MV Agusta F4 RR in the test

Posted on by admin

The new 200 hp super sports car from MV Agusta

Test: MV Agusta F4 RR

You could have made it easy for yourself, the developers at MV Agusta. Simply take the unit of the F4 and push with sharper camshafts and more compression on the image-enhancing 201 HP power. Or, even easier, use more displacement. They didn’t do it, but developed a whole new engine.

D.Significantly shorter-stroke than that of the simpler sister F4, with larger valves, higher compression and 200 revs higher cheering. However, this should not be at the expense of durability. On the one hand, the new pistons are lighter, and on the other, the mean piston speed is now even slightly lower thanks to the significantly smaller stroke. The servo starter has remained. After a short push of the button, he elicits that mixture of mechanical scratching and lascivious, greedy rattle that is unmistakably MV. Just like the posh workmanship and the still beguiling aesthetics. Unfortunately, the strenuous sitting position – long tank, deep stumps, high, slippery pegs – is still part of it. But at least the latter are now adjustable. Only the high level of manual force required by the clutch is somewhat surprising. Well, it is also important to keep the power of what is supposedly the most powerful production engine in check. But on the test bench, the F4 RR clearly misses the ambitious target.

Now measured 190 hp are still nine more than the F4 and a strong word. But also a good bit away from the proclaimed 201 hp. The benefit of this sheer top performance is of secondary importance in everyday life anyway, the wavy performance curve with a clear dip at 5000 rpm is more important. Because the MV below is more restrained and releases its power in bursts. We would have expected more. But that’s why the stick over the "motors corsa corta", Breaking the short-stroke engine wouldn’t be entirely fair. Because on the plus side, in addition to the impressive, almost offensive, intensive soundscape, there are for the first time very well-mannered load change reactions. The F4 RR accelerates like no other MV before, masters hairpin bends effortlessly, without an ugly jolt when applying the gas in the second. She can also growl around town in sixth gear without complaint. City traffic is not a real pleasure, however, because the exhaust heat puts a lot of pressure on your buttocks and thighs. In the second half of the speed range, the animal wakes up in the MV.

So far, the struggle for the performance crown has been a duel between BMW and Kawasaki. Now, of all things, the small but fine MV Agusta plant is making a three-way battle with the F4 RR.

From 6000 rpm the rough running short-stroke is there like a penny. Rushes through the speed range with a pithy outcry to add another briquette at 11,700 rpm when the variable intake funnels switch to short intake paths, even though the engine set-up is a little unclean when playing at high speeds. And yet the F4 RR delivers better pulling power compared to the F4. This is made possible solely by the significantly shorter overall translation.

The downside: the RR wriggles in the limiter at just 289 km / h. Incidentally, this measure was not at the expense of consumption. It is still quite high at 6.6 liters, but is even a tad below that of the F4. If the racers from Varese enjoy the reputation of being equipped with excellent chassis, this is especially true for the F4 RR. Thanks to the lighter forged wheels, it turns more quickly than the F4. Only requires a leading hand for deep inclines or quick changes of direction. But then moves arcs, as accurately as drawn with a compass. It is wonderful how precisely it turns in and how safely it follows the steering commands, how stable and neutral it then arrows through the curves. She can do that like no other. Fine-looking spring elements are often found in original equipment, but not everything that glitters is always gold. The Ohlins spring elements of the F4 RR, however, do their job excellently and provide the MV with splendid balance.

The shock absorber is more on the sporty, taut side, but still leaves enough room for comfort – which one cannot necessarily say about the spartan seat upholstery. The fine-looking fork is set rather softly at the factory, but the balance is still right. And a few clicks more pressure level at the front are enough to adjust the setup for a brisk pace. Then the MV offers top-class cornering fun. Keep the speed above 6000 rpm, listen to the trumpets from the four tailpipes and savor the easy-to-dose bite of the monobloc pliers. Thanks to a flawless slip clutch, you can conjure up gentle braking drifts, devour curves and enjoy the feeling of merging into one with the motorcycle.

MOTORCYCLE conclusion

The F4 RR is a strong piece. Even if the short-stroke motor cannot quite meet the high expectations. Thanks to a short translation, nobody will complain about a lack of performance. And the excellent chassis is more consoling than over it.  

more

Slipping clutch: effective Feedback: excellent handiness has won

minus

Display: confusing, dark control lamps, poor operation. Tropic: like a small car. Service intervals: every 6000 km

Technical data + performance diagram

engine

Water-cooled four-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, bucket tappets, wet sump lubrication, injection, regulated catalytic converter, 350 W alternator, 12 V / 9 Ah battery , hydraulically operated multi-plate oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, O-ring Chain, secondary ratio 41:15.

Bore x stroke 79.0 x 50.9 mm

Displacement 998 cm3

Compression ratio 13.4: 1

Rated output 147.7 kW (201 hp) at 13400 rpm

Max. Torque 114 Nm at 9200 rpm

landing gear
Trellis frame made of steel with screwed cast aluminum parts, load-bearing motor, upside-down fork, Ø 43 mm, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, single-sided swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, four-piston fixed calipers, rear disc brake, Ø 210 mm, four-piston fixed calipers, traction control.
Cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 6.00 x 17
Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 190/55 ZR 17
Tires tested: Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP

mass and weight
Wheelbase 1430 mm, steering head angle 66.0 degrees, caster 100 mm, spring travel f / r 120/120 mm, seat height * 830 mm, weight with a full tank * 213 kg, load 182 kg, tank capacity 17.0 liters.

guarantee: two years
Service intervals: 6000 km
Colors: Red White
price: 22,900 euros
Additional costs: around 250 euros

This is new on the MV Agusta F4 RR

  • Bore / stroke ratio: with 79 / 50.9 mm shorter stroke (F4: 76/55 mm) 
  • Larger titanium valves: inlet / outlet 31.8 / 26 mm (F4: 30/25, only inlet titanium) 
  • New cylinder head 
  • Lighter pistons, longer connecting rods 
  • Throttle caps: 49 mm (F4: 46 mm) 
  • Primary drive: eight percent shorter Transmission: the first three gears and the sixth are longer 
  • Maximum speed: increased to 13,700 rpm (F4: 13,500 rpm) 
  • Ohlins suspension elements: fork with Ø 43 mm, (F4: Marzocchi, Ø 50mm), TTX shock absorber (F4: Sachs) 
  • Forged wheels (F4: cast wheels) one kilogram lighter exhaust system new

Marco cassinelli.

The F4 RR runs around 10 km / h slower than the standard F4. Was that planned??

Yes. The RR was specially developed for the racetrack, and absolute top speed is only of interest today on very special slopes such as perhaps Nardo or Monza. On all other racetracks, it’s only about one thing: endless performance. We consciously sacrificed a few km / h for this.

That has to do with the shorter translation. Was that necessary?

We now have more power in the upper rev range, which almost inevitably means that the torque drops further down. That’s why we shortened the primary translation so that there is always enough pressure below. In order to get more power out of the 1000cc engine, we accepted this compromise.

Why didn’t you use the 1078 cc engine instead of the 1000??

It would have simplified the search for performance, of course: because of racing. Even if MV Agusta is not represented in the racing series as a manufacturer, our customers should still have the opportunity to participate. And that is only possible with a 1000.

We didn’t find the promised 201 hp. Why is that?

At high speeds, the engine develops around three percent more power, which is always a few horsepower less on the test bench. How many exactly depends on the test bench and the measurement conditions. Therefore, it can be that the MOTORCYCLE measurement comes out a little less. But you have found a lot more than with the standard F4, so it fits.

 

Super athlete

Aprilia RSV4 R, Ducati 1198S and MV Agusta F4

Comparison test: Italian superbikes

read more

Related articles

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *