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Our
official SBK Fast Dates World Superbike girl Robin Cunningham
rides the sexy new F4-1000 Mamba and Ago models from MV Agusta
and tells it like it is. The former Miss Texas and Miss Hawaiian
Tropic International is very sexy herself. Here she fondles the
Mamba''s lucky right mirror.
MV
Agusta 2005 F4 1000 -first American Review!
Mamba
Mia and Ago, Too!
By
SBK Fast Dates World Superbike Girl "Rockin
Robin" Cunningham
Location photos by
Jim Gianatsis -
click on any photo for a larger view
What is it about Italians which we love to hate? They're certainly
the most exotic, beautiful, sensual and erotic creatures on earth.
One look, one romantic encounter and its an experience of a lifetime
that is always lasts way too short. A tryst you will always remember.
They've got the heart, the soul, the passion and the delivery
no one else can deliver. You'll want to return to again and again.
Despite the fact it all comes with incredible drama and expense.
The stretched bank account, the numerous trips to the doctor,
the long waits to get what you need. But in the end, that romantic
dinner with the steamy glances and heart pounding anticipation,
followed by that incredible roll between the sheetsthat makes
it all worth it....
The
F4 1000 Ago is an Italian stallion that dishes out real grand
prix heritage in its looks. This is the only color scheme an MV
Agusta should be, but then the Ago wouldn't be "special"
if it had to share with all its stable mates. The red suede leather
saddle could make a girl cream in her jeans.
Italian
bikes are kinda like that, too. The newest and sexiest Italian
on the block is the MV Agusta F4 1000 from a company who's history
is stepped in rich tradition from the 1960's when Italian heros
like Giacomo Agostini trounced the Japanese factories like Hondas
in Grand Prix roadracing, and the only way MV could be beaten
was to copy them and hire away their riders. And like all great
Italian motorcycle companies, MV Agusta has been resurected from
the dead and the creditors by one of the most significant teams
in sportbike history. Claudio Castiglioni and Massimimo Tamburini,
the former director and chief designer from Ducati who put Ducati
on top in World Superbike in the early 1990's and created the
most significant sportbike of all time - the Ducati 916 and its
variants.
The
F4 1000 Mamba in Red / Black is a limited edition lightweight
carbon fibre body kit and forged wheels.
It
was Castiglioni who resurrected MV Agusta company from the ashes
in the mid 1990s and brought Tamburini on board to design an all
new Superbike for MV based on the historial in-line 4-cylinder
GP machines. And like their 916 Ducati before it, the new F4 750
was an incredible motorcycle. Even more beautiful than the 916,
while emplying it's sucessful race winning geometry and the trademark
single sided swinagrm .
The
only shortcoming in the new MV F4 750 was its engine size. It
was introduced into the market just as 750cc fours were no longer
competive in Superbike racing against the bigger 1000cc V-twins.
And soon, 1000cc in-line fours would be allowed into Superbike
racing as well. Not too many people were interested in buying
a beautiful, sweet handling, expensiove exotic Italain bike that
couldn't run with the competition.
Hence
the new F4 1000cc which essentially remains unchanged in the chassis
and bodywork department (why spoil perfection!) with the engine
redesigned to a full 1000cc with many significant internal changes
to increase RPM and horsepower even more, and keep it on par with
the latest Japanese 1000cc Superbikes.
Underseat
quad exhausts tips, single side swingarm, nice ass..... reminicent
of Tamburini's 916 Ducati.
The
base F4-1000 came onto the market in mid 2004 with a retail price
of $21,495. Twice the price of a comparable Japanese
Superbike like the R1, CBR1000RR, ZX10 and GSXR1000. But right
between the other comparably equipped Italian, the Ducati 999
($17.995) and 999S ($23,995). The base MV tips the scales at 424
lbs dry which is a little heavy these days, but turns our a strong
166hp @ 11,750rpm.
Because
MV is a small manufacturer with a limited product line (the new
Brutale 750cc naked bike has now joins the F4-750 and 1000), MV
is increasing their sales potential and profitability by offering
Upgraded or Limited Edition Versions and Bolt-on Kits of their
3 different models. Not any different than what Ducati does with
its bikes, and which the Japanese can't do because of their larger
production runs.
One
of our test bikes here was provided by Pro Italia Motosports,
Glendale, CA, is the base F4-1000 which was upgraded with the
$12,000 Mamba Full Option Kit, limited to just
300 editions, and includes all new Red & Black carbon fibre
bodywork and forged Aluminum Marchesini wheels. Bolted onto a
base price F4-100 you are looking at a finished cost of
$33,495. Ouch!
The
other bike we evaluate here, the straight-from-the-factory very
limited edition Ago Replica, is owned by former
racer and team owner Cammie Coe. The Ago came at a much more affordable
$25,995 cost since all the stock parts F4-1000
parts the Mamba kit replaces, could be left at the factory. The
Ago is similar to a Mamba Kited bike, but with the prettier paint
job, and a slightly stronger powerband thanks to a race silencer
tailpiece with a matched, non smog EPROM chip. The Ago was built
in a limited edition run of some 300 bikes to kick off the world
wide introduction of the new F4-1000 model line.
Expect
to see lots of exciting limited edition F4s and Kits coming from
MV in the future, but rolling your own from the parts book might
be the more affordable way to go if you don't have an unlimited
bankroll or need the gingerbread of one of the special editions.
For collectors, though, a special edition MV like the Mamba or
an Agostini Replica is a must.
British
racer motojournalist Alan Cathcart recently tested in Italy at
Misano a pair of F4 Mamba's provided by the MV factory, which
were additionally modified beyond the Mamba Kit with more parts
from MV's new performance parts catalog. Reportedly the dry weight
of the 423lb. base production F4-1000 can be dropped right down
to the FIM Superbike minimum of 162 kilos / 356 lbs half wet.
There
was mention of a Stage 3 Mamba Bike with Race Silencers saving
10 lbs more together with an EPROM chip remap for possibly more
power. That this would come as a complete F4 Mamba bike priced
at $45,750.
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