MV-AGUSTA F4 1000 (2007 - 2013) Review

It’s called the ‘312’ because MV claims it’ll do 312km/h, which equates to about 193mph. When we put it to the test it only managed 182 along a two-mile runway, albeit in a headwind. Costing fifteen grand it needs to be head and shoulders better than the GSX-R1000s and R1s of the world, and it isn’t.

If you really know how to set a bike up the MV Agusta F4 1000 312's quality fully adjustable suspension will let you dial in the perfect set-up on the road or track. If like many people you don’t, the standard settings are too stiff for the road, but don’t offer enough damping for really hard use. It’s on the heavy side compared to something like an R1 too.

Aside from its handsome looks the MV Agusta F4 1000 312's 998cc in-line-four cylinder engine is the best bit of the R312. It’s up 9bhp to a claimed 183bhp over the F4 1000R it replaces, thanks to bigger titanium valves, hairier cams, bigger throttle valves and shorter inlet trumpets. It sounds incredible, has amazing low-down grunt and a screaming top end.

Hand-built to a very high standard, the MV Agusta F4 1000 312 is a super-quality product. The paint is so lustrous it still looks wet and everywhere you look the attention to detail is staggering. Reliability shouldn’t be a problem, but the only problem is getting hold of spares, which can be a bit hit-and-miss from the factory.

It used to be the case that the MV was well worth the asking price; it was so exotic, so exclusive and so ahead of its time. The F4 shape hasn’t changed since 1998, so the R312 looks just the same as an old F4 750 – it’s lost its ‘special-ness’. It’s not significantly faster or better handling than the Japanese competition either, so you have to ask yourself if it’s really worth the extra cash. Find an MV Agusta F4 1000RR 312 for sale.

You get all the toys with the MV Agusta F4 1000 312, including radial-mount Brembo brakes, 50mm Marzocchi forks and a Sachs Racing rear shock. But it’s missing a lot of the stuff MV reserve for their special models. There’s no carbon fibre or the magnesium frame and swingarm that brings the weight of the F4 down to a more acceptable level. For £15k you’d at least expect to get some of this.