New MV Agusta F4 RR - quicker yet slower

MV Agusta has seized on a critical lull in new sportsbike activity to launch the most powerful production superbike ever, the F4 RR ‘Corsacorta’. MV hopes the £17,999, 201bhp, 998cc halo version of 2010’s relaunched F4 will take advantage of an increasingly jaded-looking field of competitors, and steal a march on Ducati’s new flagship superbike, due in November.

But interestingly none of the extra power the F4 RR gets from a bigger bore, shorter stroke (‘corsacorta’) and larger, lighter larger titanium valves has been used to boost speed. Instead internal gear ratio tweaks ensure all of the 15bhp gain is taken as acceleration. The current F4 not being short on brawn, the RR’s urge should be monstrous, a fact somewhat masked by the drop in quoted top speed from 189.4mph to 184.8mph.

New ‘Aerospace RR alloy’ forged pistons, revised exhaust, Ohlins TTX36 shock, new forged wheels, Brembo radial master cylinders and bespoke paintschemes – ‘pastel red/white and matt pearl white – are among the other upgrades, which you can read about in full below.

The F4 RR is due to go on sale in the UK from June, priced at £17,999. The standard F4 remains in the range at £14,499.