2004

30 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS JUNE 2, 2004

ROAD TEST

THESECONDCOMING

THE original MV Agusta F4 –arguably the most beautifulmotorcycle ever seen – lookedlike it was designed by angels,and bolted together by Godhimself. But its four-cylinder

750cc motor lacked the punch of itssuperbike rivals – especially in a world ofnew breed, super-powerful race replicas likethe Yamaha R1 and Kawasaki’s ZX-10R.

But the Italian firm has had a second biteof the cherry with its new F4 1000. Insteadof being powered by that quarter-litrescreamer, you’ll find, hidden behind itselegant – and thankfully unchanged –fairing panels a 998cc version of the F4’sfour-cylinder engine shoe-horned into itsgorgeous steel trellis frame.

So is the MV’s new motor good enough topropel the F4 1000 into the big league, tochallenge the best performance bikes?

To find out if it’s got what it takes, we

pitch the first full production F4 1000 outof the factory head to head with the best.

In the world’s first comparison test, it willtake on the all-conquering Yamaha R1,MCN’s 2004 superbike shoot-out winner,and the Aprilia RSV1000R Factory, our1000cc V-twin group test winner.

There’s only one place fitting to testsomething as stunning as the F4 1000 – wetook all three bikes down to the sun andpiloted them through the beautiful twistyroads of the Northern Italian countryside,near the MV’s factory in Varese.

To find out how they perform at theabsolute limit, we also put them throughtheir paces on Pirelli’s top-secret test trackin deepest in Italy.

That’s when we could get the chance toactually ride these spectacular bikes. Don’texpect to ride anywhere without having tofight off crowds of admirers first. Those of anervous disposition should look away now.

The MV had looks, but does it nowhave the power to take on the best?

BY MICHAEL NEEVES PICTURES HOWARD BOYLAN

MV AGUSTA F4 1000

PERFECThandling is

MV’s strength

WE’VE already established the Yamaha R1and Aprilia RSV1000R Factory arebrilliantly capable motorcycles; after all,

they’ve both beaten off tough competition tobecome MCN group test winners.

So where does the new F4 1000 figure againstthese two stunning machines? Well, put it this wayyou simply have to have one. Re-mortgage thehouse, sell the dog, or just pawn off the wife’sprized jewels – your life isn’t complete withoutthis bike in your garage.

At £14,000 the MV is ridiculously pricey, but atleast it should keep the riff-raff from owning one– it would be an crime to ever see one of thesewith red anodised engine bolts, tinted headlightcovers or flashing valve caps.

Not only is the F4 1000 one of the mostachingly gorgeous pieces of two-wheeled art onthe planet, thanks to that new motor, it’s now oneof the most capable too.

Forgetting the looks for a moment (not as easyas it sounds) it’s the new engine which makes allthe difference to the F4 1000. As on the F4 750it sounds sublime, emitting a high-pitched screamthrough those quad underseat pipes – just like anF1 car at Monaco – as you blip the throttle whensauntering though cobbled Italian streets.

At full charge the acceleration is fierce, and thescream through the pipes is joined by the angrygrowl of air being sucked in unmercifully throughits airbox. It’s Pavarotti and Barry White arguingover who’s going to have the last piece of pizza.

Power delivery from the engine (MV claim

Price:£14,000 (As tested)Power:166bhp (claimed)Torque:80.4 ftlb (claimed)Weight:192kg (claimed)

J MV AGUSTAF4 1000 97%

JUNE 2, 2004 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS 31

166bhp at the crank) is exceptionally smooth. There’s a slight hesitation at around 1500rpm

when the throttle cable is stretched tight, butthen you’re rewarded with a neck-straining torrentof power all the way to 9,000rpm, at which pointthe F4 surges forward in a way the 750 couldonly dream of, scorching its way to the12,500rpm rev- limiter.

Revs build exceptionally quickly, feeling like arace engine, and indeed in the first two cogs youwould be advised to keep some weight over thefront wheel to keep your shiny MV from loopingover itself and landing upside down on top of you.

Handling is the same blissful experience as theold F4 750, since the new bike’s chassis is mostlyunchanged (although 70 per cent of the F41000 is new).

There are a few tweaks like 1mm beefierMarzocchi forks to reduce flex under hard brakingand an increased wheelbase and trail for extra

overall stability at high speed, but these onlypolish the otherwise well-sorted balancedchassis. After all, when a Mr Tamburini (the manwho gave us the Ducati 916) designs your bike,you can be sure it’ll go around corners perfectly.

There are lots of nice touches all over the bike,like beautifully crafted adjustable footrests, a newrace-style rear shock with high and low-speedcompression damping, a quick-release frontspindle and a double-bubble screen. On fullsteering lock the new F4 1000 won’t even trapyou fingers between the airbox and clip-ons likethe old F4 750 – thanks to a new handlebardesign.

Yes, this new MV is amazing. If the F4 750made you feel special, the F4 1000 is like havinga 25 per cent bigger packet down the front ofyour pants.

Turn the page to see how the F4 1000compared to the R1 and RSV1000R Factory…

1 2

3 4

1000

F4’S LIGHTER ENGINE

1 REMOTE adjuster makes setting spring pre-load a doddle 2 QUICK-RELEASE rear sprocket can be removed with thewheel still in position 3 FOOTPEGS are fully adjustable 4 F4 1000 logo reminds you what you are riding

THE F4 1000takes on its

rivals head-on

Price:£9399Power:147.9bhpTorque:70.47 ftlbWeight:172kg (claimed)

J YAMAHAYZF-R1 96%

Price:£10,829Power:117.8bhp Torque:68.1 ftlb Weight:185kg (claimed)

J APRILIARSV1000RFACTORY 93%

Available: June (limitedsupplies)Colours: Red/silver, silver/blue,silver/yellowInsurance group: (estimated)17 (of 17)Info: Three Cross 01202-823344

97%

MV AGUSTA F4 1000 S £14,000 -14,200 otr

l QUITE simply gorgeous, with power and performance to match its stunning good looks. The price may lookscary, but it’s definitely money well spent. Amazing.

Engine: 996cc, 16-valve, water-cooled, in-line four.Fuel-injected. Six gearsPower: 166bhp @ 12,600rpmTorque: 80ftlb @ 10,200rpmWeight: 192kgChassis: Steel trellisFront suspension: Upside-down forks,adjustable for pre-load, compression

and reboundRear suspension: Monoshock,adjustable high and low speedcompression, rebound and pre-loadTyres: 190/50 x 17 rear; 120/70 x 17frontBrakes: 2 x front discs with six-pistoncalipers, single rear disc with four-piston caliper

F4 1000 cyclinder barrels (left) are taller than 750cc items

THE F4 1000’s new engine isbasically the firm’s 750cc engine(still used in the Brutale and thespecial SPR version of the F4750) with a longer piston stroke.

So while the crankcases areidentical to those used on the750, the F4 1000 engine uses ataller cylinder block and differentpistons (actually 62 grams lighterthan the 750s – this explainsthe motor’s eagerness to revdespite the new enlargedcapacity).

The cylinder head is re-workedto suit the new pistons and is

fitted with new, lighter camshafts,which operate the F4’s Formula1-style radial inlet and exhaustvalves.

The whole engine has gone ona diet, almost every moving parthas been lightened, including thecrankshaft, which is a whopping1kg lighter – even the size of thestarter motor has been paredright down. The entire engine is3.5kg lighter than before.

The F4 1000 uses the samefuel injection, enginemanagement system andgearbox as the 750.

THE new enginehas beenslimmed down

SPECIFICATION:

32 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS JUNE 2, 2004

ROAD TEST

AS YOU’D expect from two wildly differentengine configurations – but identical998cc capacities – the four-cylinder MV

and the V-twin Aprilia couldn’t feel more differentto ride.

With its manic engine screaming for mercy atfull throttle, the F4 1000 always makes it seemthat you’re doing over a thousand miles per hour.The lazier sounding Factory on the other handdoes its best to disguise phenomenal speed, andyou always seem to be going 50mph faster thanyou think. Attention to the Aprilia’s speedo isrecommended to keep your licence frombecoming a permanent resident of Swansea.

We performed the same top gear-roll on testswith the grunt-laden V-twin Aprilia as on the R1,below. The F4 1000 surprised us again by pullingaway into the distance. The MV’s strong midrangepull gives it the edge over the Factory, whose twomassive pistons just seem to shudder for amoment until they pick up momentum allowingthe bike to accelerate after the MV.

It’s the same story in a standing-start drag racetoo. With so much low-down power it’s difficult toget the Aprilia hard off the line without pullingmonumental wheelies. Good fun, but while yourfront wheel is pointing skywards, the F4 haspulled out a significant gap, which it graduallyincreases as the speeds catapult into the three-figure threshold.

Out on the open road though, there’s very little

to separate the two Italian bikes. But whether it’sa dash between turns or a flat-out straight, theF4 1000 always has the slight edge.

Despite being down on overall power comparedto the MV, one of the Aprilia’s big strengths ishow easy it is to ride fast. Its V-twin powerdelivery has much to do with this. But this isdown to how well sorted the chassis is.

This is especially true of the Factory versiontested here, which is given an extra helping handat tackling the turns thanks to some very sexybolt-ons fitted as standard, like fully-adjustablefront and rear Ohlins suspension, lightweight OZwheels and radially mounted brakes.

Like the MV, the Aprilia’s handling is faultless.On the road you’d need to be of a psychopathicdisposition to get any where near upsetting the

balance of either machine, and they are bothable to flatter anyone’s riding ability, although theAprilia is slightly harder to flick from side to sidedue to its more top-heavy nature.

Although the R1 is closer to the MV in terms ofoutright performance and handling, the Apriliacomes closer in terms of sheer wow-factor.

In a straight-up Top Trumps style shoot-out, it’shard to separate them.

Since each bike is equally well stocked withdesigner goodies and close in terms ofperformance, which of these Italianthoroughbreds you decide to go for willprobably depend on whether you prefer theengine characteristics of a twin or a four. Orthe decider may be simpler: price. The Aprilia isjust over three grand cheaper than the MV.

F4 VS YAMAHA R1

F4 VS RSV-R FACTORY

1 2 3 4

1 RADIALLY-mounted calipers are devastatingly effective 2 BRACED swingarm mimics M1 MotoGP bike 3 BIG power from 998cc motor 4 YAMAHA’S take on MV-style underseat pipes are not in the same league

Available: Now. Two yearwarranty, one year roadsiderecoveryColours: Grey, black, red/greyNew for 2004: New modelInsurance group: 17 (of 17)Info: Aprilia UK, 0161-475-1800

93%

APRILIA RSV-R FACTORY £10,829 otr

l WILDLY different to ride compared to the MV. Left standing by the F4, but on its own it’s incredibly easy toclock up monster speeds without even realising it. Oh, and it costs you a lot less too.

Engine: Liquid-cooled 997.6cc (97 x67.5mm) 8v dohc four-stroke 60° V-twin. Fuel injection. Six gearsPower: 117.8bhp @ 9900rpmTorque: 68.1ftlb @ 8230rpmWeight:185kgChassis: Aluminium twin sparFront suspension: Ohlins; 43mminverted forks, adjustable for pre-load,

compression and rebound dampingRear suspension: Ohlins; single shock,adjustable for pre-load, compression andrebound dampingTyres: Pirelli Supercorsa; 120/70 x 17front, 180/55 x 17 rearBrakes: Brembo; 2 x 320mm frontdiscs, four-piston radial calipers,220mm rear disc, twin-piston caliper

PROS & CONSl F4 1000 handlingovershadows even the R1l MV’s strong midrangeslaughters R1 duringeveryday road riding

l Is an absolute bargaincompared to pricey MVl Smooth power deliveryl Better top-end powerl Beautiful steering

APRILIA isn’tbad throughturns either

THE R1’s softerset-up doesn’t

hinder it onthe track

SPECIFICATION:

JUNE 2, 2004 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS 33

SO THE question on everyone’s lips is, willthe F4 1000 keep up with one of thefastest 1000cc sports in the world: the

R1? Will it stay up the R1’s twin underseat tailpipes in a head to head charge, or will it belucky to keep the Yamaha in sight along thesame stretch of road?

Well, patiently following mid-morning trafficas we leave the MV’s factory gates in Varese,we are like excited kids, chomping at the bit tofind a piece of clear road so we can let thesetwo superbikes off their leashes.

Eventually we get the chance. On a piece ofdeserted Autostrada, devoid of suicidal Lanciadrivers and 100 mph artics, we line up the R1and F4 1000 at 40mph, two-abreast, then pullthe pin and let rip. Amazingly, the MV blastsaway, leaving the R1 in its wake. We try thesame thing again at 50, 60, then 70mph andit’s the same result. Keeping the throttle pinnedas long as conditions will allow and the R1never manages to catch up.

This is impressive stuff, but can be attributedto the fact that the MV’s long stroke motor isstronger through the mid-range than the R1’spower plant, which has all of its power packedinto the upper reaches of the rev-range.

If a graphic demonstration of the MV’s bulgingmidrange were needed, following a fellow MCNtester though a 120mph motorway curve, youcould see the MV’s rear Michelin Pilot Powerpainting black lines into the Italian tarmac –ZX-12R-style – under hard acceleration.

The F4’s engine isn’t anywhere as smooth asthe R1’s super-refined power plant, but thatraw, gravelly edge does make it much moreexciting. The Yamaha’s power seems to bemore elastic than the MV though. TheF41000’s power comes at you hard and fastlike a fist to the stomach, where the R1’sdelivery is just relentless, revving harder and

higher at the top of the rev range. With only aleather-clad bum dyno to gauge the bhp fromboth bikes, you would have to say the R1 hasthe edge in outright maximum power.

Out on Pirelli’s test track we get theopportunity to test both bikes head-to-headfrom a standing start.

With a significantly weaker bottom end, theYamaha is easy to launch off the line and getsthe holeshot over the MV, which loses time oninitial acceleration while the rider struggles tostop it wheelying in the first three gears.

We didn’t have the room to record top speedon Pirelli’s test track but the factory say that inback-to-back tests, the F4 1000 has afractionally faster top speed (just over 1mph)than the R1, hitting 180.6mph on the day oftheir test. Judging by the MV’s pace, we’ve noreason to doubt these claims.

Both bikes handle superbly, although theYamaha definitely has the more road bike feelof the two bikes. The R1’s suspension is setsofter than the more race-focused F4 1000,the seat paddling is thicker and the ridingposition is far more comfortable.

Your joints would thank you for taking the R1on a long trip than the F4 1000. But any painthe MV may administer is immediatelyanaesthetised by the intense pleasure derivedfrom sound of that Ferrari-designed engine andpleasure from slicing your way from corner tocorner, never seeming to find the limits of thatexcellent chassis.

But you’re in a win-win situation whether it’syou or one of your mates that are lucky enoughto own any one of these two bikes.

If you don’t happen to possess the F4 1000,don’t worry, because in the R1 you’ve got stillone of the fastest bikes in the world, plus youcan still get a buzz just gawping at the MV asyou ride along.

FORGETTING its high price tag for aminute, MV have proved the F4 1000is able to compete with the likes ofthe R1 and RSV1000R Factory, whichare among the best superbikes youcan buy. The MV finally has theperformance and power it shouldhave had all along.

But that extra chunk of dosh thatyou’ll need to fork out for the MVcompared to the R1 or theexceptionally good value Aprilia getsyou so much more than you’ll eversee on a spec sheet.

First of all there’s the goose-bumpinducing noise pumping out of thosefour underseat pipes. It’s incredible.

Then there’s the handling. Onstandard factory suspension settingsit’s sharp, solid and unflappable – andstill has the adjustment available tocompliment any rider or riding style,making the MV handle even better inits owner’s lucky hands.

But what makes this bike worth tentimes the asking price is its sheerpresence thanks to its Tamburini-designed lines. You cannot go

anywhere without people gatheringaround, desperate to get an eyeful ofthat striking shape.

The only problem we had with thenew F4 1000 was having to give itback at the end of our test. Still, theysay to have loved and lost is betterthan never having loved at all.

The F41000 will be available in theUK in the beginning of June. ContactThree Cross Motorcycles 01202-823344

l Thanks to Pirelli for the use of theirtest track (01283–525252)

‘The MVfinally hasthe performance

and power itshould have had

all along’F4 1000 egdesout strongcompetition

VERDICT

1 REAR shock is finest quality Ohlins 2 FEATHERWEIGHT OZ wheels are standard 3 OHLINS forksgive a huge range of adjustability 4 RADIALLY-mounted Brembo calipers stop the Aprilia on a euro

1 2

3 4

Available: Now. Two yearsunlimited mileage warrantyOne year RAC coverColours: Red, blue, silverNew for 2004: New modelInsurance group: 17 (of 17)Info: Yamaha UK, 01932-358000

YAMAHA YZF-R1 £9399 otr

l EVEN the established R1 was left eating the dust of the F4 1000, but the Yamaha would be better onyour bones on a long trip. A bargain price in comparison, making it a very close second

Engine: Liquid-cooled, 998cc (77 x53.6mm), 20v dohc, four-stroke in-line four. Fuel injection. Six gearsPower: 147.9bhp @ 12,600rpmTorque: 70.47ftlb @ 9900rpmWeight:172kgChassis: Aluminium twin sparFront suspension: 43mm invertedforks, adjustable for pre-load, rebound

and compression dampingRear suspension: Single shock,adjustable for pre-load, rebound andcompression dampingTyres: Dunlop D218; 120/70 x 17front, 190/50 x 17 rearBrakes: 2 x 320mm front discs withfour-piston radial calipers, 220mmrear disc with single-piston caliper

96%

PROS & CONSl Isn’t as nimble as fastersteering MVl Lacks the F4 1000’soutright power and speed– but only just

l Excellent valuel Top quality cycle partsfitted as standardl Very smooth powerdelivery for a V-twin

SPECIFICATION: