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2010–2011 · Supersport · Buyer's Guide
The Gorgeous Italian Thoroughbred
This F4 is MV Agusta's superbike distilled: a 998 cc liquid-cooled inline-four rated at 186 hp at 12,900 rpm and 84 lb-ft at 9,500 rpm, carried in a steel trellis frame. Adrian Morton and CRC penned the shape, and the result is as much sculpture as superbike. The electronics cover traction control and ride modes. On the chassis side you get an upside-down fork, adjustable suspension at both ends, a steering damper and a slipper clutch. MV Agusta quotes a top speed of 190 mph (305 km/h), wrapped in some of the most elegant bodywork in the class. Pure thoroughbred.
On paper, this hardware is built for fast work on closed circuits and open sweepers, where high-speed stability and lean clearance matter most. A 56.3 in (1,430 mm) wheelbase, a 190/50-17 rear tire, a 33.9 in (860 mm) seat and a power peak way up at 12,900 rpm all point to an experienced rider. There's no ABS and no quickshifter, so by today's standards it's an analog superbike. Before you buy, confirm that MV Agusta's rear subframe recall kit is fitted, and check the radiator, rear hub bearings and belly pan. This bike is for riders who buy with their heart. Reason comes second!
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 186 hp (137 kW) @ 12,900 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 84 lb-ft (114 Nm) @ 9,500 rpm |
| Displacement | 998 cc1000cc Motorcycles → |
| Engine | Inline-fourMotorcycles With Inline-Four Engines → |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 190/50-17 |
| Wheelbase | 56.3 in (1430 mm) |
| Seat height | 33.9 in (860 mm) |
| Dry weight | 423 lb (192 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.5 gal (17 L) |
| Top speed | 190 mph (305 km/h)Motorcycles With a Top Speed of 180 MPH or More → |
| Fuel economy | 33 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Drivetrain
Safety
This one comes from the riders rather than from my own laps. Years of talking with owners after events, messages that land in my inbox, and the questions people bring me at club gatherings add up to a picture of what living with this bike is like. On the F4 1000 that picture is unusually sharp. There is strong agreement about what thrills them, and equally strong agreement about what wears them down.
The engine dominates the conversation. Riders describe a top end that screams and pays back a hard right hand, with an exhaust note they bring up unprompted every time. Chassis talk follows close behind: composed, accurate, and trusted enough that people call it a track bike without hesitating. Owners who came off an older F4 mention the roomier stance and the adjustable pegs. And the look of the thing still closes the deal for plenty of them.
Nothing gets raised more often than the ride quality. Riders call the suspension stiff to the point of punishing, with rough roads arriving at them undiluted. Heat runs a close second. In stop-and-go the engine cooks, and owners say it gets past what they are willing to tolerate. Behind those two sits low-speed behavior: a clutch they describe as heavy and quick to grab, and an engine that hunts off idle in town.
Rear subframe cracking (recall)
Upper fixture points of the rear subframe may crack or break, compromising stability. MV Agusta issued a recall to install a reinforcement kit.
Rear hub bearing failure
Wheel hub bearings may fail at low mileages due to a design issue; manageable with lower pinch bolt torque or aftermarket hub replacement.
Radiator cracking
The radiator is prone to cracking at the upper left corner due to a design flaw; aftermarket brackets are available.
Overheating in traffic
The cooling system struggles at low speeds, leading to rapid temperature rise, melted fan blades, and potential radiator damage.
Belly pan melting
Exhaust heat can melt the bottom right side of the belly pan, even at speed; aftermarket heat shields are recommended.
Where this MV Agusta F4 1000 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the F4 1000 is actually built for.
Best fit of the three: 186 hp, a slipper clutch, a steering damper and adjustable suspension at both ends are made for the circuit. There's no ABS, so braking is all on you.
Made for WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca · Barber Motorsports Park · Circuit of The Americas
A strong match for fast canyon roads, with the stability and pull to back it up. The catch is the LA traffic in between: the cooling system is known to struggle at low speeds.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail Scenic Byway · Big Sur Coast Highway
A decent fit, though not the obvious one: this F4 is built around high-speed stability and a 12,900 rpm power peak, while tight Appalachian switchbacks reward technique over outright pace.
Made for Tail of the Dragon · Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2005–2007
Art That Hits 184
Compare to the previous model →The MV Agusta F4 1000 also comes in these variants, models and special editions. Each has its own page covering only what differs from the standard F4 1000 — equipment, electronics, specs and used price.
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this MV Agusta F4 1000. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Successor · 2012
Italian Fire, Maximum Feedback
Successor · 2014–2019
Screaming Four, Demanding Everything
Competitor · 2010–2012
The V4 With No Safety Net
Roughly $1,200 cheaper used than this bike at 15 yr
Competitor · 2009–2011
Thunder, Beauty, No Apologies
About the same used price as this bike at 15 yr
Competitor · 2009–2014
The Crossplane Traction Machine
Roughly $1,900 cheaper used than this bike at 15 yr
Same Platform · 2019
Italian Fire, 211 Horses
Compare it with every bike that shares the same spec or equipment.
