Anybody own or owned an MV Agusta

check "Ferrari posters" thread in "Showroom"

 

I'm a BIG Honda CBR fan and I've had the chance to ride in an AGUSTA

impressions: it feels absolutely unreliable ( it even stalls after a hard pull on gas)

and the worst is: nearly impossible to find neutral when braking at a light

IMHO it's just image and nothing else. italian bikes enjoy all the Italian cars hype inertia.
but they are behind their japanese counterparts.

 

I owned one for 2 years. I just sold it in December. It was nothing compared to my Duc 998.

 

I have a 2000 F4 and it is a fantastic motorcycle. It is very smooth and loves to rev. Not as much low end torque as my 996 or especially the 998R. But a very fun ride. Zero problems. I did the brake upgrade a couple of years ago and changed to the SPR exhaust system. The SPR system comes with a chip that added torque and does run better. But the best part is, this is one of the most beautiful motorcycles I have ever seen.

I think the new F1000 would be even better. I might even trade in the future. But I highly recommend this brand. But obviously I also like Ducati's as well.

 

Not to hijack the thread, but I had the chance to do a roll on with the F4 1000. It is a beautiful bike. Both of us were at about 50 MPH, I was in second. The rollon looked to be close to same time we stabbed our throttles. Needless to say, the rollon of the 2004 R1, (my bike) is violent! I was plesently surprised to see that I only SLOWLY walked away from the MV. This is a vicious bike, and ABSOLUTELY LOVELY TO LOOK AT. It sounds great too. I'd love to have one.

 

1-5-06: bought mine used-first things first:1) awsome sound and style,2) not as common as jap rocketbikes(owned a 94 zx-7 and 2000 busa)=semi unique feeling,3) can be purchased used for 12-14000.00(us dollars) now some things to consider(based on my ownership) a) seat can be a real pain in the ass(seriously hurts after like 2 hours of straight rideing time with barely any stops,b) the bike can average OVER 205 degrees (if stuck in say bumper to bumper traffic going 25-30 mph on a nice 80 degree day(not fun!!!) c) rearview mirrors are more for style(and being street legal) instead of actually being able to see "clearly" what's behind you ( half the time all I see is my elbows in the mirrors) d) first 600 mile "inspection" with all fluids replaced cost $575.00 dollars e) trying to find neutral at stop lights(at first) really can be "annoying"-it's very easy to go past neutral straight into second gear if your not careful but aside from those things I'm glad I bought it-may trade it for f4 1000 in year or so(who knows)-it really is great bike!!!!!

 

see esp post #21

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58782&highlight=mv+flames

 

Not to spout off, but ahhhh, what the hell.....

I am a retired expert-licensed m/cycle roadracer and bought a new 916 after I quit racing. I loved the bike but decided to look at a new one. The current 999/s/r are nice enough bikes (to ride, anyway). That was until I rode an MV F4 1000. TRUST ME; There isn't a better handling production bike than this machine PERIOD. The build quality surpasses the Japanese. Why? Take the MV apart and you will see pride, quality and attention to every detail throughout. These are hand-built exotic bikes, not mass produced bikes and it's quite apparent. The MV soundly out-performs the 999/999s and matches the 999r ($30K) and all the other Japanese flavors too. I've ridden just about all of them. Let's not forget that Massimo Tamburini, the man resposible for the original 916, left Ducati with Claudio Castiglioni to participate in the resurrection of MV Agusta by designing the F4 750. It certainly shows. In comparison the Ducati is just plain FUGLY!! So much so that it kept me from considering one any further. Also, Ferrari did assist in the development of the original F4 750cc engine. MV also adpoted Ferrari's radial valve technology (from F1). The MV puts out an honest 166 hp as proven time and time again on the dyno. This can't be said for our Japanese friends. I have seen HUGE inconsistencies with Japanese engine output (that's mass production working for you). Their advertised hp numbers never quite materialize on the dyno. Don't get me wrong as I have ridden/raced Japanese bikes for years and have nothing against them. The problem is they're just nothing special to look at or ride. Go ride (really RIDE) an MV F41000 and you'll see. The bike drips with quality, style and performance. It sounds like nothing else, handles like nothing else and is as quick/fast as anything out there. Worth $23K???? Bet your ass it is!!! I'm thankful I have one.

 

Excellent post. I want one now and I was just reading this thread for the hell of it. LOL


Forza,


Cavallini

 

And with the Flat Black SPR, you can be 10 years behind the times.....
I kid, I love it

 

Good thing I have a new red/silver (there should be no other color combo!) F4 1000 then!!. The 750 was somewhat of a slug, but Ferracci fixed that with an 800cc hot rod kit.......

The SPR is actually a cool looking bike in the flesh. I've never been a fan of a matt finish on any machine (well, maybe a WWII fighter) !

By the way my bike was just on Ferracci's dyno two days ago. After a minor ECU tweek it's producing 162 hp at the rear wheel. I'm a happy camper!

 

i don't mean to sound rude so please don't take it badly, but have you actually seen an F4 1000 beat something like a gsxr1000k5, *with similarly skilled riders*, around a track or are you just guessing that it would from what you've felt.

it just reminded me that i was looking through performance bikes magazine earlier, and on their big list of bikes they have tested, the 05 gsxr1000 has the fastest time around their test track of any japanese or european bikes, including various Ducs, the new R1 LE, and some race prepped R1. not to mention it seems like every bike magazine i pick up and most people i talk to seem to think the new gsxr1000 is pretty much the fastest street bike on earth.

 

I am in the exact same position as the O.P. - Gixxer Thou for $10K or F4 for $20K? What am I paying that extra $10K for? Passion? Soul? Bits of carbon? Way better styling? I'm so torn...

I came across these articles yesterday - the O.P. may want to consider it.

http://www.rubbermag.com/news/0512/051227_06n.html

http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=39602

 

I'd rather have an Aprilia Mille R, but thats just me

 

me too.. and they can be had used for CHEAP.

Had me two of them, loved em both.

 

I'd rather have 2 chicks at the same time!

Come on now....The thread title wasn't, "what bike would you rather have."

 

You shouldn't be so torn....wait and see what your "Gixxer" is worth in three or so years vs. the MV. No contest (again). There isn't anything out there that won't depreciate like a stone if there's 10 million of them. There's only a few thousand TOTAL MV's in the US. If you have to ask what you are paying for then you've missed the point and have never ridden one. Oh yeah, how interesting will the good old Suzuki be to look at and ride in the same time period (three years)?? To each his own..............

 

on the other side of that arguement...

if there are thousands of them... parts are everywhere, and cheap.

That was one downside I saw to owning the Aprilia... parts availibilty... nevermind the cost, which was higher (not by toooo much, but by enough).

There used to be three levels of parts avail. for my Mille's:

In Stock (at my local dealer)
In the US (at another dealer, at the warehouse)
In Italy (which could mean it is on the shelf and needed to be shipped, or it didnt exsist yet and had to wait until the next parts production run)

 

the extra $10k gets you some feel that another bke may not be able to provide. It also gets ya something that is dead sexy. It comes down to how much you are willing to pay for that, and what you want to do with the bke.

if yer gunna do trackdays, get the gixxer, no question. Its cheap to set up, cheap to fix when you crash it, and the gixxer is just MADE for going fast on the track.

its a known, lots of advice and info on set up, lots of options for suspension, pipes, dampners.... you name it.

if yer trackday the MV... yer kinda on yer own.


if yer gunna ride the bike to the local hangout, get the MV, no question.


unless of course you've got tons of money to pour into a broken MV after you toss it off the track or of the road while going through the twisties.

 

i imagine if you buy an MV just for ****s and giggles, you probably have enough money to just buy a new one after it crashes

 

Honestly for those who look at a magazine and say, get the GSXR because it pushes out 1 or so seconds more (i'm throwing numbers, don't quote me) should ask yourself: will you be pushing the limits of the bikes like the very talented/skilled reviewers in the magazines? Will you be tracking it constantly?

Ask yourself where you are putting the money. OF course the MV has great performance (1000 series). The 750 WAS known to be a bit of a slug (i mean, put it next to the gsxr 750, admittedly i think we all know hte outcome). The EVO3 / SPR were improvements over the prior years.

Take a look at todays magazines, however. Look at how the 1000 R is doing. Now ask yourself, if you are trying to inch out every second, spend the extra 2 - 3K on the R. See quickest lap time on:

http://gallery.mvagusta.net/albums/highlights_cycleworld08_2006/DSC01094.jpg

Regardless. What are you paying for? Not only do you get performance, you get italian styling by (as mentioned above) Tamburini. Build quality is excellent, and no, the MVs of today are NOT breaking down. They in fact are reliable, and do NOT cost much to maintain from the dealer (honestly). I mean, sure, expect a bit more from an italian dealership doing maintenance, but same goes with the Ducati, etc.

If you want something that isn't a dime a dozen, you know the answer. I would go with the F4 1000 over the 750. Although the 750 series is great (The SPR is excellent..). You can find used F4 1000's on the market in the 16s if you get lucky for a great condition one. SPRs are about the same cost, if not a bit lower. The R is still up there at 23, as for a used one, haven't really seen too many on the market. F4 1000's aren't tooo readily on the market, but they can be found.

You may want to readup on mvagusta.net for some information or ask around / search forums about problems-

for anyone wondering, i own an F4 1000 series MV

 

Here's my MV Agusta F4 1000 Corse (#001/USA out of 300). Having owned many sportbikes and even run an AMA Superbike team (fourth place and top finishing privateer in 2004 Daytona 200), I can say the MV Agusta F4 1000 is the best handling and best quality motorcycle around. Some pics of mine are attached...go to www.mvagusta.net to see what others have to say.
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Some of the guys on the 1098 forum have them. Caution, hi-res pics ahead!

http://www.1098-forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1704
http://www.1098-forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1257
http://www.1098-forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1557
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