Thinking about an MV, want answers!

greenspun.com : LUSENET : MV Agusta F4 : One Thread

First of all, Thank you for your response in advance. I have a '01 Ducati 996 with an Arrow 54mm full system and other add ons. I am thinking about selling it and going with an MV. Can anyone compare the two. I know they produce about 135 hp at the crank, what is that at the rear wheel. I used to have an R1 and miss the horsepower that had (135 hp at the rear wheel). I was told the MV's power is around 10-11,000 rpms and basically has no bottom or mid range. Basically I am looking for an R1/MV in one. I know I'm dreaming, but can it be done with proper gearing, chip and exhaust or should i stick some money in my Ducati to get a little more hp? Thank you. e.

-- Eric Foutch (efoutch1@mchsi.com), August 15, 2002

Answers

Or should I wait to get an F5?

-- Eric Foutch (efoutch1@mchsi.com), August 15, 2002.

I once had a ’01 996 and an ’00 MV simultaneously. If you scroll down to 4/01, you’ll see my review, or if you click on this link to Ducatinfopop, you’ll see my review along with a few other MV comparisons. http://ducati.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic? a=frm&s=240092515&f=569096035

Briefly, you will need to accept the fact that the MV really needs to be revved before it accelerates well. The low end response will be a huge difference between the 996, since the 996 had pretty good low- end torque.

My last 4 cylinder bikes were a ’96 ZX7R, which had much better low- end torque than the MV. I can’t speak for the R1, but the 4 cylinder bikes I’ve had would hit a power surge around 10K or so. In contrast, once you past 6K on the MV, the power delivery linear until redline.

Going back to the 996-MV comparison. The brakes on the 996 provide better feed back, but both stop very well. Steering on the MV is as stable as the 996 but much lighter. The clutch is much lighter on the MV too. Riding position on the MV is more extreme than the 996. Switching from the MV to the 996 made the 996 feel like an ST4.

Reliabilitywise, the 996 was much more bullet proof than my ’00. With my ’02, I haven’t had any problems, so it seems MV needed a few years to get the bugs out of the system.

In regards to the F5, you could wait but knowing Cagiva, you may be too old to ride by then. Perhaps holding off until September would give you a better answer. I imagine if the F5 will debut, it will be at Milan.

-- Allan Gibbs (Phoenix, Arizona) (Agibbs996@aol.com), August 15, 2002.


DON'T expect R1 like engine performance out of the MV. I doubt it's even possible to get that kind of power out of it reliably either. It's just a different bike.

You really have to appreciate the MV for what it is, not what it could be. It's a great bike. Period. Nobody can take that away from it unless they are the most jaded of journalists or non-believers. I have the R1 as well, and the MV makes it feel like a wobbly dirt bike. This is the part I like. I know I'm faster in mid corner with the MV.

Treat the low end and mid range like a strong 600. The upper end is a decent 750. But if you need to compare this bike to other bikes, you are going to lose in some way, which is better to just enjoy it for what it is.

If you need more HP, either you are really fast on the track or you just like twisting the throttle. I used to be the latter, and I'm working on becoming the former. I'm finding that the MV is much more forgiving forgiving than the R1, and I'll leave it at that.

Andy

-- Andy Ruhl (quadreverb@yahoo.com), August 16, 2002.


Let's not forget the R1 has the cc advantage (about 250cc) over the MV!

-- Allan Gibbs (Phoenix, Arizona) (Agibbs996@aol.com), August 16, 2002.

I've spent time on a monster900, RC51, Triumph 955, Senna, F4 1+1... the MV has a rocksolid feel in the turns, amazing power delivery over 6500 rpm, and a sex appeal and sound that is worth more than all the above. Guess I'm a convert!

-- Larry Nipon (vze277jp@verizon.net), August 20, 2002.


I have an 2002 F4S and I added 2t on the rear sprocket and it makes a big difference, also added ferracci risers for more comfort. I now have a little over 2000 miles on it and there was a noticeable increase in performance at about 1900 miles. When I first rode the bike and felt at home on it instantly, I knew it was the bike for me. I like the R1 comment about the wobbly dirtbike feel. Nobody can build bikes like those Italians. I rode jap for 11 years and not going back.

-- Paul A. Massignani, Sr. (Dago Red SBK@attbi.com), September 09, 2002.

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