[no_fear]

A unicorn in the city




So, I am back again with another review. Not by popular demand, but this time its due to peer pressure. Specifically, pressure from two lovely blokes who are more mental than me and who possess uber biker gyaan. A round of applause for neil.jericho and krishnaprasadgg

But before I start, let me share with you some juicy bike manufacturing pictures.

Back in October 2019, my parents, my brother and his wife, and I went on a trip to Europe. My dad is a train nut and likes to sit on random trains and tell people how his father was a mechanical engineer for Indian Railways. It's very annoying, but hey that's what dads are. My mom likes to collect cushion covers and has a weird obsession with Amsterdam after seeing the movie Queen. My brother is a bike nut like me. And my sister in law is into gelatos. A thoroughly dysfunctional family like every other Indian family.

So, on our Europe darshan, we ended up in Milan. My brother rented a car and we drove 60 kms up to Varese, a small scenic town located beside the appropriately named Lake Varese. We dropped our luggage at the hotel and then rushed to the village of Schiranna to visit the headquarters and factory of MV Agusta. Turns out, my brother had called MV before and organized a factory visit. It was us 3 gents with the MV PR person, a lovely gentleman called Marco.

We took a lot of pictures, saw the last MV F4 Claudio being built (USD 83,000 retail price), fawned over the engines and trellis frames, salivated a lot, posed in front of freshly baked goodies and acted like giddy school boys. This was biking nirvana, Tomorrowland and Burning Man all rolled into one.

MV is probably the only bike maker that allows visitors unrestricted access to its entire factory floor and manufacturing operations. You can click as many pics, talk to the staff and see how they actually build bikes. A very different experience compared to Ducati, who charge 30 Euros for factory tour, do a rushed 60 minute visit and then herd you out as quickly as they can into the nearby gift shop. No pictures allowed by Ducati on the factory floor. The best part of the MV visit - its free. You do not pay a single paisa. That is why MV rocks. They treat their guests like family.

Entrance to the factory - it was a cloudy overcast day. The factory is actually housed inside the old aircraft hangars of the Agusta group. The entrance sign says Cagiva - a wonderful gesture to the history of this motorcycling entity.



The reception lobby - a very simple affair. You wait there and someone from MV picks you up.



The start of the plant - all the bike parts are in bins which are labelled and ready to get assembled together like Lego bricks.



Yours truly, appreciating the beauty of the trellis frame - Marco, our host is on the side.



The final F4 Claudio piece being built - a historic occasion marking the end of the F4 production line. We were the only visitors to see this. I later realized my F4 and the Brutale were built on this exact platform. It is not often you get to see the place where your bike is born. It makes the experience more special.



A limited edition Brutale Dragster being inspected



Another limited edition Dragster undergoing dyno run - look at the inner peace on the MV tech person's face. This is moksha. Anytime I think of inner peace, I think of this dyno run room.



The moment of truth - this is adult candy land. You can see me glowing If I ever win a lottery, this is what the money will get spent on. That is the last batch of the 2019 F4RC ready to be delivered within Europe.






MV Agusta to me, is the holiest of all holies. The company elevated the humble motorcycle to exquisite art, literally. The Guggenheim museum in NYC displayed a MV Agusta F4 as one of its centerpieces. MVs are meant to be fawned over, they were purposefully designed to be objects of desire and lust. Its like being in the company of Gisele Bundschen, Adriana Lima, and Monica Bellucci. So with the MV thirst quenched in 2019, we all headed back home, planning for another family trip in 2020. LOL. We all know what an epic failure 2020 turned out to be.

Now, my fascination with MV goes back all the way to 2007. My older brother lived in Los Angeles and he had a 2007 MV F4 1000R. He bought it when the brand was relatively unknown in the US, dealership network was patchy and spare parts availability was a joke. Not that it mattered to us, as the bike was sublime. You can wax poetic lyrics about it and it would not be enough. However all good things come to an end. My brother's job took him to other parts of the world and he initially kept the bike with me. However I did not have enough time for riding, especially when you live in the Midwest US, so with a heavy heart we sold the bike.

A quick but fascinating history of MV Agusta and its equally short lived India story.

MV Agusta stands for Meccanica Verghera, Italian for the factory at Verghera, and Agusta after its founder Count Giovanni Agusta, a native of Sicily, who established an airplane company after WW1. His 3 sons grew the business, but after WW2, were restricted from military equipment manufacturing as part of the US surrender treaty. So they pivoted to motorbikes and produced a small motorbike that was called "Vespa 98". They changed the name after Piaggio objected. The name was altered and the first bike, the MV 98, was born. The company produced bikes as well as helicopters. The helicopter division later merged with Westland to become AgustaWestland. Yes, its that AgustaWestland which got embroiled in the 2010 Choppergate scandal with the Congress party. But I digress.

MV, like Ferrari, is very much into racing and won 37 championships, a world record, the majority under Giacomo Agostini, who is considered the GOAT among all bike racers. If you have not heard about him, look him up. He will run circles around the venerable Rossi. Then in 1980s MV disappeared under debt, and the brand was acquired by Cagiva. Cagiva owned both Ducati and MV, sold Ducati, and ultimately folded into MV. The aviation pedigree of MV continues to live in its logo. The 2 small blue dashes around the MV lettering are wings.



In 2016, following the other big bike makers, MV came marching into India. They offered the F4, F4R, F4RR, F4RC, Brutale 1090, Brutale 1090RR, F3 800 and the F3800RC. They tied up with Motoroyale and over a short span of 2 years, sold 200 bikes in India. Not a mean feat when MV makes 5000 bikes annually. In 2019 they released the Brutale, Dragster and Turismo Veloce, and just when it looked like things were going good, it got ugly. They had a falling out with Motoroyale, terminated the relationship, packed their bags and left India in 2020. No word whether they will be back.

The MV Agusta F4

The F4 is an iconic bike, designed, by the Michelangelo of the biking industry, the legendary Massimo Tamburini. Apparently he designed the bike when he was battling an illness and he thought he would die soon. It was launched in 1999 with a 750cc engine, made waves in the media, was upgraded to 1000cc, got a design update in 2010 and ended production in 2018. The basic design and looks of the bike remained unchanged and its characteristic 4 pipe under-seat exhaust was its signature look. The engine was supposed to be designed by Ferrari but they ended up only designing the radial valves. Over its 20 year run, the F4 was produced in limited quantities but in a wide range of iterations and naming conventions.

Before MV was officially launched in India, there were a few die hard enthusiasts who imported the F4. An ultra rare F4 Senna was bought by a Bangalore owner, who promptly parked the bike in his living room and never rode it (to the best of my knowledge). Another F4 went to Chennai. A few Brutales also landed in Bangalore.

India saw the launch of the MV F4, F4R, F4RR and the race spec F4RC. The F4R model was discontinued in 2016 itself. 2 F4R were sold before the model was withdrawn, from what I know - one in Pune, and one in Kolkata. A handful of F4s were sold, most of it in Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Tollywood actor Naga Chaitanya owns one. One F4RC, the top spec limited edition model was sold to a lucky owner in Chennai, who rode it from Chennai to Ladakh and back.

The automotive media was given access to one 2016 F4R, on which they produced their reviews. The F4RR was never media reviewed, so this Team-BHP review is the first official one for India, although 5 years late.

Talking of the F4RR, a grand total of 3 F4RRs were sold in India. The first one was well publicized and sold to the owner of DSK Benelli. It was featured on a list of 100 bikes by Overdrive India and the author test rode it. Unfortunately that bike was seized and was last seen in the Shivajinagar police station impound in Pune. I am assuming that bike is a total loss, given its been lying out in the open for 5 years and remains unaccounted for. The second bike, a white and black F4RR was sold to an owner in Gujarat. The third bike, aka mine, was sold to an owner in Bangalore.

A random find

Fast forward to 2020 year end. I had followed MV's entry to India, the razzmatazz behind it, and then the abrupt exit. There were no dealerships in NCR and I had not seen a single MV on the streets of Delhi. Then a used bike dealer, whom I know through my riding circles, posted a FB ad for a 2017 MV Agusta F4 RR for sale.

An F4RR for sale? How can it be. Was it a hoax? Was it just a plain F4 with a wrap, or custom fairings? My mind raced non stop. So I called him up and enquired. The phone went unanswered. Typical Delhi customer experience!! Never mind, it was December 2020, I was chilling at home, so after taking my mom for a health checkup, I drove to the dealer shop to see this mythical beast.

And yes, it was a real living ultra rare MV F4RR.



I inspected the bike, started her up and my heart raced. Nothing had changed from 2007. It was the same inline 4 cylinder engine noise, the burbling and crackling from the pipes, the guttural roar as you rev the bike. It felt like being connected to your long lost best friend. I spoke with the dealer, called my brother, told him of the find, did a cursory check of the bike, and asked the dealer for the necessary paperwork and prior service records.

The next day I went back and picked up the conversation. The bike had done 7000 km, and barring the first service, had not undergone a single maintenance service. Not even an oil change. The previous owner had bought the bike purely for Instagram likes and loaned it out as a photoshoot prop to every vlogger, influencer, Motoroyale sales rep and wannabe, instead of riding on the road. It had 0 service records. I felt a deep rage within. Not cool at all. You do not buy such an exquisite motorbike and trash it around.

I cooled down, and performed a thorough visual check of the bike. The dealer had installed a new li-on battery and Pirelli Corsa tires, the chain and sprockets were ok, and the rims were not bent or scratched. I did not see any visible leaks, the engine sounded ok, and the mechanical condition was fair. There was a tacky Go Pro holder stuck on the tank. The bike had some small nicks and needed a weekend's work of TLC to bring it back to pristine shape, but more than that it needed to be in the hands of a biking enthusiast and not a poser. I decided then and there that the F4 is coming home with me. The bike retailed new for Rs 36 lacs, ex showroom Pune. On road price was roughly Rs 43 lacs. I negotiated on the final price with the dealer, RTGSed the amount, and rode back home with my new baby, as 2020 came to a close.

[no_fear]

2021 - same same but different

2021 felt like a continuation of the misery of 2020. On top, my misery was compounded by the fact that I bought a bike which had no dealership presence in Delhi, the company had checked out of India permanently, and any servicing of this bike meant being bff with Google search and my FNG. Plus, my older brother had owned a F4 before so his knowledge about this bike is always handy. But, more of that later.

After finishing all the paperwork and getting the bike transferred to my name, I took the bike out for a ride. I rode it gingerly because I knew this bike was abused by a whole host of posers and I had to figure out what needed to be fixed.

The bike handled superbly. The engine, with its characteristic inline 4 cylinders purred like a kitty and delivered very smooth power. On the empty roads of the Delhi Noida corridor, I rode at at sedate 60 kmh in 4th gear. The bike did not lurch, hiccup or make weird sounds that are the characteristics of its L twin cousins. The power delivery is linear and the bike is deceptively easy to ride. Its true colors come out when you punch the throttle and the beast within wakes up. Once the rev counter goes above the 6000 rpm mark, all sorts of wild things happen at once. The world warps out, you blaze along the road and the bike just follows your lead. A quick flick to the left, no problem. A sharp turn at the right, no sweat. The bike follows your instincts and becomes a part of your body. Mind and matter work in tandem. There is no second guessing, no debate. When you ride a F4, everything else stops still.

First things first.

Instead of describing the bike, doing a review, and then talking about parts, reliability and servicing, I have decided to merge them together. I will cover the next few sections talking about the bike, how I do the servicing myself, the cost of the parts versus what dealers charge and how to keep the bike in running shape. Also I will pictorially compare our previous generation 2007 F4 against the 2017 F4 to give a sense of how the more things seem to have changed, the more they stayed the same. So here we go.

Chubby cheeks, dimple chin
Smiling lips, teeth within

The nose and front of the bike has not changed much in the past 20 years. When the model was first launched, the front fairing was bulbous, a bit like a chubby kid.

My brother's 2007 F4R1000 (on the right was my first bike - 2003 Yamaha R1)







The nose has now undergone plastic surgery and is razor sharp. The trapezoid / rhombus headlight, a signature MV look has also gone under the knife and is trimmer. The front fairing still retains the predecessor look while looking thoroughly modern and mesmerizing. Beverly Hills plastic surgeons, take out your notebooks, this is how you perform surgery.

2017 F4RR



Two LED DRLs run along the edge of the nose fairing. The headlight is a Xenon HID. Out of curiosity, I asked the dealer how much does it cost to replace the bulb. His quote, wait for it, was Rs 30,000, if ordered from MV directly. Let's digest that for a moment. Rs 30,000 for a bulb. Did Thomas Edison arise from the dead to specially handcraft this bulb?



A quick research and a pro tip from my brother - Philips makes the bulb, its called D1S. Costs about Rs 4,000 on Amazon, if its in stock. Problem solved. As I said, the internet and your family are your best friends.

A perennial issue with many bikes, including MV is moisture in the headlight assembly and condensation. I wanted to open the assembly and clean it, but decided not to. Why fix if its not broken. The condensation dissipates with the bulb heat.





Digital is the way

Once you stop ogling at the bike, you look at the instrument panel.



For a lot of moto journalists, that panel is the big downer. It looks dated, much like a Ti 82 calculator. My brother had one. When I first bought the bike, I too joined the bandwagon of journalists saying yes the instrument panel looks dated. MV added a tacky sentence called "digital functions" on the screen to emphasize that the panel has stepped into the 21st century. I laughed hard at this foolishness and bland attempt by MV to look all hip and techy. I laughed too soon. After getting the Ducati V4S, I have changed my mind.

An instrument panel should give me the five main readouts - speed, rpm, temperature, oil and gear level. Everything else is meaningless. Anything more is clutter. As a rider, I just need these 5 inputs to enjoy my ride. As bikes get more electronic aids, the panels also get tech heavy. I can spend a solid 30 minutes on my Ducati V4S just fiddling with the instrument panel before I even make it out of the garage. It is a distraction and a gimmick. Yes it looks lovely, but it is not the raison d'etre (I like throwing pompous French phrases, makes me feel like I got my education's worth). MV has 2 buttons on the left handle bar and a mode selector on the screen. Using those 3, you can select different riding modes - race, street and wet. You can enable traction control on/ off, set the suspension settings and then let the bike's decade old supercomputer sort out the rest.

The MV keeps things simple. Simple is good. Simple is clean. Marie Kondo also agrees with this philosophy. Moving on.

Tank top

The tank is the next thing that catches your eye. It is exquisitely crafted. It is both angular and curved. I often spend hours admiring the angles and gentle slopes and the way the different tank pieces sum up beautifully into one piece. Let me ask you this. When you sit on your bike, how many times do you notice the gas tank, marvel at its beauty and think, ok this is a masterpiece. With petrol at Rs 100, the natural feeling is fear of even opening the gas cap, forget looking at the tank. But this is the magic of MV. A simple functional thing as a gas tank is thoughtfully designed and crafted and elevated to art. It's the little things that add up. The magic of Tamburini lies in this small details. Ok, I have waxed enough about the tank. It holds 17 liters. Full tank goes about 300 km, so highway mileage is 18 kmpl. I haven't measured city riding much but its similar to my V4S with 12-15 kmpl being the average.





Sweet pipes of mine

Once you move past the rider and pillion seats, your eyes rest on that oh my lord sweet tail pipe. That is just pure s**. The F4 is the only bike where the factory exhaust is almost never switched out for custom pipes. The under-seat 4 organ pipes are a defining feature of the bike. Coupled with the single side swing arm, they make the bike look svelte, a sharp contrast from the bulky features on the front. This ying and yang becomes one juicy package. The pipes used to be cylindrical in the first generation models, but underwent a design change and are rectangular now. Opinion is sharply divided on the pipe geometry, but I like the new look, especially from the sides.

2007 F4R exhaust





2017 F4RR exhaust





The newer version of the F4 is much more angular than the older one. From the rear, the square profiles do not line up in the smooth way but I feel the new pipes mesh well with the look. Oh, about the seat, they are rubbish. After 30 minutes of riding your backside goes numb, your legs turn dead. I have read the pillion seat is more comfortable but I haven't tried it out. A comfort gel seat should help, but I am a sucker for pain, so the rider seat shall stay unchanged. The previous owner had installed a rear fender eliminator and the turn signals are integrated into the rear air vents. It was customized by MV Agusta themselves. It's very neat and gives a clean look to the rear profile of the bike.

More Powaaa

I find Jeremy Clarkson an utter mad lad. He does a lot of rubbish stuff, gets booed by the media, but his catch phrase is synonymous with the man's larger than life personality. But I bet if he rode the F4, he would not utter this phrase. The current engine, in its first form produced 145 bhp in 1999. MV tweaked it and bumped to 170 hp in 2007. In 2010 it hit 190. In 2013, it was 195. The F4RR in 2017 produced 201 hp. The engine technology stayed the same, but the components were redesigned and upgraded over 20 years. No mean feat when bike makers continually develop new engines every 5 years. MV kept the same engine fundamentals for 20 years. A lot of people say, big whoop so what. MV is sloppy, they do not have money and R&D to make new engines. Yes, they are not well funded and are a mom and pop shop compared to big bike makers. But they win my profound respect for competing and matching every major player with an engine that even today can kick anyone's a**. Yes Ducati and Kawasaki, even yours.

The 201 hp comes in handy when I need to overtake any Activa or Splendor, if they come nipping at my heels. However, the smooth motor never lets you feel it is too much. My V4S, well I cant say the same about it. It scares me. While the Ducati V4 is all about aggressive posturing and a loud bark, the MV is a stealthy tiger. It looks cuddly, lovable, but when the need arises, the fangs come out, it roars, and reminds you that it is not to be trifled with.

MV's 201 hp heart, surprisingly is very easy to maintain. You would think this Italian diva needs a lot of pampering before you can reach into her innards. But you forget something. The bike was designed as a race bike by Tamburini. He wanted racers to strip down the bike to its elements asap. For that, the fairings are attached with quick release race fasteners. One turn and they pop off. Remove fasteners, unscrew gas tank and fuel connector, lift the rider seat, and you will immediately see the air filter and throttle body. Don't believe me. Well then take a look.

[no_fear]

You buy the bike, you fix the bike

Before I keep droning on about the awesomeness that is the MV F4, let me fall back to earth. Yes, this bike is lovely, turns heads, makes you feel like a god, but does it make you bankrupt?

Yes, it costs a bomb if you go to the official dealer, aka Motoroyale. But a bike like this is not meant to be worked upon by authorized dealers.

Hold up, that doesn't make sense does it? A hyper bike with a hefty price tag and I am telling you to avoid dealer. Well there is a reason. MV doesn't believe in complicated stuff. Unlike their Bologna cousins with who they share their DNA, MV takes a very hands off approach when it comes to bike maintenance. They believe, you should be proficient enough to maintain the F4 yourself. Say what?? MV has even released the entire parts list, engine and workshop manual online. They know that their dealer network is patchy, so they encourage customers to take a DIY approach. Still don't believe me? I attached the 140 page MV engine workshop manual as a link. Makes for wonderful bedtime reading.

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/10...a-F4-1000.html

So armed with this manual, I skipped the dealers (redundant as Motoroyale is not present in NCR, nearest one is at Dehradun), collected my supplies and headed to my FNG, to get down and dirty.

First was engine oil change. The old oil had turned black. Not a healthy black color. Black as in nothingness. What else is to be expected, if the engine oil is not changed for 7000 km. No worries. 3 quarts of fresh juice, new filter and she is good to go.

I changed the air filter, cleaned out the throttle body, checked the wirings, and cleaned and lubed the chain. Then I drained out and added new coolant, flushed out the clutch and brake fluids. I saw that the brake pads were never changed, so swapped them out and put in new ones. While I was at it, my FNG and I used a very fine razor and copious amounts of hair dryer heat and brake cleaner fluid to pry off that horrid wretched Go Pro holder. Gawd, I hate that plastic piece of junk.

In two hours the bike was ready.

Total cost of the entire service: Rs 20,000. It includes the price of the consumables. I did not add in the brake pad cost as I had spares already. The same service cost at the dealer would be an easy Rs 60k.

All the goodies in the house



Out comes the old engine oil



Coolant change



New brake pads



Throttle body cleaning



Good riddance to the Go Pro holder



Inspecting the engine casing to make sure there are no cracks or marks of being opened previously



How do you know that a bike has been well maintained and taken care of?

It's a million dollar question. Bikers have their own unique ways. I always inspect the belly pan. A neat and scratch free belly pan means the prior owner is a fussy nitpicky person who avoids speed bumps, doesn't hand over his bike to juvenile delinquents for joyrides, takes pride in his ride and I respect that. I am also a finicky OCD laden grumpy person, who obsesses over each detail on my bikes, and my car. So, knowing the past ownership history of the bike, I had no surprises on how the F4 was maintained. I knew the bike was mishandled, but the condition of the belly pan horrified me. I know this forum takes a very dim view on expletives, so I will bottle up my feelings for now and not speak ill about the previous owner, however strong the urge is. A brand new pan costs Rs 70,000. Luckily my FNG and I got to work and tidied out the belly pan as much as we could. I will have to repaint and PPF it later.



Just for comparison, the previous owner of the Ducati 1198SP maintained the bike diligently and kept it spotless. He did not ride it much and sold it with very low miles. But he was a stickler for maintenance. Kudos to you sir. I have attached a picture of the 1198 bellypan to show the stark difference. It has lost a bit of paint from wear and tear, but it has not been violated unlike the F4.



Solve the error code

Italian autos have iffy electronics. This is a stereotype that has plagued every Italian auto maker from Fiat to Moto Morini. MV Agusta seems to be no exception. But is that the truth? Are Italians no bueno in designing electronics? The answer is they are good. But perception is stronger than reality.

A few weeks after I got the F4, a strange error code popped up on the instrument panel. I went into a panic. What does it mean. I had no clue. I stopped the bike and waited for 10 minutes on the highway shoulder. Fired up the bike and the error cleared. I continued riding, but then after 15 minutes, the error popped up again. The bike was working perfectly so this must be one of those infamous Italian electrical puzzles. I rode back home, Whatsapped my brother the error picture and waited for an answer.



My older brother is a motorcycle savant. His reply in 30 seconds was "Its the servo fault. Can be fixed by removing servo line to the motor". What are you talking about, please explain in English was my answer. The mystery unraveled quickly. MV F4 and a whole load of other inline 4 cylinder bikes like Suzuki and Kawasaki have a servo motor which regulates the opening and closing of the exhaust valves. Why is this needed? As per the marketing teams of bike makers, it is to create back-pressure at lower RPMs to increase torque. Ya sure. Like the marketing team knows what is back-pressure. The true purpose of the valves is to meet noise regulations. The exhaust valves are partially closed at idle and low rpm to reduce noise, and closed again at the upper RPMs to meet peak noise regulations.

Ok I learned something new. But how does the fault happen? My brother continued his explanation. The wire that links the ecu to the motor that opens and closes the valve gets pinched or snaps after prolonged use. As a result the servo motor keeps sending incorrect input and the error code pops up. To remove the code, all I need to do is to disconnect the wire. The valves will remain open, the bike will sound louder and the problem will be solved. My brother then sent me a two minute Youtube video documenting the steps before he pottered off to tend to his Ducati 1299. So I went back to the bike, followed the Youtube instructional video, disconnected the wire, let the valve stay in open position and fired up the bike. The error disappeared forever.

A lot of people overseas have taken their MVs to the dealer to complain about the exact same issue, and the dealers tried many methods but could not remove the error. They blamed it on faulty electronics, suggested fixes like Healtech servo eliminator or told them sorry, they can't help much. Poor MV developed a unfortunate reputation for questionable electronics, while the reality is a solution that is free and takes 2 minutes.

Forum readers, if you see a similar error on your Kawasaki or Suzuki, you can also disconnect the servo motor and the problem gets fixed. My fix documented below in the pictures.

The servo valve motor - it moves up and down.



The wire has become frayed and spliced in parts due to the exhaust heat. The rubber / plastic protectors have cracked and the wire needs to re-cased in insulated cable.



Remove the servo connector and you are done. The servo motor stays in down position and exhaust valves remain open. The ECU believes the valves are open and the error code goes away.



CAN CCT ACT MCT

The last 6 months of owning the F4 has been relatively stress free. Other than the pending service and the exhaust error, the bike had no issues. I take it out for a weekly ride and do a quick clean. On my last ride this June, I heard a strange knocking sound coming below the airbox. Hmm.... what could it be? Has a bolt come off? Is the engine knocking due to the 40 degree Delhi heat? The sound was rather weird, like a part hitting against a casing. I decided not to take any chance. I rode the bike slowly to my FNG to figure out the answer.

After inspecting the sound with the fairings off, we found out the problem. The MV motor is chain driven, where the timing chain takes power from the crankshaft and transfers it to the camshafts which open and close the valves at the correct time. There is some slack in any chain drive system so the bearings can turn freely without excessive preload. A cam chain tensioner holds the timing chain and removes the excess slack. However if the tensioner doesn't do its job properly, the chain hits against the crankshaft or camshaft body and causes this horrible sound. Not a good symptom at all. The cam chain tensioner (CCT) needs to be changed asap. MV uses a generic auto CCT (ACT). It is the same product that is on Husqvarna and Kawasaki dirt bikes. As a generic part, I assumed its available freely. But out of caution I asked the Pune dealer to give me the exact part number and the cost. I asked my brother for his opinion. This is how it went down:

My brother: Ditch the ACT. A company based in California makes a much superior manual CCT. Its called Tokyo Mods and all the racers use that. Costs 99 USD. Get that.
Me: Ok sure, should I ask the MV dealer still. Just in case its available in India.
My brother laughs on phone a lot: I live in Singapore. The MV dealer here is incompetent and knows nothing. I am guessing the India ones will be worse. Anyways the MV part costs USD 300. Don't get the part from MV, it will take 2 months.
Me:
Me: The bike only went 7000 km, isn't it too early for the ACT to fail? Is it a poor quality part.
My brother: Was the bike taken to the track and raced? If it was raced, the MCT should be installed. For general riding ACT is ok but it cannot take racing stress. It is a common knowledge for MV owners. Did the previous owner even do a cursory check on the timing chain slack?
Me: Yes, the bike was taken to the track by the previous owner and raced, and no he didn't change or check anything.
My brother:

So I asked the dealer for the OEM part. He replied one week later. It costs Rs 25,000 plus GST and shipping - so about Rs 35,000. No estimate on how long it will take. The part is not available in India. I ordered the Tokyo Mods part. Part + shipping cost USD 145 (Rs 11,000) The part reached Delhi in one week. I will get it installed next week on the bike. I have taken a picture from the www.mvagusta.net forum to show how the original vs the custom CCT looks like. That forum is a goldmine for information on maintaining MVs. Manual cam chain tensioners need an inspection every 10,000 km.



I guess through my posts you are getting a picture of how to maintain and service MV. You need to be a serious gear head, have an abundant knowledge of biking mechanics (or hope someone in the family has) and the patience of a Tibetan monk. MVs are easy to maintain, but for those with zero motorcycle DIY skills, it is not the bike to own. Then it becomes a major hassle and repeated trips to dealers coupled with long wait times and exorbitant charges make MV ownership a very poor experience. This is why MV developed a bad reputation in India and re-sale prices have plummeted.

[no_fear]

Final thoughts

Unlike the V4S and its SWOT analysis, I won't be doing something similar this time. Instead I will go on a rant. My rants are based on my own personal feelings, observations and deductions.

Why did MV fail in India?

MV is an unique brand. It is a boutique bike maker that makes just 5000 bikes a year. 5000 is not a big number. That's 15 bikes hand built daily if the plant worked 365 days a year. To account for holidays, lets make it 30 bikes daily. Compare it to Yamaha who makes 500,000 bikes annually. That's 1,400 bikes produced daily. MV takes pride in this. Each bike is hand built. It is very selective, very proud of its racing roots and is steeped in heritage and culture. It holds a racing record that is unparalleled and it is associated with the legendary giants of the motorcycling industry. If motorcycling were royalty, MV would be the emperor of all emperors (a bit like Genghis Khan). It's customers are also legendary. Some of the people who own MV:

1. Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Will Smith, Tom Cruise
2. Carl Cox (the king of EDM)
3. The former king of Spain
4. Peter Fonda (The Peter Fonda who acted in the movie Easyrider and made motorcycling cool)
5. SBK champion Troy Corser
6. Basketball king Michael Jordan
7. Jay Leno
8. Saif Ali Khan
9. John Abraham
10. Lewis Hamilton (MV made a limited edition model called LH44)

The general theme is multimillionaires / billionaires with taste. Those who own a stable of Ferraris / Lambos / Paganis tend to buy MV Agustas. Those who are gear heads are MV's most hardcore fans. Fun fact, Britney Spears wanted to buy a MV and showed up at the same dealer where my brother got his MV from. She was refused. The dealer sold her a MV hat instead.

Now why am I name dropping. There is a reason behind this. MV is in a league of its own. They consider Ducati as a sister company, since both were owned by Cagiva, but they measure themselves by their own benchmark. This uniqueness is their selling point. They are not haughty or obnoxious. They are just selective. They dictate their terms and appreciate customers who respect them back. And that is a good thing. If Rolls Royce can be selective, why cant MV be the same.

When they came to India, they wanted to be selective and work with customers who would appreciate them. However Motoroyale mucked up everything. An Indian brand, headed by management who do not have a clue about MV's storied history is not a good fit. Motoroyale executives and sales people would sit on customers bikes and take Instagram pics and post it on the internet, claiming to be rich and chasing likes and hearts. Some of them continue to do this, even though they have no ties with MV. Motoroyale management promoted MV in a very crass and cheap way, with no regard to what the company wanted. They played fast and loose with MV and upset the Italians a lot. Back in 2019, during my factory visit, MV remained very cordial and polite, but they told me that the partnership with India was not going the way they wanted it to be. I felt for them. Aftersales service was a nightmare. Customers would place orders but dealers and Motoroyale management were too busy creating soundbites for the Indian media and posting cheesy pictures while never bothering to the needs of customers. MV had enough of this immature and juvenile behavior. 2020 with its BS6 rules was the perfect excuse for MV to pull out and break our hearts.

Porsche and Ducati also entered India with a wrong start. The horrors of the tie up with Precision Motors will never be erased. But we always move forward. MV, if you read this forum, please come back.

Is MV reliable?

Is the earth round? Then this question does not warrant an answer. MVs are rock solid reliable. As long as you treat any bike lovingly and care for it, you will be rewarded. Yes MV had some sprag clutch issues with its newer Brutale and F3 models but they replaced the clutches for free. No questions asked. But that doesn't give you a free pass to thrash a bike and then complain when its broke. My brother's 2007 F4 was with us for 4 years and the only issue it had was a blown fuse. Both my F4 and Brutale are solid. I have documented the issues with the F4 above. I do not even consider them to be major issues. Any Royal Enfield owner can trump me day and night.

Should I buy MV?

If you know bikes, breathe bikes, love bikes and want to take care of them all your life, then absolutely yes, by all means, please buy an MV, ride it and enjoy it. There is no other bike like it. Do not listen to bike magazines comparing it to a Kawasaki or a Suzuki. It doesn't need those comparisons and that is the point. But, if you are a regular rider, who wants fuss free rides and do not want to spend every minute of your life online reading multiple ownership and servicing threads to hunt down phantom problems, then this is definitely not the brand for you. Spare yourself the heartache and get a bike that will save your wallet and your mind.

If I buy MV, should I use the current dealer servicing?

Absolutely not. I am sorry this is harsh but my grandmother's astrologer can do a better job fixing MVs than the current dealers. I hold them with utter contempt. There is a reason why MV cut off ties. And based on what I have heard, I will side with MV 100%.

How is it to live with the MV daily?

The F4 does not create any attention in Delhi. I can park it anywhere and go grab a coffee. It's silent identity suits me perfectly. It does not draw any looks, no one asks me "kitna hain" or "kitne deti hain". I am not hassled and that is why I love this bike. No one knows about this brand. That suits me well. I do not get asked a lot of questions.

So why post this meaningless review? You can just post pics on Insta and be done with it

I often ask myself the same question. I have been a member of team-bhp forum since 2006 and I rarely posted. I am active after 15 years. A lot has changed in 15 years. The Indian biking scene has grown and matured a lot. Forum members are knowledgeable, post thought provoking and brilliant content and are always helpful. This is a forum where what you ride does not matter. How you ride, and how you take care of your ride are held in high regard. Some of the threads like the gentleman fixing his Vespa and bringing it back to life, or the owners restoring a 60s Ambassador are amazing stories. I do not know many members, and I have not met any. But through this forum, I have seen members such as neil.jericho, krishnaprasadgg, Athek and Sns_12 demonstrate their passion and love for motorcycles. I have learned a lot from their posts and their feedback. This sense of online camaraderie, where members help out positively is invaluable. And that is missing on Instagram or Facebook. Those are just places to seek validation and live your own fantasy to cover for your insecurities. I do not need validation and I have nothing to prove.

The end

I added a few poser pics for viewing pleasure since I don't post on Insta

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[//M]

Wow what a gorgeous looking thing this is.

This is truly a unicorn. Most mortals like me only hear of the MVs, only seldom get to see one in flesh !

Such a drool worthy design. Like you mentioned, MV is a boutique brand and no way can any other product be directly compared to a F4 no matter what. Much like the scenario elsewhere around the globe, we do have a few supercar owners in India who have a couple of motorcycles in their collection and a MV Agusta is surely one of those. The sheer exclusivity of a MV triumphs it all !

Sad to hear the Motoroyale part though. It seems these guys truly lacked the vision from a partner / dealer pov. Going by the number of supercars in India, I am pretty sure MV Agusta had some potential in India, to woo the uber rich as well as find takers amongst the enthusiasts who would be ready to break the bank to have one of these parked in their living room !

Myself and fellow bhpian surjaonwheelz had an opportunity to visit the Motoroyale Pune dealership few years back just to ogle at these beauties. The same building used to have the Aprilia and Moto Guzzi dealership as well. I'm pretty sure we both had a crisis seeing these gorgeous Italians in flesh. Back then, the Aprilia dealer had a Vespa 946 Emporio Armani on display as well. We both enjoyed the window shopping Sunday and it was quite an experience for both of us.

Great that you picked up this gem of a collector's item. Wishing you many happy miles with the F4RR. Ride safe !

[aarnav_b]

Ever since you mentioned your collection of bikes in the V4 review, this review was the most awaited one. And what a review this was. Hats off you sir and your dedication. And what a bike this is. Truly a special one, which deserves a special owner. Please post reviews of the other bikes as well. And I guess a vespa/Aprilia scooter will just complete this Italian collection

[neil.jericho]

My goodness! What a fantastic bike. What a fantastic thread. Congratulations on purchasing such an epic motorcycle.

I dont even know where to begin. I loved that you were able to visit the factory and get a proper look around. It was nice to see the Cagiva name board. Im sure that the factory visit must have felt very special for the former MV owner and the future MV owner and your Dad. Maybe I too will plan a visit to the factory on my next Europe trip. IIRC Chris from 44 Teeth had shot some footage at the MV factory after he had picked up a bike of theirs.

Originally Posted by no_fear

The company elevated the humble motorcycle to exquisite art, literally.

I think this sums up the company, perfectly.

When the F4 was first launched in 1999, motorcycle design was changed forever. This wasnt a design that the future would appreciate but not the present (Ducati 999 anyone?). This was art on two wheels and 22 years later, it still looks like art on two wheels. Ten years from now, it will still hold its own against the best of the world. Meanwhile, their competition has made good designs, bad designs, industrial designs, futuristic designs but still cant beat MV at the design game.

I have a lot more thoughts on your bike but Ill save it for a second and third read of your thread. If there ever was a thread that qualified for my ubiquitous comment of "this thread can never have enough pictures", it is this one!

And since you mentioned it, I cant not say the following. The reason that MV failed in India is only because of it's partner - MotoRoyale. Honestly, I dont know what MotoRoyale plans to do in the Indian market. I genuinely suspect that they dont either. All they seem to do is tie up with smaller manufacturers like MV Agusta, Norton, SWM, Hyosung and F.B Mondial, open up a few showrooms and then, nothing. Genuinely nothing.

Im not a fan of posting meme's on this forum, but when I think of MotoRoyale's quarterly business plan meetings, I assume it goes something like this.

Best read in George Costanza's voice

Im saying this from years of watching their business moves in the papers and comparing it to the reality on the ground. Their management has all the time in the world to sit down for interviews with all the leading newspapers and magazines. This gets them featured in all the major publications and makes MotoRoyale look like a serious threat in the market.

But nobody calls them out on their complete lack of action in the real motorcycling community. Sometimes, I feel like this is all one big ego trip for the MotoRoyale honchos. It is just a way to keep themselves relevant at the big boys table and stay in the public eye by talking about big capital infusion, grabbing a big chunk of sales in the superbike market and so on. But what do they actually do to achieve it? Do they invite motorcycle riders to their showrooms to get a look and feel of the bike? Do they try to build the community?

If they really want to be a major player, nothing stops them from walking the talk and acquiring a small international brand like how Mahindra has done (Jawa), or TVS has done (Norton) to show everyone that they mean business. Instead, all the energy is diverted to staying in the public eye. But that trick can only work for so long.

The reason I say all this is because MV had so much potential in India. When I was big bike shopping, I kept an open mind and went to all the bike dealerships in Bangalore. The MV dealership was close to the BMW Motorrad one and I was shocked to find that they didnt even have an authorized service center in the city. Instead they had tied up with a popular FNG to get the bikes services. Seriously? MotoRoyale couldnt find and hire one senior mechanic and get two trainees in a city like Bangalore? I can understand this arrangement in a tier 2 city. But Bangalore? How was anyone supposed to take them seriously? The F3 800 would have been in consideration for me but no company service meant that my money would stay firmly in my bank account.

Sorry to go off on a rant about MotoRoyale, but their modus operandi is as clear as daylight. MV Augusta unfortunately suffered. As did Indian motorcyclists. With the right partner, MV can make a successful return to the Indian market. Considering their scale, would they have the appetite to invest time and energy into this relatively crowded market? Once bitten, twice shy. That said, I believe they can grow in India. They have the pedigree. They have the bikes. They just need the right dancing partner.

[krishnaprasadgg]

@no_fear

You have delivered yet another killer of a thread.

Some say that the most beautiful bike ever build is the Ducati 916, some even say the Ducati 999. But for me the most beautiful bikes ever built are in this order the F4 > Ducati 999 > Ducati 916. It might sound like sacrilege to many but hey what can you do!

Can't get enough of the F4 no matter how many times I see them.

I think I appreciate the brand, even more, when you said about the factory visit. I had the chance to visit the Ducati museum when I was in Italy for the San Marina grandprix in 2019. Missed out on the factory tour through and yeah everything was paid experiences. It's refreshing to hear it was different with them.

Also looks like the F4 and R1 have the CCT issue as a common factor then. For people who like to ride hard, it is always better to have the Manual CCT for sure.

It's not every day we get to see the innards of a bike like F4. Lovely pics for sure!

Once again, awesome thread, awesome pics, and the emotion you have for the MV, or rather should I say Italian beauties is very very apparent.

Cheers
Krishna

[SnS_12]

You Sir, seem to have been on a shopping spree since 2020 This one costed you on the similar price point of your V4S?

But its nice to see these Italians with someone where they will some real action on the streets and not just be subjected to endless photoshoots to make a fashion statement or share garage space with other four wheeled Italian beauties.

When I was in Italy I and my wife visited the Ducati factory and as you correctly mentioned we were not allowed to take any photographs or videos in side the factory and plus the museum was shut for renovations. Guess I should have visited MV instead when we were in Milan only If I had known back then that they were more inviting as a brand.

I clearly fall under the regular rider category, who wants fuss free rides as I have already spent enough years of my life, fixing building bikes and now even taking out time to go for a proper ride is a challenge and when I do I just want to ride peacefully.

Finally as Neil mentioned this thread clearly can do with more pictures and it will definitely be never enough.

P.s - This older digital analog meter console would add to the visual appeal even more if it could be changed too.

[GTM]

Congratulations on owning such a fine piece of motorcycling history @no_fear Thank you for your honest take on the management of MV in India, servicing and other related elements that are not well documented in most ownership reviews of a bike of this lineage. Ever since I saw one in the 2001 issue of BS Motoring, where it was unveiled at the Intermot Munich Motorcycle Show, the MV Agusta F4 750 Senna has been one of my dream bikes. Your bike is on another planet in terms of raw appeal. Wish you many more happy miles on it Attaching a pic of my childhood dream.

[man_of_steel]

Made my Monday morning.

Originally Posted by no_fear

...A round of applause for neil.jericho....

Aforementioned madman sent me the link yesterday but couldn't read it then. Glad that I started Monday morning with this. Beauty might be an understatement for her. Have heard even renowned motorcycle designers praise the design of the F4 mentioning the immaculate details in the design and that you can spend hours observing the bike and still could not grasp all the details in the design of the f4. Enough said I guess..

I was never lucky enough to ride an F4 but I remember reading that f4s were too sensitive on the clutch side. Especially off the line. May be the earlier ones. How does the RR fare in this area?

Hearty congratulations on the acquisition!

[loki]

Hello Gorgeous ! Massimo Tamburini sure created the 2 most iconic motorycle designs of all time in the MV F4 and the Ducati 916. I'd say the MV beats the 916 for the title of "Sexiest Motorcycle ever made".

Congrats @no_fear for acquiring and reviewing the beauty. I've always only lusted over F4 pics on the internet/ magazines, but this is the first time seeing someone getting into the details of maintenance and even stripping an MV. MV sure have owners like you on mind when they build these bikes.

My favourite iteration is the 2007 - 2008 F4 1000 in Red & Silver with the single sided swingarm showing off those silver 5 spoke (star shaped wheels) - pure bike porn. I also like the circular end pipes of the older version more.

Originally Posted by no_fear

A unicorn in the city
An ultra rare F4 Senna was bought by a Bangalore owner, who promptly parked the bike in his living room and never rode it

Can't blame him. The F4 is one of those bikes you can keep gazing at. Motorcycle art indeed! If I win a lottery or something, I know what to do...

[contact.nitin7]

What a lovely thread to read on Mundane Monday Morning.

While in office I got the email that I have subscribed from TBHP as a weekly update this popped on the top and I had to read it.

One of the best looking bikes and congratulations on the making a dream true.

I hope the CCT and Servo are not causing any more problems, else there is a Servo actuator that you can buy costs about a 100USD and by passes the hassle of the wire, just that the servo will always be open.

My fireblade also faced a similar issue but that fixed it.

Anyhow, I do see that the pic looks like Noida, are you from somewhere around nearby?
I am from N-107 Sector.

And, just in case you face a problem with that light, I have a buddy who is mastermind behind the light retro mods and lives here in Noida.

The only part which I am not able to digest is -

Originally Posted by no_fear

How is it to live with the MV daily?

The F4 does not create any attention in Delhi. I can park it anywhere and go grab a coffee. It's silent identity suits me perfectly. It does not draw any looks, no one asks me "kitna hain" or "kitne deti hain". I am not hassled and that is why I love this bike. No one knows about this brand. That suits me well. I do not get asked a lot of questions.

[Vasuki]

Originally Posted by no_fear

How is it to live with the MV daily?

The F4 does not create any attention in Delhi. I can park it anywhere and go grab a coffee. It's silent identity suits me perfectly. It does not draw any looks, no one asks me "kitna hain" or "kitne deti hain". I am not hassled and that is why I love this bike. No one knows about this brand. That suits me well. I do not get asked a lot of questions.

Excellent review and an eye-opener towards the legend MV Augusta. I really used to love their nakeds and would definetely like to own one. But sadly I'm nowhere a DIY guy like you. You should really have exceptional aptitude for this. Hope they come back to india.

What I would not give to get the above depicted attention. I still remember when we were on the Spiti trip, a guy came to me asked to sell Multi 1260S, then and there to him. I had to say, we are company officials doing a test ride.

He was insistent and then we finally said the price is about 6 lakhs( dare not quote > 22 lakhs, remember the guy in WB, whose Ducati was stolen @gunpoint ), he literally ran off.

Also please never judge a used adventure bike by its belly pan. LOL