The ACTUAL Ferrari of Motorcycles 

I'd say that Ducati is the Ferrari of motorcycles and MV Agusta is the Pagani of motorcycles.

Some years ago my sister had an F4 750. I remember her complaining about the extreme ride, poor reliability, servicing and parts costs - sounds like a Ferrari to me ... 😉

I was lucky enough to take a 750 F4 out for a good thrash back in 2005. The things I remember are the weak brakes, the rock hard suspension, the bars that trapped your hands against the bodywork, the mirrors that only show your elbows and the motor that couldn't match my 636. It looked very nice, though.

In Italy we say that MV Agusta (and lately Ducati too) builds motorcycles for rich californians. You'd be surprised how few people here know what MV Agusta even is!

The F4 first caught my eye being bruce waynes choice of vehicle when he wasnt in his Lamborghini. I think that alone makes a statement that the producers and director chose that bike over a ducati.

You missed out the Brutale, a superb rideable bike which makes MV accessible to a lot more riders. In 2010, I was offered a brand new 2009 Brutale for about 60% of the 2010 model, by a small UK based sports car dealers who were branching out into MV Agusta bikes. I turned down the deal, and have of course regretted it ever since. You are 100% correct when you describe MV Agusta as the Ferrari of motorcycles. Thank you for sharing.

I have a 2000 F4 750. It gives me goose bumps when i ride it. I find myself staring at it when parked. The attention it attracts when in public cements it as Italian royalty. Sometimes the spec sheet doesn't reflect the magic that's present.

I owned one. Under powered, felt like a 600 and riding position was a killer. Every thing was forgiven when you got off though and took a look. Exhaust noise was cool and the sound from the air box was assume

I never forget when I saw one for the first time. I bought an F4 1000 shortly afterwards. But, krikes, was that thing uncomfortable - SO cramped. But I loved it. My sister called it the Envy Agusta!

They are truly a beautiful bike that has been able to keep its looks barely changed over the years.

Massimo Tamburini is probably the sole reason why I have the bikes I do. Both my Monster 1100 and my 800 SuperSport are direct lineage from his vision in 1998 when he revamped both the monster and supersport lineup of air-cooled ducatis, along with pushing major changes to the engine's overall design structure.

The most amazing thing is how modern it still looks. This bike is nearly 30 years old, and while the other bikes from that era DO look like that old, the MV could well be a modern day bike

Damn, this video makes me feel even more proud to own a MV Agusta F4 haha.

Tamburini finished the 916 in early '93 and immediately went to work on the F4 and it shows, the F4 seems to clearly be an evolution of the shape of the 916. The F4 was originally conceived as a Cagiva, but the Castiglioni's obtained the MV name around 1992 and the 750 F4 was a worthy first effort. It had a long gestation period (1991-1997), Ferrari was not "behind" the bike, they were paid for initial design efforts of the engine that was largely abandoned except for the radial valve layout. Ferrari was in financial trouble with the recession of the early 90's and unloved 348 as their bread and butter model.

My dad owns the 750 and the tamburini. Has always told me that the 750 is horrible to ride because it jams his thumbs when he turns lol. Apparently the tamburini fixed that. What it didn’t fix was being able to see the mirrors. Beautiful bikes though I want to own one.

I arrived in the motorcycle scene in the late '50s when Surtees was riding the 500 and winning..., what sounds they made for those old TT recordings. I had a 175cc MV for a time but never had it running. The engine was in pieces with a bad big-end bearing and the modest dealer that had taken it to fix was at a stand-still to get the right parts. That engine though was a marvel - among other things, a vernier cam drive sprocket to dial in that marvelous little soc to do its work. Always loved the color scheme of the MVs and I wish the market would support the smaller displacement units like were popular in the late '50s and early '60s. Simplicity is now lost, this current crop of exotic high performance machines show excellence in talented engineering but has taken motorcycling too far into the expensive toy for the well-off. Not the only one lamenting that change in things I'd guess.

Ever since it came out when i was a kid, I've loved the F4. If you remember that this came out in the 90's is was far ahead of the competition in regards to design. Many of the Japanese bikes where going to take styling cues from it for years to come. Would love to own one one day!

I looked at picking up a Brutale a few years back and pulled out when I looked for a replacement headlight since it had a crack and was amazed how few options you had unless you were willing to retrofit a newer light. Much less the cost as well.

Bart, i love your channel. I'm not a biker, but i'm a two wheeler. My little 50cc Puch 4 speed, two stroke is now 75cc and it scares me terrified at full speed. Respect for all who handle this power motorcycles. The trick is always the chassis and the suspension. Cheers mate, greetings from Barcelona.

We had an F4 on display at the museum I used to work at. There was an 1199 and a Morbidelli next to it but somehow it was still the most striking bike when you entered the room.

Some history/context on MV and Ago's run of championships: When GP bike racing started up after the war in 1949 the Italians almost immediately began to dominate. Particularly in the 350/500cc classes. From the early 1950's until the mid 1960's the GP grids were a bunch of lads on Norton, AJS, Velocette, and BSA singles who desperately needed some prize money to pas for gas to the next race and maybe some salami and bread and a tire if they could swing it. The rest of the field were the Italians,: factory teams with supercharged V twins, triples, fours, and Moto Guzzi's 12,000 rpm V8. By 1957 the economy in Europe and Italy had improved enough so that people could afford cars and they stopped buying bikes. So the Italian manufacturers all got together and made a gentlemen's to leave GP bike racing. This was an agreement that Count Domenico Agusta immediately broke. His company was an aerospace company that mostly built helicopters and with the Cold War going strong he was doing just dandy. So from then until 1974 Surtees, Agostini, Hailwood, Read won every single 500cc Championship on the 'Fire Engine' MV's against those same British lads on their now ancient thumpers.

No, I get it, Ducati, Moto Guzzi, MV Agusta… I only wonder, why nobody ever mentions Aprilia? And not just RSV4 or Tuono, there are a fairly impressive collection of Aprilia motorcycles that actually beat Ducati on every corner that nobody even heard of.

MV is the Pagani or Bugatti (yes, Bugatti has Italian history) of Motorcycles And the F4 750’s and 1000’s are really something people need to take in at least once, it feels like a 600 in every aspect besides power

In my opinion, the best looking Italian motorcycle to date is the Benelli Tornado TRE 900. The beautiful green and silver is so unique, as is the sound and looks - with twin underseat fans looking incredibly aggressive. This bike was also designed by Adrian Morton. I have one in the WSBK race team colour scheme and it looks gorgeous. 👍

I was there at the 97’ Eicma on press day when they unveiled this bike(stood next to Sir Alan Cathcart) and what a showing it was 🎆🎆🤘🤘 Amazing!!!

I saw debut of F4 at International motorcycle show NYC. I only remember it and near it was the debut of Honda XR650R. I still am happy owning thee XR650R and still wanting the F4. Thanks for the video. Now I’ll go read my copy of CycleWorld with F4 on cover that I keep near the XR

Do you want all of the Italian-motorcycle fiery performance and design, but also don’t want to drain your kids’ college tuition savings? Then buy an Aprilia and enjoy yourself.

Tamburini finest design.... the 1st gen F4 is in my bucket list of bikes to own😊

I ALWAYS ❤ MV AGUSTA...!!!! It's Rarest of rare. just looking at the THUMBNAIL PIC...i couldn't stop myself to watch this video.

Ducati will always be in my heart my my dad had a 916 in 94 and I used to love getting up early on a Sunday to shut the shed after him and could hear him coming back from miles away. We’d wash it dry it and put it away. Will always be the most beautiful motorbike and alway come top of my list 👍🏼

44 Teeth did a series of videos traveling with an F4 (1000cc) and another Ducati. They even raced them against modern top liter bikes in a track day and the F4 was able to keep it up to them. Definitely an amazing bike that looks like it was launched today.

These bikes are so undervalued right now, is ridiculus. The F4 and the original Brutale have changed bike design forever.

It's similar to most of the bike will put on garage, gallery,or living room,and always overheat when stuck on traffic

A frame that splits in two to get to the engine. Reminds me of the 1977 Bimota SB2, which used a Suzuki GS750 engine. The frame was so tightly designed around the engine/tranny that they built in conical joints you could unbolt and split the frame at four points. Beautiful bike, but I think modern bikes do it better overall.

My friend race bikes professionally he bought f4 he said it was the most uncomfortable bike ever had. Looked beautiful in the garage as long as you didn't want to ride it

It looks so stunning, like old Italian cars. It has that expensive, high-end look. All those nice details and shapes made bikes of that time, and even make most 2023-2024 bikes, look cheap and underdeveloped regardless of price. Sucks that even the GSX-R750 of that time beat it at what was really the most important thing. Still, having an exotic-looking bike is something nice to aspire to. That F4 still makes my heart race and I'd own one if there was a nice one for sale where I live. EDIT: The gauge cluster and triple clamp have this racey look I can't get over it!😭

It actually gives off ferrari f50 vibes especially the tacho and wheels

Great video Bart ! Quite interesting. When you spend money like that on a motorcycle, you've got to build a nitrogen-purged glasscase in your living room and keep it there. There is absolutely no reason to take it out on the street, where some snotty kid on another run-of-the-mill "cheap" bike has you reading his registration plate ! Vehicle for vehicle, a Ferrari.gets far more gawks than a MV would ! And few want an engine that sounds like a Lister concrete mixer. Trinidad & Tobago. West Indies.

Proud owner of an F3 800 here. Had a cbr 600 before, and also and RS660 aprilia. the MV is quick, light, and sound unique. but it has her problems for sure. Rear brake is non-existent unless you bleed it every 200km, and it still have some weird electronic behaviours, for example a couple of days ago after a 20km ride i turned it off and it didn't want to switch back on, it seemed like the battery was dead which didn't make any sense after a long ride and some charging the night before. went away to do some commisions, came back and it started right away. it's like the CU goes crazy and decide to block the battery from sending electricity to the starter, for whatever reason. Also valve clearance every 12000km that costs around 800€

I always think the original plan was to put the badge on the Cagiva GP bike, after all that was bourne out of the failed attempt to buy the MV race team when they quit. Claudio was refused and he bought a japanese bike to go racing with and painted it red and silver, this team later became the Cagiva team with their own bike. I think he toyed with that idea but then realised he had already fullfilled that dream, so he closed the GP team, sold Ducati (because it was struggling anyway) and put his mind to reviving the MV road story. When you look at it like that a lot of the small decisions fit together and you could say he achieved his goal. BTW the poster you have is the second variation 'silver' edition, the 'Oro' being the first.

Personally, my favorite is the MV Agusta Rush. It’s a modern bike, but truly is the Ferrari of motorcycles

owning a F4 Brutale 750 I can only agree. the engine is a masterpiece!

The history of Ferrari, in a single sentence. They build production cars to go racing.

Being the proud owner of not one but two, and not any two but the absolute Pinical of the Tamberini range, the 916 in the 988r 478/700, and the single model year 2009 1078 312rr, the F4 is crazy fast and the 998r is crazy good

I think ducati is the old alfa Romeo of motorcycles. They have "affordable" bikes to, but all of them have the tipycal ducati character

My dream bike is a Rivale 800, its the bike that got to like bikes. to this day i remember when the bike came out and little me drooling over the pictures.

i dont often agree with you Bart, but with this video, i do. the MV F4 is an amazingly beautiful bike.

I think MV Augusta still has the most number of championship title , please correct me if wrong from building helicopters to motorcycles what a manufacturer

Owned a 916 and 996 plus Yamaha R6 and Thunderace. Throw in a CBR600, GSXR600, GSXR1000 and a BSA Bantam (!!). None of these have been kept longer than 18 months but my MV Agusta F4 1000R 312 has been with me for 7 years and isn't leaving anytime soon. Who cares if it's the Ferrari of motorcycles or not - goes like stink, sounds great and looks to die for ..... not that I'm biased at all.

As a former owner of a Ducati 907, and Ducati 888 SPO (owning them in the 1990s) I've heard the "Ferrari of Motorcycles" thing for years. My current ride is a 1997 Moto Guzzi Sport 1100 that I've got an embarrassing amount of time and money into. So, the question I've had for years, with Ferrari already taken, would that make Guzzi the Maserati, or Alfa Romeo of Motorcycles? :)

Great video as always. Looking forward to when you will make a video about the Ducati 916, 996, 998 and 999 :)

I totally lost the dialogue at around 2.30, such is the beauty of the F4 👌🏻

MV should come out with a twin, that sound and those looks would be a great combination. I think it would sell well. They should even come out with an entry level Mono as well. They have missed that appealing boat for decades. Edit: they should also evolve it a bit closer to the C594 that it was based on.

I share this view. MV Augusta looks beautiful yet ferocious. Then the sound: a screamer. Without doubt, the Ferrari of sport/superbikes.

My dad sold an F4 and we delivered it to a guy on an 80 foot yacht... As in, we rolled it into a small garage on the yacth.... Crazy.

I love the f4 and MV in general and while i can get the argument, ducati is definitely more like ferrari than mv is due to their racing history and having a wide variety of models. MV seems more like aston where performance is 95% of the competition, theyre pretty, rare and expensive and their racing pedigree is largely history

It IS the most beautiful bike made in the modern age. Trumps the 916 and the RC30. The 3 are hands down the most striking. I owned RC30 #236 for several years. Even during that time. I drooled over the F4. Absolutely stunning!

I own the Rivale and Turismo Veloce. Love than both. Still wished I kept my Rivale. It’s not weird at all. Loved the raw look of the machine. The weirdest Agusta is the Stradale.

I don't know but Bimoto has always been a leader in design concepts

I just recently sold my Superveloce. While it was arguably one of the most visually appealing bikes I've ever owned, it just didn't retain its value. I took a bath on this thing and it took me over a year to sell. Not to mention the known rear brake problems that plague this model as well as others that MV refuses to fix. There are better value bikes for the money, this is for certain. Heck, my old Ducati 748 is more fun to ride. That's been my experience

I've a Ducati and so I'm Biased...but anybody I meet admires it, especially when they read Ducati on the tank ...nothing else has the same name and the Ferrari of bikes is pretty spot on for Ducati ..not always the quickest or most reliable ...but they have the NAME...but did see Agostini on a Agusta not long ago and thought that was Fairly COOL

Love the red and silver 60s and 70s Agustas ❤️🩶

It seems when you post a photo make sure it is the right way up.

You said nothing about TAmburini being the TA of BIMOTA when you were introducing him to the viewers. I think that would be incredibly significant.

I had 2 F4 in the past, and what a motorcycle.... it's the best bike ever made, when you look at it it's hard to believe it's almot 30 years old design. it still the best looking motorcycle in 2024...

for me, Aprilia is ferrari of motorcycles. The way that engine feels and the chassis is close to ferrari and I just found out that Aprilia's engine was designed by a Ferrari engineer. So it prolly make sense

My friend had a 2020 f3 that he only rode to the gym. It was the most lightweight sportbike ive ever felt.

liked and subed for the 125 loving vibes

Great video! Maybe consider doing one on the Honda Benly CB92R.

I owned the F4 SPR #134 and it was an awesome bike. It got more attention than my bright yellow 748 on the road or parked. The engine was impressive and nothing really happens below 6500rpm. Then it pulls like mad and you have to hold on with your legs, arms and teeth because it want to tear you off. Cool bike, not the most comfortable or easy to ride compared to the 748/916 which go where you look/think you want to go. The F4 wants to fall into turns and makes you constantly have to make steering inputs. I’d still own one, probably the 1000, just because…. It’s Italian 😂

more like the Lamborghini of motorcycles- ferrari and ducati both believe in "win on sunday, sell on monday", and MV just looks cool

Absolutely agree with you bart, MV Agusta is the best!

I had chased the Ducati 916 since I saw Carl Fogerty at Brands Hatch in '95. I came close to owning a 748 a few years after, I canceled delivery at the last moment. Had a bad car accident the next day, and needed a new car. Fast forward over 20 years later, I'm looking for something special, and Ducati didn't quite have an answer for me. I didn't even know a F4RR existed. I owned it over a year, and it still is "Motorcycle Art' with a killer soundtrack. I agree with @P45K141N3N, "I'd say that Ducati is the Ferrari of motorcycles and MV Agusta is the Pagani of motorcycles."

MV Augusta is the Ferrari of Motelorcycles

Awesome!

It's a shame no one really knows why it sounds and feels so different, when it's actually a super easy explaination. The Crankshaft assembly was designed to be as light as possible to make it rev much quicker, since theres no flywheel for the alternator on the crankshaft, that's why it sounds lumpy at low rpm or idle but therefore revs super quick and always needs the highest rpm to get going

MV Agusta was a helicopter manufacturer.

In pure sound I'd say the CBR1000RR-R SP Fireblade from 2023 is the one that at max speed sounds like a NA V12 Ferraris

It's the Pagani of bike world

Heh. When I was working in a motorcycle shop, my boss tried to sell me an F4 for a track bike. I was like damn mate I'm looking for some piece of junk I can crash and thrash at will :D

I preffer to think of MV as the Lamborghini of motocycles, they both just share the same muscular italian profile.

Nice bike. If I won the lottery I would buy 3-different models of this bike.💪🏍️

Your 100% correct, MV ALL THE WAY.

I bought mine new in 2004, still have it. The 'F' in F4 refers to Ferrari who helped design the engine.

MV Agusta is more like the Bugatti of motorcycles! Classy, more exclusive and currently not so much into racing (with the exception of Moto2).

My first bike crush and still the best looking bike ever

MV Augusta is the maserati of motorcycles imo

I would say that Ducati is the Ferrari of motorbikes and MV is more Lamborghini. You go to any car show and there are dozens of dozens of Ferrari’s where you’ll only see a few Lamborghini’s. Ferraris are far more attainable like Ducati’s where MV’s are more rare to come by

The 312 is my dreambike still ( well on the dream list anyway) But the full carbon Claudio Castiglione version was just pure bike porn

I'm confused by the honda grom comment. I've owned a few groms, never seen one that has pins to release the bodywork

I think most people wouldn't say MV Agusta is because they haven't seen one I ages 🤭

Very well written and spoken text, but please the narrator did not bother to pronounce Carlo's surname properly it is phonetically Castilyoni the g is silent/mixed with the L. Castiglione and Tamburini, what a duo !!

I went to the MV dealership a few times to buy the 1000cc version but couldn’t get passed that piece of washing machine sticking out just under the tank. I remember MV saying they couldn’t work how Japanese 1000cc bikes was so slow and they could make a 750cc fast than a Japanese 1000. How did that work out. Well they struggled to match any of the Japanese manufactures but I do regret not buying one

Bimota, hands down. The difference being the choice of powerplants.

My dealer demo #9 of 184 2005 f4 1000 is going in my living room once my house is built. Still has Italian air in the tires ;) I would Put the 996 in the house but i would rather ride it.

How does Aprilia fit in to the picture?

MV Agusta more like the Paganni of motorcylcles for me.

Ive had 2 F4 1000's (still have one, the 2005). IMHO, I would say they are the Lamborghini of motorcycles just bast on their production numbers compared to Ducati. Just like any other high performance exotic, it has had some small issues that were quickly address for a few bucks. But nothing holds its looks like a F4.....ok, an RC30 still looks amazing.

I have got a MV Agusta, Moto Guzzi, Aprilia & Vespa, all Italian 😂

I had an F4 1000S for a few years in the Philippines. Hard suspension shit brakes and the quality control of the finish was somewhat lacking. It seemed like everything was just put where they could fit it, wiring all over the place.You had to remove the seat cowling just to check rear brake fluid level. Removing the seat wasnt as easy as it sounds either. Glad to be rid of the piece of crap!