MV Agusta->ke947 may be in financial distress but you wouldn’t be able to tell that after the company finally pulled the covers off of the new F4 RC. You know how you build certain expectations in your head and then reality ends up being way cooler than what you anticipated? In a nutshell, that’s the first impression I had on the F4 RC when I first saw it in full detail.

There are a lot of things about the F4 RC that can be considered as special. Oh, it’s special enough on its own, but given that rumors of the F4’s axing have picked up steam in the past few months, if this ends up becoming one of MV Agusta’s last F4->ke1857 bikes, then we consider ourselves lucky. The superbike->ke1888 is a wallop-and-a-half, well and truly regarded as a more powerful version of the F4 RR, which is a blitzing ride in it of its own.

Basically, the F4 RC is the closest thing to the actual bike Leon Camier will ride in the 2015 World Superbike Championships. You wanna talk about setting extremely high expectations and then living up to those promises?

MV Agusta nailed the F4 RC right out of the park.

Click "continue reading" to read more about the MV Agusta F4 RC.

Design

On the surface, the F4 RC shares a lot of its design characteristics with other F4 bikes. All the elements are in their proper places. The sporty and aggressive looks of the bike is clearly evident by the sharp cuts on the fairings, the angular windshield, and the streamlined panels that all combine to create a vivid representation of what a superbike is supposed to look like.

What you won't notice, though, is that the body panels are made from carbon fiber, contributing to its dramatic loss in weight. That's a big reason why the F4 RC is faster than any other F4 bike. Cut the weight and add some power and that's exactly what you get.

The F4 RC is a beautiful bike and MV Agusta's decision to splash it with a three-color finish representing the Italian flag only adds to its unbridled authenticity. Oh, and did you notice the AMG logo clearly splashed on the side of the fuel tank? If this is a sign of things to come for the AMG-MV Agusta partnership, then I probably speak for a lot of people when I say that the Italian motorcycle manufacturer just became a whole lot more interesting.

Frame

The secret of the MV Agusta F4 RC is its incredible weight. If it can’t be said enough, here it is again. The F4 RC only weighs 386 pounds. As Brian Gillen, the head of the MV Agusta Reparto Corse racing division, describes it, a lighter version of the actual F4.

MV Agusta accomplished that by shaving weight where it could, including putting in a lighter crankshaft and internal gears inside the transmission. Likewise, the company also used specialized titanium bolts on the engine and chassis, as well as carbon fiber on the body work.

The whole setup remains the same except for that notable element but that’s precisely why the F4 RC is a cut above any of its F4 brethren. The lighter weight, combined with the tuned inline-four, makes for a really powerful bike.

Drivetrain

When you have a motorcycle brand that describes its bike as a "fireball", you know that it's either waxing in hyperbole or simply speaking nothing but gospel. From the looks of things, MV Agusta isn't overselling the superbike's straight up mental capabilities.

Deep within the recess of all its mechanical awesomeness, the F4 RC still utilizes the same 998 cc four-cylinder engine as the rest of the F4 family. The only difference is that the RC's output has been tuned up to a bonkers 201 horsepower, nine ponies more than the F4 RR, and 82 pound-feet of torque. The torque numbers aren't otherworldy compared to other superbikes, but for one carrying an inline-four? That's a whole cereal bowl of impressive.

Considering that the F4 RC only weighs 386 pounds, it's safe to say that the combination of power and lightweight-ness makes for a scintillating rocket on two wheels. MV Agusta hasn't divulged details on its performance, but when you compare it to the rest of the F4 family, I wouldn't be surprised if the F4 RC can cover 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds to go with a top speed of about 188 mph.

Pricing

A lot of bikes that come with the racing pedigree of the F4 RC always seem to have a caveat. The same can be said for the F4 RC, although how much of it will depend on how fast you are in placing an order.

See, MV Agusta is reportedly only making 250 units of the bike, each coming at a price of €36,900. That's about $41,740 based on current exchange rates, making it a little more affordable than the earlier reported price of $46,000.

Consider that good news.