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Comparative test: Italo-Supersportler 2011

MV Agusta F4 RR Corsacorte, Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC, Bimota DB8 SP

Content of

PS is celebrating an Italian festival. The new MV Agusta F4 RR Corsacorte invites the Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC and the Bimota DB8 SP to start.

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Italo athletes on the test bench (from left): Bimota DB8 SP, MV Agusta F4 RR Corsacorte and Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC.

Newcomers, whether in the new sports team or at work, always have something compulsive and slightly relaxed about them. You don’t know each other yet, you first have to carefully feel what the new person is like. The newcomer himself has to be very careful not to step into well-camouflaged faux pas so as not to create enemies right from the start. The launch party for the new MV Agusta F4 RR Corsacorte is relaxed, as the protagonists are well known.

Or at least their predecessors left impressive business cards in the PS editorial office. The Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC won the racetrack comparison test of European superbikes in PS 2/2011. The MV F4, which is now being inherited by the F4 RR, set the second fastest lap time on the asphalt in the same test before the BMW S 1000 RR. And the ancestor of the Bimota DB8 SP present here, the DB7, fought at eye level in PS 9/2008 "Organ donor", the Ducati 1098 S.

Apropos Ducati: Neither the German importer nor the factory in Italy saw themselves able to contribute an 1198 SP to this test. There are apparently hardly any more available in the press fleets. And the few that are still there are broken. Well, if you don’t want to, you already have. And we also celebrate without "Bolognese sauce" our pasta party – that’s that!

Shirt-sleeved as we are, we rush straight to the first course without an aperitif or antipasti. Look what has happened to the newcomers. And that’s a lot with MV Agusta. While the shell of the core engine is still the same, a different crankshaft is now working inside. This comes from Germany and is equipped with longer connecting rods. That’s right, the Corsacorte engine has been designed with a shorter stroke than the F4 engine for higher peak performance, which necessitates a new crankshaft and longer connecting rods.

Its stroke shrank from 55.0 to 50.9 millimeters, the bore grew from 76.0 to 79.0 millimeters. The vital holes grew not only in the engine block, but also in the cylinder head. The combustion chambers, which are larger in diameter, create space for the large valves required for maximum peak performance.

These are still arranged radially and grew by 1.8 millimeters (from 30 to 31.8 mm) at the inlet and by 1.5 millimeters (from 25 to 26.5 mm) at the outlet. With the shorter-stroke design, the engineers reduced the maximum piston speed from 24.7 m / s to 22.9 m / s, which reduces the loads on the crankshaft drive and is therefore beneficial to the service life.

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MV Agusta F4 RR Corsacorte.

Adaptations to the Magneti-Marelli engine management and the 4-in-2-in-1-in-4 exhaust system take account of the new engine configuration. The design of the icon F4 remained unchanged. Hand was, however, put on the chassis components. On the Corsacorte, these no longer come from Marzocchi (fork) and Sachs (strut), but come from Ohlins. As a result, the inner fork tube diameter has shrunk from a gigantic 50 millimeters to a conventional 43 millimeters, and a rear shock is now dampened by a TTX-style shock absorber.

A look at the data sheet of the MV Agusta is a bit astonishing. With a secondary gear ratio of 15 to 41, this is quite short for a motorcycle homologated with a top speed of 298 km / h. A BMW S 1000 RR for comparison has a longer ratio of 17 to 44. The gear ratio of the MV is super sporty: the first gear is enough for 134 km / h, the second for 172 km / h. In every further gear the F4 RR increases by 30 km / h.

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Bimota DB8 SP.

Let’s take a look at our colleague Bimota DB8 SP. Viewed objectively, it is the eighth in its series, because the type designations at Bimota arise from a simple logic: D stands for Ducati, i.e. the engine supplier, B for Bimota and the 8 for the eighth Bimota model with a Ducati engine. With the DB8, the discontinued Ducati 1198 drive has now arrived in Rimini. As is typical for Bimota, the V-Twin is inserted into a frame made of steel lattice tubing and milled swing arm mounts and surrounded by all sorts of fine carbon parts.

The elaborate production – in Rimini they swear by handwork – is reflected in all those aluminum parts that come across as boring on Japanese super sports cars. Whether fork bridge, fork feet with brake calliper mounts, frame plates, rear axle mounts or the levers on the brake and clutch pumps supplied by Brembo, each of these components was milled from solid. The clear, but very cheap-looking instrument cluster in the Bimota’s cockpit doesn’t really fit in with this.

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Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC.

In view of this individual milling rage at Bimota, the Aprilia seems almost Japanese sucked. Although it is also equipped with fine carbon trim and, like the MV, has fine Ohlins components, there is something soberly efficient about its appearance.

The Aprilia starts just as unsentimentally when it starts. A quick press of the button – and the V4 cheers. The MV takes a little go along to get out of her bed and the Bimota has a really hard time starting work. Only after a number of revolutions of the crankshaft does the twin pull itself up to convert gasoline into mechanical movement and exhaust gas by means of an ignition spark.

Comparison test: Italo super sports car part 2

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Out in the country. Bimota DB8 SP, MV Agusta F4 RR Corsacorte, Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC (from left to right).

Out in the country – now! The way there is a difficult one. The Bimota unwillingly hacked on its chain during 3000 tours and tormented its pilot in city traffic with the difficult-to-use clutch. The MV imitates it, it is also equipped with a stiff, hydraulic clutch control. And also cooks her pilot. Your waste heat from the engine seems to be dissipated directly to the driver’s body during slow speed and when stationary. The MV Agusta F4 RR compensates for this with a silky smooth throttle response from idle. Even on the Aprilia, the pilot’s blood boils, but he is the only one who can enjoy a properly operated clutch.

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Regardless of the terrain or the speed, the Aprilia RSV4 Factory is the boss.

But now really out into the country. Finally the urban space with the annoying traffic is behind you, free streets invite you to blow freely. The three Italians rush forward impetuously, scramble for positions and fall on each other like playing kittens. But when the play instinct is over and fun becomes serious, then there is only one who does not take prisoners. One who hands out Bruce Lee-wise, kicks, boxes and punches quickly and precisely. One that robs others of the fun of playing and dominates them at will.

This fun brake has a name: Aprilia RSV4 Factory. Regardless of the terrain or the speed, the northern Italian from Noale is the boss. Your V4 always delivers plenty of thrust without hang-ups or spikes, turns and shifts splendidly thanks to the APRC package with a formidable automatic gearshift and great traction control. Because of its anti-hopping clutch, there is no unrest in the chassis when things get hot on the brakes. Bimota and MV Agusta show that this impeccable behavior is not common. As already mentioned, the Ducati twin has a hard time in the Bimota below 3000 rpm. But it deserves praise for that: it pushes brilliantly through the rev range without dents and peaks.

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The entire engine of the MV Agusta has been extensively revised, but what good is the lifting on the country road?

Accompanied by the hard blow of the Vau-Zwo, you glide through the woods and fields, enjoying the flow and ignoring the jerky gearbox. However, the heavy stamping of the rear wheel on the brake cannot be ignored. Like the 1198 Ducs, the DB8 SP lacks an anti-hopping clutch. It’s no longer up to date!

The MV drive can do that better, because the four-in-a-row is inconspicuous on the brakes and generates a helpful higher engine braking torque than the Aprilia when decelerating. Nevertheless, the revised engine cannot convince one hundred percent on the country road. He owes his fine response behavior to a very fat mapping, which makes him a drinker of the Festa.

It is true that the four-cylinder now picks up harder thanks to a shorter overall ratio (pulling power: the F4 RR makes it from 50 to 150 km / h in 9.3 s in the last gear, the predecessor F4 took over a second longer ), but its power delivery is quite inharmonious and the power explosion over 11,000 turns on the country road completely unusable. In addition, the running culture is not in good shape. The quad runs very rough between 6000 and 7000 rpm and vibrates nastily from 9000 tours. Rapid gear changes require increased attention due to the long shift travel of the MV.

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The F4 RR Corsacorte increases the driving experience because the fork and shock absorber are balanced.

But the Swedish suspension components work splendidly. Anyone who has ever driven an MV has enjoyed this amazing cornering stability and the good feedback. The Corsacorte significantly increases this driving experience, because the balance of fork and shock absorber is right, the feedback from the front wheel is even more crisper than with the Marzocchi fork and the response is a whole class better. The MV will effectively go away waves, edges and cracks in the asphalt, informs, but does not strain the pilot on the country road. In such a good position, the MV almost screams to be taken to the race. There is, however, one point of criticism that is likely to become even more pronounced on the racetrack. The braking stability of the RR is not quite on the level of the old F4.

On sporty country roads, the rear of the car was too often too light when braking, which is absolutely unnecessary. We suspect the cause of this behavior is in the high rear – at least four threads were visible on the pushrod of the deflection. Anyone who tries out the F4 RR as a tough brake user should lower the rear a bit. The DB8 SP would be happy if it only had to struggle with a slight rear end. Light and shadow shape the driving behavior of the noble lady from Rimini: If you let her run easily on fast roads with good asphalt in the classic country road style, the pilot can enjoy the high handlebars and the great twin. The Michelin Power One noticeably blocks itself against deep lean angles and the soft fork plunges deeply when braking, but you can still cope with that.

If, however, a violent attack is to be ridden, for example up a pass-like passage, the DB8 SP becomes very uncomfortable. Aggressive braking is acknowledged with a violently punching rear wheel, while the fork dips down to the block and the motorcycle vehemently defends itself against turning. The righting moment is reduced when the brake is released, but it is still severe compared to Aprilia and MV. Anyone who has mastered the first cornering attack without an involuntary visit on the opposite lane is guaranteed to be calmer, lets MV and Aprilia pull and returns to the classic, round driving style.

The fact that the Aprilia does not give the MV F4 RR a chance on the country road with those who hurry away is due to its unbelievable precision and that greedy front wheel feel. It encourages you to glow very briskly across the country road, because everything runs on it simply and without surprises – the pilot merges completely with the RSV.

Performance diagram of the horsepower measurements.

The engine revision of the MV Agusta F 4 RR Corsacorte has not been successful compared to its predecessor F4 R. Its power development is very wavy, in the sport-relevant range between 9000 and 11000 rpm is significantly below the Aprilia. The maximum power of the MV from 11,000 to 13500 tours is not available on the country road. Completely stress-free, the Bimota roars through the landscape with its twin from 3000 tours – but below that it gets very uncomfortable.

Aprilia RSV4 Factory APR

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Sober efficiency: the Aprilia RSV4’s great-functioning gearshift.

drive 
Four-cylinder 65-degree V-engine, 4 valves / cylinder, 132 kW (180 PS) at 12,500 / min *, 115 Nm at 10,000 / min *, 1000 cm³, bore / stroke: 78.0 / 52, 3 mm, compression ratio: 13.0: 1, ignition / injection system, 48 mm throttle valves, mechanically operated multi-disc oil bath anti-hopping clutch, six-speed gearbox, G-Kat, chain

landing gear 
Light alloy bridge frame, steering head angle: 65.5 degrees, caster: 105 mm, wheelbase: 1420 mm, upside-down fork, Ø fork inner tube: 43 mm, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression level. Central spring strut with deflection, adjustable in length, spring base, rebound and compression. Suspension travel front / rear: 120/130 mm

Wheels and brakes 
Forged light alloy wheels, 3.50 x 17 "/ 6.00 x 17", front tires: 120/70 ZR 17, rear: 200/200/55 ZR 17, first tires: Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP "C", 320 mm double disc brake with radial attached four-piston fixed calipers at the front, 220 mm single disc with two-piston fixed calipers at the rear

measurements and weight 
Length / width / height: 2050/750/1130 mm *, seat / handlebar height: 845/865 mm, handlebar width: 665 mm, 204 kg fully fueled, v./h .: 51.0 / 49.0%

Rear wheel power in last gear  
123 kW (167 PS) at 271km / h

consumption 
Fuel type: Super unleaded. Average test consumption: 8.1 liters / 100 km, tank capacity 17 liters, range: 210 km

Base price 
22,490 euros (plus additional costs)

Bimota DB8 SP

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The shock absorber is directly linked and tightly tuned.

drive 
Two-cylinder 90 degree V-engine, 4 valves / cylinder, 125 kW (170 HP) at 9750 / min *, 127 Nm at 8000 / min *, 1198 cm³, bore / stroke: 106.0 / 67.9 mm, Compression ratio: 12.7 : 1, ignition / injection system, 64 mm throttle valves, hydraulically operated multi-plate dry clutch, six-speed gearbox, G-Kat, chain

landing gear 
Steel tubular space frame with screwed light metal milled parts, steering head angle: 65.0 degrees, caster: 100 mm, wheelbase: 1430 mm, upside-down fork, Ø fork inner tube: 43 mm, adjustable in spring base, rebound and compression level . Central spring strut without deflection, adjustable in spring base, rebound and compression. Suspension travel front / rear: 120/130 mm

Wheels and brakes 
Forged light alloy wheels, 3.50 x 17 "/6.00 x 17", front tires: 120/70 ZR 17, rear: 190/55 ZR 17, first tires: Michelin Power One, 320 mm double disc brakes with radially attached four-piston fixed calipers at the front, 220 mm single disc with two-piston fixed caliper at the rear

measurements and weight 
Length / width / height: 2040/730/1105 mm *, seat / handlebar height: 800/855 mm, handlebar width: 695 mm, 192 kg fully fueled, v./h .: 52.6 / 47.4%

Rear wheel power in last gear 
109.5 kW (149 PS) at 274 km / h

consumption
Fuel type: Super unleaded. Average test consumption: 6.8 liters / 100 km, tank capacity 18 liters, range: 265 km

Base price 
26,970 euros (plus additional costs)

MV Agusta F4 RR Corsacorte

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The dark colored end caps show the high consumption of the MV.

drive 
Oven-cylinder in-line engine, 4 valves / cylinder, 148 kW (201 HP) at 13,400 / min *, 114 Nm at 9200 / min *, 998 cm³, bore / stroke: 79.0 / 50.9 mm, compression ratio: 13, 4: 1 , ignition / injection system, 49 mm throttle valves, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath anti-hopping clutch, six-speed gearbox, G-Kat, chain

landing gear 
Steel tubular space frame, steering head angle: 66.5 degrees, caster: 100 mm, wheelbase: 1430 mm, upside-down fork, Ø fork inner tube: 43 mm, adjustable in spring base, rebound and compression. Central spring strut with deflection, adjustable in spring base, rebound and compression. Suspension travel front / rear: 120/120 mm

Wheels and brakes 
Forged light alloy wheels, 3.50 x 17 "/ 6.00 x 17", front tires: 120/70 ZR 17, rear: 190/55 ZR 17, first tires: Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP, 320 mm double disc brakes with radially attached four- piston fixed calipers at the front, 210 mm single disc with two-piston fixed caliper at the rear

measurements and weight 
Length / width / height: 2100/830/1090 mm *, seat / handlebar height: 840/845 mm, handlebar width: 680 mm, 215 kg with a full tank, v./h .: 52.8 / 47.2%

Rear wheel power in last gear
129.5 kW (176 PS) at 271 km / h

consumption 
Fuel type: Super unleaded. Average test consumption: 8.5 liters / 100 km, tank capacity 17 liters, range: 200 km

Base price 
22,900 euros (plus additional costs)

HP conclusion

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Always in front: top dog Aprilia, just behind Bimota and MV Agusta (from left to right).

At the end of the debut party, a short summary of the event. The two newcomers enrich the Italian team with their individual class, which defines their grace and exclusivity. In terms of driving behavior, you can’t get past the top dog Aprilia. But that shouldn’t matter to Bimota and MV Agusta, because they rely on customers who are looking for something special. And they will find what they are looking for. What are the nasty points in a test?

Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC: Aprilia is the only manufacturer of this test that also competes in the Superbike World Championship – and you can tell. The RSV4 as a top performer doesn’t give the other two a chance.

MV Agusta F4 RR: Some details of the F4 RR are really annoying and cost points. For example, the rough running of the engine or the long shift travel. On the chassis side, however, the MV is a force.

Bimota DB8 SP: Above all, the chassis tuning and the associated driving behavior interferes with burning. This must and can be improved.

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