 of 17 – compare motorcycle insurance quotes now.

Equipment5 out of 5

Should Sir or Madam MV Agusta F41000S owner’s pockets be deep enough there are race exhausts, MV leathers, carbon-fibre bodywork, covers and even (shudder) luggage available from the factory. An Ohlins steering damper is standard

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The first F4 model released to the public was the F4 750 Serie Oro on May 1999. Only 300 examples were produced. Many parts such as the swingarm, frame side plates and wheels were made from magnesium. These magnesium parts were anodized gold for consistency with the name 'Oro' (Italian for gold). All painted parts, such as fairings, seat cover, front mud guard and even the fuel tank and air box are made of carbon. It's only by using these materials that the weight could be kept under 400 lb which is only beaten by the F4 Veltro. The specially for MV Agusta developed Showa fork has fast detach axle clamps. The six piston (front) and 4 piston (rear) brake calipers are made by Nissin.

This model F4 1000 R 312 was released in late 2007 and in 2008. It is identical to the F4 1000 R except for 9 hp more powerful engine, for a total of 183 hp (136 kW) and 115 N·m (85 lbf·ft) torque.This is due to 30 mm titanium intake valves, modified camshafts and 48 mm throttle bodies. For 2009 MV Agusta crossed the F4 1000R 312 with the 1,078cc F4CC to make the F4 1078RR 312 that made 190 hp (142 kW). Then in 2010 they released the final year for the 312 the limited edition F4 1078 RR 312 Edizione finale.The "312" in the name refers to the bike's claimed top speed of 312 km/h (193.868 mph). Italy's Motociclismo magazine verified MV Agusta's claim, achieving a top speed of 193.24 mph (310.99 km/h) at the Nardò Ring. Though reviewed by multiple other sources there is no source outside of Italy to even come close to this speed. Only the Italian manufacture and this one Italian magazine have stated this speed as actual. Cycle World when referencing the speed just state alleged speed. Sport Rider did a in depth review with the F4 1000R 312 and the brother the $120,000 1,078cc F4CC; at the eight-mile oval at the Honda Proving Center of California with perfect conditions with cool temperatures and no wind, they did a number of runs and experimented with body positioning for aerodynamics and were only able to achieve a top speed of 185.4 mph (298.4 km/h). They also stated that to make up for the 8 mph shortfall a significant horsepower increase was needed. The 1,078cc F4CC that has more horsepower 14 hp more,163.7 hp (122 kW) @ 12,500 rpm (rear wheel) was only able to achieve a 189.1 mph (304.3 km/h) top speed.

The F4 Veltro comes in two models, the F4 Veltro Strada (road) and F4 Veltro Pista (race). Ninety-nine examples of the Strada were produced, as well as 23 examples of the Pista. As is standard for a race modified motorcycle, the Pista is not equipped with headlights. The Veltro models engines feature the TSS system originally found on the F4 Tamburini. These are considered by many to be the most race-oriented F4's available.

The Veltro Strada is equipped with a full complement of carbon fiber (fairings, tail, airbox, mud guards, fenders, air ducts, heat shield) and magnesium frame plates.

In addition to the parts found on the Veltro Strada, the Veltro Pista is equipped with a lightened frame, oversized radiator, carbon fiber fuel tank, and a magnesium triple clamp and swingarm.