2014–2019 · Supersport · A variant of the F4
Differences between the standard F4 and the RR
Screaming Four, Demanding Everything
The F4 in this RR form runs a short-stroke 998cc inline-four that spins to a 13,600 rpm redline and puts 201 hp behind you, with 82 lb-ft arriving high at 9,600 rpm. A tubular steel trellis frame and fully adjustable suspension give it genuine race-bred bones, and the rider-aid package covers ABS, traction control, ride modes and wheelie control. This RR trim builds an up-quickshifter onto that base. What actually sets it apart isn't the numbers, though. It's the aura: four pipes stacked under the tail, the bodywork, the voice. This is emotion built into metal, not a sober performance appliance.
This is a machine for a rider who wants intensity over ease. The chassis feedback is superb and the fork tells you exactly what the front tire is doing, so a skilled hand can lean on it hard. The F4 asks plenty in return. The power splits into a weak bottom and a violent top, the throttle runs coarse at small openings, and the position folds you aggressively over the tank. Sit in stop-and-go heat and it runs hot enough that some owners swap the plastic fan blades for metal. Buy it because it moves you, not because it's the reasonable choice.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 201 hp (148 kW) @ 13,600 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 82 lb-ft (111 Nm) @ 9,600 rpm |
| Displacement | 998 cc |
| Engine | Inline-four |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 200/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 56.3 in (1430 mm) |
| Seat height | 32.7 in (830 mm) |
| Wet weight | 463 lb (210 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.5 gal (17 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Drivetrain
Safety
Swing a leg over and the reach to the bars tells you at once this bike wants you folded forward with your weight over the front, further than most current sport machinery asks. On smooth pavement it feels planted and serious. Start pushing across real-world surfaces and the rear shock refuses to give, sending bumps straight into your lower back instead of soaking them up. Flick it into a chicane and you feel the effort of the decision; changing direction is heavier work than a bike this focused should be. The reward is what your hands read through the fork, an unusually honest sense of grip. And the sound stays with you long after, that hard four-cylinder wail climbing toward the redline that no spec sheet ever captures.
The F4 RR (MY2014-RR) builds on the standard F4: the upgraded hardware, the key spec changes and where its character shifts. The full ride, specs, scoring and verdict are all right here on this page.
| Spec | Standard F4 | RR | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 195 hp | 201 hp | +6 hp |
My own 0–100 score for this bike against the class, area by area — the marker on each bar is the class average.
What the F4 does brilliantly is talk to me. The frame and suspension report what's happening under the tires without a moment of vagueness, and the front end stands out as the clearest voice of the lot, honest and trustworthy right at full lean. The cost of that composure shows up when I ask for a quick change of direction. Stable geometry and the stretched stance combine to make flicking from side to side heavier work than a machine this sharp ought to ask.
The brakes give me no reason to worry when I lean on them hard. I can carry the brake well past the entry and hold it deep toward the corner, and all I get back is the faintest suggestion of movement as I reach the apex, never enough to unsettle me or make me ease off. On a bike that asks so much of me everywhere else, having the stopping power quietly do its job is a real relief.
Where the F4 wins outright is the way it looks. The quad pipes tucked under the tail and the finish on the bodywork pull a reaction out of people who already know precisely what they're looking at. I've watched it stop riders who've seen a hundred of them and still can't walk past. That kind of pull is genuinely rare, and it's a real part of what your money buys here.
The engine runs two separate lives. Below the changeover it barely pulls, giving me nothing I can lean on, and then the variable intake funnels open and it hands me a hard, abrupt rush that arrives fast enough to startle and vanishes before I've made real use of it. Timing that hit so it works for me rather than against me takes constant concentration. Worse for track work, the fueling turns coarse rolling on at the apex, exactly where I want a clean, predictable answer.
Comfort isn't really this bike's language. I sit well forward on the tank, with less room to shift my weight around than most modern sport machines allow, and that suits riders raised on old-school superbikes more than anyone else. The rear stays firm to the point that surface texture reaches me instead of being soaked up. And the motor never lets me switch off; keeping it civil demands attention every mile, which slowly wears on you.
The picture here comes from years of listening to riders: paddock talk, owner conversations, and the steady stream of messages and emails that land in my inbox from people who actually live with this bike. Pool it all together and one thing stands out. The F4 draws fierce devotion for the way it moves and sounds, and just as steady a list of cautions about what it asks in return.
Riders consistently put the handling first. The chassis carves with a precision and lightness they rarely find elsewhere, and the feedback keeps them talking long after they've parked. Close behind sits the engine: a high-revving four that pulls hard at the top and howls as it climbs, which owners describe as the whole reason they bought in. The styling earns just as much devotion, called some of the most beautiful design ever put on a motorcycle, right down to the detailing. A smaller group of track riders points to the brakes, praising the stopping power and feel when they lean on them hard.
The cautions gather around what the bike demands of you. A common one is the riding position: aggressive clip-ons and high pegs that wear on bigger riders and anyone logging real miles. Owners also flag the power delivery, calling it uneven, with flat spots through the mid-range and a throttle that can turn abrupt right where they want it smooth. Several mention the weight too, noting the F4 feels heavy for its class under braking and quick changes of direction. Two practical gripes round it out. In slow traffic the heat builds badly enough that some report damage to fan blades and bodywork, and more than a few point to long waits for parts and the reliability reputation that still trails the brand.
Brembo front brake master cylinder recall
A manufacturing defect in the Brembo front brake master cylinder may lead to loss of braking performance. Affected units were recalled globally (NHTSA campaign 17V839000, Australian recall REC-003830).
Engine overheating in traffic
The F4's engine generates significant heat, causing overheating when airflow is insufficient, such as in slow-moving traffic. Some owners replace the plastic fan blades with metal ones.
Overheating and cooling system inadequacy
The F4 is prone to severe heat buildup in stop-and-go traffic due to poor radiator airflow. This can melt plastic cooling fan blades and warp the lower belly pan, especially on earlier production runs.
Intermittent engine cutting out / stalling
Several owners report the engine suddenly cutting out when decelerating or downshifting, requiring a key cycle to restart. Likely related to electronic throttle or quick shifter issues.
Where this MV Agusta F4 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the F4 is actually built for.
On a closed course with room to wind it out, the F4 pays you back: honest fork feedback, real lean clearance, brakes that stay composed deep into the corner. Bring the skill it demands and it sings.
Made for Barber Motorsports Park · WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca · Circuit of the Americas
For fast canyon runs it looks and sounds glorious, but the stiff rear and heavy direction changes fight you on broken pavement. You'll love it if you value character over easy speed.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
Tight East-Coast twisties expose its heavy turn-in and demanding throttle. If you chase skill over speed and don't mind working for it, the reward is a chassis that truly talks to you.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
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. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
