First time out on new F4 750 Evo 3 - much improved engine

Front felt softer than my own 2000 F4...

...mid corner stability and poise was typical F4.

Dreams do come true - onboard SPR Number 264.

Words cannot describe how excited I was to thrash my dream bike.

SPR, Aussie racetrack = heaven

EVO 3

My first ride of the day was the latest F4S, the Evo 3. Now to me, the Evo 3 is definitely the best looking MV so far, with it's original Red/Silver body work, topped off by the very bright new silver wheels. It just looked sensational. One other cosmetic thing I noticed was the change in colour of the swing-arm and frame plates. Where the Evo 1 & 2's were a darkish grey, the new bikes are more black in colour...another improvement in my opinion.

My first laps were very cautious and a touch nervy as I hadn't ridden since crashing my own MV at Phillip Island. Even so, it was obvious this Evo 3 had more grunt than my 2000 F4. The power felt similar to the Senna I rode last year. Like all F4's, the real power doesn't kick in till after 8-9000 rpm, so below that it could of been any F4...buts it's after that MV have made large strides with the 750 motor. I hope they don't bury it after the 1000 is released.

The rest of the bike felt pure F4. Set up fairly soft for track use but still razor sharp and super stable. The brakes too were normal F4, even a touch spongy for my liking as I run HH sintered pads in my own bike. I can usually 1 finger brake in all circumstances on my F4, but with the Evo 3 I found I was using 2 under heavy stopping...maybe a quick re-bleed would make it better.

The front end, while stable, was pretty soft...way softer than I have mine. Through the flip flop you could feel the front always trying to catch up with the feedback you were putting in....

Importantly though, this bike is big improvement in the area where the original bike gets it's most criticism ,and that's the motor...there's no way you could mistake the Evo 3 for a 600 !

F4 SPR

The whole concept of the SPR has always been my dream, my ideal. The best of the best 750. The ultimate, most exclusive, highly tuned 750 on the market. MV teased potential buyers for months and months, but now the SPR is a reality, and I was fortunate enough  to ride No: 264 of a limited 300 worldwide....and oh boy, what a rush !!

Just hopping on it made the fingers tingle. The matt black tank, white SPR tacho and the little plaque signifying I was about to ride the 264th SPR built. It was a special occasion for me.

Mark my words, this bike is f*ckin' fast. Above 10,000 all the way to 14,500, the SPR is a ballistic motorcycle. It really is quite special the way it accelerates even over the Evo 3. It spins up so quicker I hit the limiter more than once, the needle just rockets to the redline. With the close ratio gearbox and the motor spinning so fast, I felt like an amateur as I re-adjusted to this bike's extra performance. Entering the main straight the front wheel was lifting so easy...unheard of on my F4.

The SPR is set up a lot stiffer than the standard bike, and on the track this all makes sense. The front end is just fantastic, so precise, so utterly stable. The bike just begs you to keep going harder and harder. The bike was awesome under brakes too...just sat, squat and stopped.

I pushed harder on my last few laps and you could feel the bike just coming alive. Braking later each time, accelerating harder, man this thing is bliss.

Every F4 should be like this one.

It took me over an hour to calm down and shut up after I hopped off the SPR. It's everything I thought it might be and more...now of course, I really, really want one.

Pete

PS: I rode the Brutale too. What a little surprise packet. Neat riding position, so easy to ride, more torque midrange, but not as much up top.

Steers so easy, what a hoot. Windblast kicks in over 180kph, but it's just so much fun !!

Pete {March 2004}