Ever wonder what it would be like to ride Luca Scassa's factory Superbike racer? I'm guessing it would be exactly like riding this F4CC, which, on the street, exhibits the same taut manner and barely contained ferocity of a full-on racing machine. I subjected the F4CC to a bit of everything on my ride from Half Moon Bay to L.A., from the tight turns of Skyline Boulevard to the fast, sweeping curves of Highway 33. On those occasional moments when I was able to put aside the fact that the bike costs more than a decent starter home in any Midwestern city, the F4CC proved an absolute dream to ride, too. At street speeds the bike is utterly composed and downright mocking in its competence-turn-in is alarmingly precise, braking with those massively powerful Brembos is never more than a one-finger affair, and the engine is a pure, visceral delight. This is the best-sounding inline-four since Ago's GP bikes of yore, and the acceleration, especially ripping through the upper revs, is outrageous.
All of the above (plus the matching, coordinated Trussardi leather jacket and number-matched Girard-Perregaux wristwatch, included with every bike) somehow adds up to that breathtaking $120K. And though I couldn't stop worrying about wadding it, such concerns likely won't bother most CC buyers-the vast majority of these collector's items will never see the light of day anyway, much less the open road.
Which is a shame. In addition to absolute luxury and exclusivity, $120,000 also buys you what might be the very finest-performing sportbike ever made, a machine that dreams-and the occasional nightmare-are made of.
Tech SpecEvolutionLoosely based on the standard F4 1000 R, with an upsized, 1078cc engine hand-built by the MV Race Department fitted into a Superbike-spec chassis studded with high-end, hand-built components.
RivalsNo equal in terms of exclusivity or elegance (if not outright performance), save perhaps Ducati's forthcoming $65,000 Desmosedici RR.
TechPrice: $120,000Engine type: l-c inline-fourValve train: DOHC, radial 16vDisplacement: 1078ccBore x stroke: 79.0 x 55.0mmCompression: 13.0:1Fuel system: EFIClutch: Wet, multi-plateTransmission: 6-speed, cassetteMeasured horsepower: 163.7 bhp @ 12,500 rpmMeasured torque: 81.1 lb.-ft.@ 9050 rpmFrame: Steel trellis with magnesium pivot plates and single-sided swingarmFront suspension: 50mm Marzocchi inverted cartridge fork, adjustable for spring preload, compression and rebound dampingRear suspension: Single Sachs shock, adjustable for spring preload, high/low-speed compression and rebound damping, ride heightFront brake: Dual Brembo four-piston calipers, 310mm discsRear brake: Single Brembo four-piston caliper, 220mm discFront tire: 120/70-ZR17 Pirelli Dragon Supercorsa ProRear tire: 190/55-ZR17 Pirelli Dragon Supercorsa ProRake/trail: 24.5/4.1 in.Seat height: 31.9 in.Wheelbase: 55.4 in.Fuel capacity: 5.5 gal.Weight (tank full): 441 lbs.Weight (tank empty): 408 lbs.Colors: Black/silver/redAvailable: NowWarranty: Two years, unlimited mi.Contact: www.mvagustausa.com
VerdictA bold statement from the most prestigious brand in motorcycling.
They Say: "Treat it as if it were a priceless painting."We Say: "Make space in the Louvre and award Signore Castiglioni an honorary fine-arts degree."