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Cagiva F4 Superbike • By Paolo GozzI MUGELLO, ITALY, AUG. 2 agiva's in-line four-cylinder F4 superbike took to the track for the first time on Wednesday, August 2, at ItalY.'s famed Mugello circuit. The motorcycle, destined to take the Varese manufacturer into World Superbike racing, emerged from the silence of the Tuscan hills with quite a high engine note - similar to that made by Kawasaki's ZXR. The shakedown laps, roughly eight, were run by Cagiva test rider Latini, before the bike was brought into the pits for a check-over by the Cagiva mechan- C ics. In the afternoon, the F4 was handed over to Pier-Francesco Chili, one of Ducati's World Superbike riders and the man who had a one-off Grand Prix ride . this year at Mugello on the Cagiva C594, on which he set the third-fastest qualifying time. "We have an excellent rapport with Pier-Francesco," explained Cagiva Technical Director Riccardo Rosa. 'We work well together, and for this reason we decided to let him do the shakedown runs on the Cagiva F4." Chili completed seven laps, immediately getting into a rhythm, and setting a fast time of two minutes, six seconds. His time was considered quite good by the Cagiva staff, partly because he was using street tires and not racing slicks. In view of the fact that the only prototype which exists at the moment is a sort of hybrid between a road bike and a racing bike, the time was not that far off the 750cc Sport Prod uction (strictiy production bikes) lap record of 2:03.054 set last month by Roberto Teneggi on a Ducat 916. The Superbike lap record belongs to Scott Russell (Kawasaki) at 1:56.305, set last September at the San Marino round of the World Superbike Championship. "I didn't think the bike. was at such a good level," Chili. said. "Obviously, it can't be compared with my Superbike Ducati 916, but the bike has certainly started off well. I was impressed with its chassis stability, a sign that the weight distribution and general feeling of the bike are right." To speed up production time, Cagiva engineers fitted the bike with a few parts from the C594 GP machine, the bike that was retired at the end of last season, but which will be back on the track with Chili again at the !mola Grand Prix des Nations round on Septembe.r 3. The fairing, seat and tail section have all been taken from the Grand Prix bike, although the definitive sbape, currentiy being studied at the Cagiva research center in San Marino under the watchful eye of Massimo Tamburini, will have a lot in common with the C594. The chassis seen at Mugello will probably be the final version; likewise with engine location and weight distribution.. The engine is a forward-inclined, liquid-cooled, in-line, four-cylinder. The cylinder head features two cams and four-valves-per-cylinder. The chassis features a twin-spar aluminum frame with a single-shock rear design. In designing the chassis, Cagiva made use of the experience they have gained throughout their years of SOOcc Grand Prix racing involve.ment. "It doesn't matter whether it's a 500cc GP bike or a Superbike, the requirements are the same," said Rosa. , The Caglva F4 Superblke made lis first public appearance at the IIugeIIo Circuit In Italy. The bike _ rlcIden by a tesI rider and by DucatI World SUperbike regular Pler-Franc:eeco Chili. Unlike its four-cylinder, in-line, Japanese rivals, the Cagiva has a small side profile. "We used the same fairing as the C594, which had the smallest front in its category," said Rosa. "And this is a source of pride for us." Cagiva has been keeping quiet about engine figures, but Rosa did reveal that the bike ridden at Mugello weigh 409 pounds; the racing version will clearly be brought down to the 352-pound superbike limit. In its present state, the engine red-lines at around 12,000 rpm, but the de.finitive version should go to 14,000 rpm and have a power output of 160 horsepower. The test at the Mugello circuit was held "behind closed doors," but we managed to get a sneak look (we were not allowed to shoot photographs) at the four-eylinder engine. The most inter-