The MV Agusta F4 Claudio pays homage to Claudio Castiglioni, the man credited with reviving the MV Agusta brand in the 1990s. Claudio played a huge role in the Italian motorcycle industry, and in the successes of brands like Ducati, Cagiva and Husqvarna over the decades. But it's his time with MV Agusta for which he's best known and celebrated for. Under his leadership, MV Agusta was revived producing the F4 750 superbike, designed by Massimo Tamburini. And that bike became the basis for a range of new high-end machines, including the Brutale and the F3. The current F4 is set to be replaced by an all-new model to cope with new emission regulations, and as a last hurrah, a final special edition model honouring Claudio Castiglioni has been unveiled.
MV Agusta F4 Claudio
The MV Agusta F4 Claudio, as it's called, is a proper limited edition model with all the high-end components and equipment befitting a homage model. The technical base of the model is taken from the MV Agusta F4 RC, and shares many of the features seen on the MV Agusta model that competes in the World Superbike Championship. The engine has titanium connecting rods and the crankshaft has been specifically designed and balanced, and the combustion chamber has radially-set valves. With the bike set-up for track, maximum power is rated at 212 bhp, kicking in at 13,450 rpm, with a peak torque of 115 Nm at 9,300 rpm. With the standard road-legal set up, maximum power still touches 205 bhp.
MV Agusta F4 Claudio
The F4 Claudio sports dual exit titanium SC-Project racing exhaust system with a dedicated control unit. There's a wide range of electronics with four maps on offer, which can be selected instantaneously via the racing push-buttons. The braking system includes Brembo Stilema 4-piston Monobloc radial calipers gripping twin 320 mm front discs, and top-spec Ohlins shock absorbers are said to provide maximum performance on both road and track.
The F4 Claudio uses a lot of carbon fibre in the bodywork, including the fairing and carbon wheels
A lot of carbon fibre has been used to keep the bike's weight low, including a full carbon fibre fairing and lightweight carbon wheels. Titanium has also been used in the bolts and screws, with CNC-machined aluminium alloys used extensively on functional components such as the triple clamp, height-adjustable footpegs, brake and clutch levers, and brake fluid reservoir plugs and filler cap. The 'Claudio' is limited to just 200 bikes, and price is expected to be exclusive, with a probable announcement at the EICMA show in Milan next month.
