MV Agusta F4 R 312 the fastest motorbike in the world

The powerful MV Agusta reaches a top speed of 312 km/h. © MV Agusta. The evolution of racing bikes is the result of many small steps. The underlying concept is never abandoned, rejected or turned upside down. It is only meticulous little changes that finally lead to perfection. It is for this very reason that the F4 has made history in the annals of sports bikes and gone on to become a legend.

The F4 of today is a symbol of this legend. The R312 where "three hundred and twelve" is the top speed. To go fast means, tests, hard work, sweat and winning on the track with all the sacrifices and dedication that calls for. With the F4 1000 R MV Agusta was the protagonist last season in the Superstock production series. Unlike others, it is style that adds to the MV machines lined up on the starting grid. More words seem hardly enough to describe the beauty and appeal of a model that, still today, leaves the competition unable to answer. It is not just its streamlined elegant looks or prestigious name, this time it is also a record holder - 312 km/h.

To win on the track you always need more speed. This is why the production MV F4 1000 R 312 now has an evolved professional suspension system. Huge 50 mm Marzocchi forks provide all the stability that an incredibly powerful bike needs. The forks are carbonitride treated and feature 13 compression and 22 rebound settings. The Sachs monoshock absorber has double hydraulic compression settings to deal with acceleration stress. Compression settings can relate to high speed use for tracks that have small uneven sections on the curves and for low speed handling to make shock absorption more progressive on accelerating out of a bend. The real beauty of monoshock absorbers is the fact that they offer spring preload options. To improve the gyroscopic effect of a motorbike that wants to be "Top Gun" has meant superlight forged Y- spoke aluminium Brembo wheels fitted with 190 tyres of which a full 6 inches comes in contact with the ground at the rear. It has meant Brembo brakes on the R312 with 320 mm front discs with P4/34 radial calipers.

The F4 R 312 puts out over 180 CV at 12,400 rpm. This too is a record if you consider the Euro 3 limit. It is the result of painstaking development work on the 4 cylinder MV engine with special work done to the cylinder head. New 30 mm Del West titanium valves with reinforced springs were fitted and cams given redesigned raised profiles. Throttle bodies had their inner diameters increased from 46 to 48 mm and longer intake horns were fitted. All this provided an increase of 8 CV "sweetened" by the Magneti Marelli 5 SM Eprom Flash Memory CPU that not only manages the power output but the EBS (Engine Brake System) too. This anti-bounce system is controlled by a solenoid valve that allows the second cylinder to provide power even on deceleration with the valves closed.

The only thing left to do is decide on a colour scheme to make the dream come true. There is the innovative white livery that highlights the geometric form of the machine, "Bodoni" black that leads for style and elegance and lastly, the classic MV Agusta red/silver.

(MV Agusta)