MV Agusta F4 Kilometer Staff - PART ONE
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MV Agusta F4 Kilometer Staff - PART ONE December 8 2009 Some motorcycles are simply beautiful; others are rolling works of art. Since its world introduction in 1997, the MV Agusta F4 has never left the latter category. With an entirely new version just shown at the EICMA show in Milan last month, now is a perfect time to look back at the last twelve years of F4s. MV Agusta‟s roots reach back more than a century, when Count Giovanni Agusta started out in the early business of flight, eventually building Agusta aircraft for World War I. Following World War II, his son Domenico — who had inherited the business upon his father‟s death in 1927 — reestablished the company as Meccanica Verghera (hence “MV”) and produced his first motorcycle in 1945. By the 1950s, MV Agusta motorcycles were winning races and building a reputation for engineering excellence and reliability. This continued through the „60s and most of the „70s with legends like Mike Hailwood and Giacomo Agostini at the controls, but by the 1980s the company was out of business as a result of a changing economy. In 1992, Cagiva Motors bought the rights to the MV Agusta trademark and began in earnest the effort to return the once great Italian company to its former glory. The F4 would be a key factor in that revival. Serie Oro: The Prototype At the 1997 EICMA show, Cagiva‟s racing division stunned the world with a prototype motorcycle that would essentially cement the rebirth of one of Italy‟s most storied racing brands. The motorcycle was the MV Agusta F4 750 Serie Oro. Just 300 models were built in 1998. Developed in conjunction with Ferrari, the bike was an engineering masterpiece. Its bodywork, fuel cell, airbox, and all its trim pieces were made of carbon fiber. Lightweight magnesium was used for the wheels, frame plates and even the patented swingarm, which allowed the drive chain to run through the unit rather than around. Of the 300 Serie Oros built in 1999, just 60 would be designated for the US at a price of $39,995. The 748-cc inline four used “over square” bore and stroke proportions, allowing it to rev to an astronomical 13,300 rpm — a speed that only 600s could typically reach without scattering their internals — while making 126 horsepower on the way. Ferrari engineers were brought in during early phases and had a heavy influence on the initial designs. One such example is the sixteen radial-array valves; from the center of the combustion chamber, the valves angle outward, allowing conformity with the hemispherical shapes of the cylinder head and piston, resulting in increased airflow. MV Agusta is still the only motorcycle manufacturer to use this technology. The lucky few who could get their hands on one were rewarded with one of the most spine-tingling intake howls in the motoring world. Then there‟s the exhaust system. Over the past decade, no other exhaust system has been copied more often than the F4‟s quad-tipped, pipe organ underseat mufflers. After dismantling the exhaust system from MV Agusta's then-CEO Claudio Castiglioni‟s personal Ferrari F40, designer Massimo Tamburini designed the unique 4-into-2-into-1-into-2-into-4 set-up. The exhaust system was more than just pretty; it gave the F4 a raspy wail typically reserved for four-wheeled Italians. The gearbox on the F4 was a cassette-type, like on an F1 car. The entire transmission was a single unit that could be swapped out for a separate unit with different gear ratios by simply removing an inspection panel and pulling out the whole assembly. The front brakes had huge six-piston calipers and it was the first production motorcycle fitted with a radial master cylinder as standard equipment. The chrome-moly trellis frame was TiG-welded by hand and had concentric steering head races that allowed for steering angle adjustments in just minutes. The rear suspension used an unequal length linkage that enabled ride height adjustments independent of the rear shock settings. The handling has long been the F4's forte and continues to be the centerpoint today. The steering possesses the elusive perfect compromise between quick turn-in and excellent front-end feedback, a result of what many would describe as the ideal setup: 24.5 degrees of rake and 104 mm of trail on a 1398-mm wheelbase. The dashboard, one of the first in production to feature a digital speedometer, flashed “200 mph,” while the yellow-faced tachometer (another carryover from Ferrari) swept from zero to 17,000 rpm. With such close collaboration, it‟s little wonder the F4 is often considered the motorcycling equivalent of a Ferrari. It also explains the five-spoke “star” wheels that are almost identical to those on an F50, and the “F4” logo that bears a striking resemblance to the F40 badges. And yet despite all its impressive engineering and advanced features, the F4‟s main draw is its looks. It was at the time, and still is, an absolutely stunning bike. Following his work on the Ducati 916 Superbike — widely acclaimed to be one of the best-looking sportbikes ever made — Cagiva designer Massimo Tamburini‟s magnum opus would be the MV Agusta F4. In fact, many likened the F4 to a “2.0 version” of the Ducati that Tamburini had designed just four years prior. From the stacked projector headlamps, to the single-sided swingarm, to its svelte, almost feminine profile, the F4 exuded Italian sex appeal and performance on a red and silver rolling canvas. An F4 for the Masses In 2000, the first mass-produced (if it can be called that) version of the F4 arrived. Called the F4 750 S (the „S‟ standing for strada — Italian for road), it was identical to the Serie Oro on which it was based, but with less exotic materials to keep the cost in line with other Italian superbikes (namely the Ducati 996) of the time. Aluminum components were substituted for magnesium, and aluminum brake carriers were replaced with steel. The sand-cast engine cases from the Serie Oro were also replaced by die-cast cases, and thermoplastic bodywork also lessened the cost. These changes made the bike nearly 25 pounds heavier, but it hardly mattered considering the price difference. The F4 S would sell for $18,895 — a hefty sum considering a 2000 Suzuki GSX-R 750, arguably the benchmark 750-cc sportbike at the time, was retailing for just less than half that amount. But sell it did, and by mid-year the North American supply of just 200 motorcycles was on the road. Early-release 2001 models would arrive to fill the gap, and they sold out just as quickly. EVO2 and EVO3 The year 2002 would be a big one for the F4, with a new engine a growing lineup. Dubbed the EVO2, the 2002 F4 featured a new engine design that produced more 13 more horsepower at a speed just 400 rpm higher than before — 137 hp at 12,600 rpm. The power increase wasn‟t just from more revs; it was a function of improved electronics as well as lightened internals. New pistons, valves, and a balanced and lightened crankshaft replaced the old bits. Visually, the new bike was identical to the 2000-01 models but for the “EVO2” decals on the tail section. 2002 would also be the first year you could get a two-seater F4. Cleverly called a “1+1” it was really more for show than for actual two-up riding. The seat padding was less than three- quarters of an inch thick, and took up a space roughly six inches wide. Thankfully, it didn‟t affect the performance numbers (the 1+1 weighed less than a pound more than the monoposto) or the price, which was still just $18,895. The limited edition F4-750 “Senna” was released in 2002 to honor the late Ayrton Senna, who was himself a rabid motorcycle enthusiast. Profits from the 300 worldwide units (60 or so for the US) went to the Instituto Aytron Senna — a program to help underprivileged children in developing countries. The bike would carry essentially the same EVO2 engine, but with a 13,900 redline to provide more over-rev for racing and a few changes in the transmission — namely upgraded clutch discs and a closer-ratio gearbox. Carbon fiber trim pieces, special livery and two-tone red and silver wheels were also included. This would become MV Agusta‟s modus operandi from then on: A special edition motorcycle would be released one year with newer technology or trick new components. Limited numbers would be produced — typically 300 worldwide with 60-ish coming Stateside. The next year‟s standard production bike would typically have most of the special edition‟s new technological innovations, if not necessarily the expensive build materials (carbon and titanium components were always available as add-ons from the MV Agusta Corse catalog), and would be dressed in standard livery. 2003 would therefore see very little changes on the motorcycle other than the clutch & transmission updates from the F4 “Senna“ and an EVO3 designation. .