Perf Bikes review of F4 1000

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Hello, I've been looking to step up from my 600rr(which is a neccesity now that I had a little accident...sand in the middle of a blind right hander=bye bye bikey)to something in the 1000cc class. I've been looking at the F4 1000 and love the looks but wonder if it's worth the cash after reading the Performance Bikes review. Those guys seemed to rip the bike apart and I don't want to spend that kind of money on something that just looks good. In case you haven't read the article they ripped the handling as much as anything. Any input would be great. Thanks jp

-- flyboy (jpsed@yahoo.com), September 28, 2004

Answers

Yo! Get one. You'll enjoy it. Handles perfectly with a lot of "X" factors..... X-citement. X-traordinaire. X-tremely fast & nimble. That's Triple X for you (who knows, you might get lucky & you shave your head like Vin Diesel in one of his movies!). All i always say --- X-CELLENT ! ! !

-- AJ (adiviso@hotmail.com), September 28, 2004.

Strange when anyone else who has ridden ANY of the F4s has always said the handling is anything from GOOD through to the BEST HANDLING ROAD BIKE EVER. Haven't read the article so can only guess at the problems they may have had.

It should be noted though that the bike offers a lot of feedback and needs everything set up properly to feel planted and go well. For instance if my tyre preasures are more than 2-3psi out then I notice the difference. The same goes for the suspension settings or tyre wear etc. I can only think there were some issues that needed sorting out with either the bike, or perhaps even the rider.

The commonly recognised problem is the fuelling glitch at low revs, common to most injected bikes to some degree. The 750 suffered from this too, this is fairly easily resolved by fitting a powercomander if it bothers you. Most owners don't seem to worry about it too much as the bike is best ridden with the revs high, so out of the problem area.

-- Mark M (m.magenis@btinternet.com), September 29, 2004.


The article in performance bikes is very strange. Sometimes in other magazines the MV 1000 is also not the winner, but that's never due to handling or performance. Mostly reporters think it's comfortable enough. If you look on track times only in tests, the MV is almost every time the winner.

Okay, buying a MV is not a common choice. You really must want it because in some ways its an extreme bike (for example riding position). But if you like that, the MV is fantastic and very special.

The day I want a japonese bike over the MV, I must be very ill.

-- Rik (erikmvf4@hotmail.com), September 29, 2004.


I read that same article and I couldn't understand their complaints about the handleing. I read an article in the sept 04 Fast Bikes about the best 750's ever and the senna got the honor because of the handleing against an 04 suzuki 750. The lap times were identical as well. I have an SPR and I have had a 996, a 748, and 2 monsters (love Italian bikes) and I found the handleing on the SPR to be fantastic and it has the same 50mm front forks as the 1000 but a different rear shock if I recall the specs correctly. I like the handleing of the SPR mid corner better than a twin because I'm not fighting the engine rotation so I can correct mid corner with less effort but I still have that mid corner stability that the 996 was famous for? So who is right test both some japanese 1000's and an MV 1000 and compair for yourself. The store should let you test it if they know you are serious. PS I found the MV SPR more comfortable than my 996 after I set up the suspension on the soft side for the street, and dare I say more comfortable than my monster which was race prepared!

-- George Good (Goodsets@sbcglobal.net), September 29, 2004.

If so much weight is going to be given on one article, then I believe moto-journalists need to be held to a higher, more object and scientific standard.

A test using one motorcycle on single day to represent the the population set of 1000s is not accurate, especially if you're going to take thier opinions as doctrine.

-- Allan Gibbs (Phoenix, Az) (Agibbs996@aol.com), September 29, 2004.



Thanks for the replys. Perf Bikes faulted not only the handling but the fueling which in turn upset the mid corner handling. I don't think the dealer (Corse superbikes) will allow for test rides on the MV, although I did test an Aprilia there. As far as the mags go, I don't feel that they are the word of God but they did get to test it at the same time on the same roads and track as the other bikes...but that also why I asked for other opinions here. Anyway I figure I've got a few months before I buy...winter here soon in Wisconsin...and can keep thinking about it. jp

-- flyboy (jpsed@yahoo.com), September 29, 2004.

The problem is that once one article slates a bike, particularly expensive exotica, then all the others quickly jump on the bandwagon. There is a tendancy amongst the press to take pot shots at what they percieve as the 'high and mighty'. This was demonstrated by the way the 750 was recieved. It started off with full support, then someone suggested it wasn't powerfull enough and fragile. Well they did all want to compare it to litre bikes. Every article quickly turned to saying 'nice handling but too slow!'. You could generally piece together that it is actually no slower that a gixer750 but that dosn't seem to matter. So now it is almost written in stone. Many articles also complain of the bikes being 'fragile' well part of the problem there is none of them ever managed to gat a roadtest bike from MV, all the ones used were privately owned, well used and non standard.

Perhaps if they started handing out test bikes and long term loaners to editors then Mv might get a bit more support. On the other hand it might just be that there is less of a vestid interest in giving a good report as there is no advertising revenue at stake. Perhaps I'm just getting synical in my old age.

-- Mark M (m.magenis@btinternet.com), September 30, 2004.


This is my first post on this site.... back when i had my 750 evo2 I used to check out this forum at least twice a week. I'm 28 yrs old and have owned 9 road bikes...of which 7 have been sports models. I went to Paul Feeney(Aus) to test out the new 1000 and i found that it handles the same as he 750....but this doesn't mean its the best handling in the world. The feulling was pretty bad...like japanese bikes in the nineties. I currently own a 2004 R1 and feel its better in every way than the mv...except maybe front end feedback. I don't really care for looks in a bike..they are just tools for goin fast. BTW.. I briught my R1 to phillip island and trounced 4 other mv 1000 owners on the day...and i wouldn't say I'm a good rider at all. I also have lots of respect for Perf Bikes Mag and know one of the road testers (Bruce Dunn) in person....he was a trackday buddy back when I was studying in England. Peace. 2 wheels good, 4 wheels bad!!

-- Gann (gann69@hotmail.com), October 04, 2004.

What you have to remember is that the MV is getting on for a ten year old design, the chassis is brilliant, but the suspension leaves a lot to be desired. I would think the 04 Jap bikes would be better by the fact that they are much newer designs.

Personally I don't think the MV1000 is worth the difference it costs over something like an R1. The 750 handled better than the competition when it came out, combined with its exclusivity it could command the extra price. Sadly for MV the competition has moved on and the looks alone can't cut it.

Performance bikes are one of the more subjective mags when it comes to testing, so I wouldn't dismiss their test entirely, obviously roadtests don't take into account the pleasure people get from their bikes so if you want to be different then owning the MV will pay you back in spades, but if MV want to compete on performance / handling then for that money they should be fitting Ohlins, and paying someone to map the fuelling correctly.

-- Craig (craig_whiteway@hotmail.com), October 04, 2004.


I have a CBR 1000 RR, GSXR 1000 and a MV 1000. The MV handles much, much better than the GSXR and quite similar to the RR. The GSXR is straight line faster but the CBR is very comparable. I live in a place where curves and hill country are our every week-end target. I'm 63 years old and ride like a fool and have been for years. Read the same artice you did but still bought the MV. I love mine and the only complaint is, as all have told you, the off-idle is twitchy at best but you're only off idle after stops. Who cares. Hope this helps you and enjoy the MV. If you don't like it, put it in your living room. It's nice to look at. :-)

-- Honda Heath (hheath@satx.rr.com), November 22, 2004.


Trust me get a Mv and you will soon be the focus of every ride. If you have any riding skills your buddies will be sucking fumes from your 4 pipes as well. You will not be disapointed.

-- Brian (brianbriguy187@msn.com), November 23, 2004.

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