MV Agusta F4 1000 LH 44 2018 — Specifications

Forty-four. It's the number Lewis Hamilton wears on his Formula 1 Mercedes, and it's now the exact number of units of this F4 1000 LH 44 that will roll out of the Schiranna factory. A simple equation for a motorcycle that is anything but. MV Agusta, chronically short of novelties and quicker to pull out flashy partnerships than fresh platforms, plays a well-rehearsed score here, that of prestige by proxy. After Agostini, after Senna, here is the six-time British world champion invited to put his signature on what remains, in 2018, one of the most fascinating Italian sportbikes on the market.

Beneath the pearl white livery and anodized red pinstripes, the technical base is none other than the F4 RC, in other words the Superbike homologation machine from the Varese outfit. We're talking about an inline four-cylinder of 998 cc, with a nearly square bore and stroke at 79 mm by 50.9 mm, a compression ratio pushed to 13.4, and an engine capable of spitting out 212 horsepower at 13,600 rpm, provided you fit the SC Project titanium silencer and the in-house mapping. Without this kit, the cavalry still drops back to 205 horsepower for 114.7 Nm of torque at 9,300 rpm, enough to flirt with 302 km/h flat out. The chrome-molybdenum tubular trellis, the Öhlins NIX 30 up front, the TTX36 at the rear and the Brembo radial four-piston calipers make up a chassis that has nothing to envy a Ducati Panigale V4 Speciale or a BMW HP4 Race, its two natural rivals in the category of ultra-exclusive six-figure sportbikes.

The claimed dry weight of 175 kg places the beast in the upper middle of the category, heavier than a Panigale V4 but helped by a sharp geometry and a seat perched at 830 mm. The carbon fairing, the two-tone leather and Alcantara saddle with its checkered stitching, the Hamilton signature screen-printed on the 17-liter tank, right down to the Pirelli SuperCorsa SP tires marked LH44 specifically for the series, everything combines to transform the machine into a piece of rolling fine craftsmanship. The frame is hand-painted in pearl white, red anodized parts are scattered across the mechanicals with an attention to detail that borders on the obsessive. Beautiful work, no question.

That said, we must talk about the two shadows on the picture. The first is that central exhaust under the seat, a deliberate legacy choice but one that deprives the silhouette of the four stacked outlets once drawn by Massimo Tamburini, a visual signature whose absence leaves a taste of something unfinished. The second, and this one really stings, is the bill. 64,744 euros to ride in formal dress. At that price, you can treat yourself to a factory Panigale V4 R, keep enough for a season of track days, and still have bills left over to repaint the garage. The LH 44 is therefore aimed neither at the hardcore track rider, who will find better elsewhere in terms of performance-to-price ratio, nor at the touring rider, whose cervical vertebrae will be done in by the riding position and the philosophy of the bike in less than a hundred kilometers. It targets the collector, the wealthy enthusiast of beautiful Italian machinery, the one who sees rarity and a champion's signature as a value in themselves. Does prestige really justify such an entry ticket? Everyone will decide according to the thickness of their checkbook.