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New Member and thinking of F3 or F4

4K views 36 replies 18 participants last post by  ARAMIS 
#1 ·
Hello everyone,

I am writting you from Portugal, 43 years old, actually riding a Suzuki GSX-S750, and in my pursuit looking for a more sporty replacement, MV Agusta is up there with Ducati.

Now I have read quite a lot and despite some stories are keeping me a bit on my toes, I still feel I would like to take a risk for they are such beautiful bikes!

I believe most of you have them as 2nd bikes, or even 3rd and so on. This will be my only bike and believe it or not, I plan on using it every day... for commuting and obviously fun rides! Now I believe many will think I´m crazy. It is a short ride to work (10Km each way) but still, do you think it is possible to use these bikes on a daily base or am I just being a dreamer?

I honestly don´t know what to choose yet. The F3 800 would be the "obvious" choice for my needs but the F4, visually, has just something to it that I cannot explain!

Now you will tell me to test-ride them and choose the one I like the most. Well, if until now what I said made no sense to you, it is about to get worse... no models available here for a test-ride. So I will go mainly on looks and hope it is everything I think it is!!!

As a final note, for total madness, I will buy it new... and no I am not "loaded", just saved hard for a dream bike over the years and that 3 years warranty sounds sweet!

And speaking of that, regarding the latest model, is there something I need to worry right from the beginning with either model, or have the most common issues been adressed by now?

Thank you very much for reading and cheers!
 
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#4 ·
I asked the same question. You’re right the F4 has a certain thing about it that you just can’t ignore. F3 is still a beautiful bike. From what I’ve read the F3 seems to have had more issues and quirks than the F4 but that’s why i am also asking the question.
 
#5 ·
Welcome and can I ask if you maybe looked at the 4 cylinder Brutale as daily commute? Of the 2 you mentioned the F4 is better cause the F3 is, in my opinion, more of a track machine in the sense you have to ride it harder to get the most out of it. Also most Isues I've seen around the F3 and F4 for that matter start due to crap batterries.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Hi mate! Welcome from Spain. Where place of Portugal are you from? I love Lisbon, Porto, Braga, and Sierra da Estella to ride a bike!!

I understand your feelings about MV F4, I have same feelings. So, go for it. If you spend your savings in the F3... Probably you regret it.

I don´t recommend it for every day use, because they spend a lot of gasoline, the mantenaice cost are expensive, you have to mount sport tyres to really enjoy it, and there are not adecuate for every day ride (they wear down only in the center), the F4 suffer temperature problems and in urban traffic are worse. the MV´s don´t turn in urban traffic. I recomend you save 1500€ more, and go for a Burgman 200 (for example) to every day ride. Probably you return the investmen in one or two years of the F4 mantenaince cost. And think in the cost devaluation of MV with high mileage.

By the way, are you a experience biker? MV are difficult to ride bikes, you have to ride it with decission. There are not good to learn.



Important question. MV are bikes to storage in a secure garage. You can´t park it in street. So if you don´t have garage in your work, I recomend you, save little more money and buy a small scooter for everyday.

In my case, I cover it in the garage, to not allow to see what bike it is.
 
#7 ·
Did the same as you, I went F4 as I had always lusted after one, the F3 may have been a better technical option for me, but I did not want to say I 'Could' have bought my dream and instead settled for 2nd place, no offence intended to F3 owners. :)
 
#9 ·
You saved up cash to buy your dream bike.
What exactly is your dream bike? <-- your first thought after reading that is the one you should get.

You mentioned its only a 10km ride to your work. Which in itself is fine, but dont expect to crank the throttle in such a short time with having a cold engine.
You can do this in the weekends and longer rides.
(Thats just my opinion, cause I believe an engine should atleast have runned for 20-30 minutes before the real fun begins. Metals & fluids need to get to operating temps.
Cause you dont like jumping out of bed and start sprinting. You'll cramp up and pull a muscle.
)

As for not able to test riding both models. F3 is known to be more easy on the wrist and overal position.
Since its a 3 cylinder its very narrow and footpegs are lower than other superbikes. AKA more legroom and more upright.
I cannot speak for F4. But its sure more leaned over.

Everyone says to get the F4. Well I say get the F3.
Cause saying that sure helps ;) xD
 
#11 ·
Thank you very much for your kind answers everyone.

I Rode a scooter for over 6 years to work and despite being the rational option I really don´t care about it.
Even if it is for commuting I still want to have fun despite the short ride. My Suzuki is more than enough for my daily needs but I´m aware this is not a choice based on needs of course. It is a lust, my only one since I work very hard to raise 2 kids and they come first in everything. Already saved enough for their education and we live a normal life where I give them everything within reason.

I live in Lisbon but I don´t get a lot of traffic in my regular route, except from time to time. So I will not be stuck in traffic as most of the time it is just riding with the occasional 2 or 3 stops for red lights.

Yes, at home I have my garage spot inside the building. It is not a box but a open garage for all who live in the building. I usually "block" the motorcycle with my car near the wall so that they would have to move the car first in order to be abble to reach the bike and lift it.
At work, I also have a common garage where to put the bike and it is under a camera, which images I have access at all times. So I guess it is not that bad.

When I talk about a dream bike, I am not talking about a specific model. I´m talking about a beautiful sport bike and in my humble opinion that can only be Italian, and right now it is between Ducati and MV Agusta. The 1199 is beautiful, even the 959. But the F4 line is just something else. If it wasn´t about all these reliability issues, there would be no contest, but what makes me still consider the Panigale (despite its own issues) are the repetitive “horror” stories that keep popping up here and in social networks with issues that seem to be very common with these models, especially the older ones.
 
#16 ·
Having owned three F4's (EV03, 1000s & 312R) as well as presently owning a 1078 Brutale and a Pirelli Dragster, I would advise an F4
.
although I have been perfectly happy with every MV I have mentioned above.
.
I wish you well.
 
#18 ·
You do have to keep in mind that 1 bad/unlucky owner will always talk crap about the bike or brand over different social media platforms, and advise everyone to ignore it and choose .... A honda, a yamaha, kawakwakki.

Stick to the maintenance. Take care of the bike.
Yes maybe this can be overlooked a bit on the Japanese bikes. But then you woudnt own an Italian beauty.

*I tried to find it, but coudnt.
If it makes you feel better, or calm your worries a bit. There was a F4 750 (2000/2001) for sale not so long ago with 100.000km+ on odometer.
I have yet to see a yamaha r1 hit that number. Then again im not really searching or looking for it. ;)
And the engine on F4 got updated and improved over the years. Just like the current F3 series has recieved updated parts. Progress of R&D.
And forums are here to help a fellow owner out with an issue. I bet majority of owners arent signed up on forums and are enjoying their bikes.

Maintenance = key to longevity.
So good luck in finding that dream bike, and enjoy it :)
 
#19 ·
My opinion.

Neither, get a Aprilia Tuono V4 if you want to do commuting primarily and still have a serious buzz on weekends and track days

My F3 is a turd for commuting. Absolute pleasure on the weekends and open roads, but don't enjoy menial traffic riding with it. It is the perfect bike for me at the moment as it ticks all my boxes, but it might not be the perfect bike for you.

Cant comment on the F4 as I have never owned one. I am lusting for one as I love the design, but worried that the weight and Inline 4 motor wont give me the enjoyment I get with the 3-cylinder bike. Really like the sound of the F3 engine.
 
#20 ·
You mentioned looks. I chose mine based on form as much as function. Some MV's are more timeless and better looking than others. Kind of like 'what skinny chick with big boobs', go with the one that is most attractive to you, not that I've ever looked at that thread. No disrespect to my wife of twenty eight years, who is a work of art as well.

Don't do a scooter. You will be sad going to work. My commute is similar to yours and it is a joy to crank my TVL to work and lunch. Take the one curvy road home and crack it for about five seconds.
 
#21 ·
Hello friends,

Thank you very much for all your input and time in answering. I really apreciate it. I have been thinking of course about many of the aspects that you have been alerting me abou, especially regarding how to use it or where to use it. I totally agree but in all honesty if I was to be making a logical and pratical decision I wouldn´t be here for sure! ?

Anyway, I have started a little on my toes, as I have said before, but after reading plenty, I´m starting to feel more confident about the brand and I have started talks with the sales department in my city. Let us see what comes out of it. I´m still not 100% sure about which model to go but I still think I should go for the F4 in the end.

I am still waiting to get feedback about models availabilty. I´m just afraid if I have to wait something like 3 or 4 months for a bike! I don´t think I could be that patient, I know it is one of my flaws! ... but let us see!

Just for you to know, I also kept communications with Ducati in the last few months and they said that a new Panigale 959 was about to be presented to the world very soon, so I would lie if I´m not curious about that... especially if there is a Corse version of that bike. Never rode either a Ducati or a MV Agusta, so I really do not know if they are even comparable bikes (the F4 with the 959) probably it would be more suited with a comparison to the F3 800.

Cheers and thank you once again!
 
#22 ·
No offense to the F3/B3 crowd, in my opinion and experience the F4/B4 is the way to go. As many above have said that the F4 is not such an easy bike to ride in traffic. An option to this could be a Brutale 4 cylinder. It may not have the "bling" factor of the F4 but it is certainly a 100% MV. Get an MV or Ducati if that tickles your fancy but life is too short to ride a scooter IMHO. Good luck!
 
#24 ·
I loved your statement my friend... "Life is too short to ride a scooter." ?

I forgot to mention an important aspect that does not let me go of the F3 option. I am 5.7 height (actually 5.67 to be exact) and in my suzuki with a 820mm seat height I will not flat foot by no means. The 830mm F4 seat kind of makes me worried. So I keep looking at the F3 805mm seat height and the fact that the bike is nimbler which could be a positive factor in "traffic" but of course not a decisive point "per se".

Things like this just keeps me wondering. At the same time I cannot understand if the problems that kept rising at least until the 2017 /2018? F3 800 version, are now resolved with the 2019 version. Battery, sprang and rear brake issues are a thing of the past or still "haunting" this year F3 800 also?

Cheers.
 
#26 ·
I promise you that if I could ride any of them... I wouldn´t be asking your help in this particular matter of choices. :grin2:>:)

Unfortunetly, in my country, japanese bikes apart, if you want to buy the more expensive italian bikes only after testing riding them... you can forget about that. With some exceptions just the months that follow its release of course. :crying:

Cheers.
 
#27 ·
OK,fair enough.
I will put it another way-
If you are riding in city areas and occasionally ride country roads with sweeping bends etc,buy the nimble F3.
If you want litre bike power with brakes,suspension and handling to match,buy a F4.
F4's are not comfortable with city speed limits and traffic,they like travelling at speed with wind blowing through their ears.
F4's are also not built for comfort,but the bruises do fade away and you get used to it.
I am biased and own a F4,but I stay away from city areas as much as possible.
All my opinion.:wink2:
 
#30 · (Edited)
I have had all different makes and models and the F4 has has always stirred the soul better than any other. Take care of an F4 with regular servicing and it will last for many miles and many years, mine has. Great bikes and the 'only' choice.
If you have particular needs for the bike such as use in hot weather etc it can all be sorted.
 
#33 ·
I would go for an F4 because of power and looks, more power in a bike is always something you can live with no problems>:)
Also never had big issues with almost 60.000 Kms on F4 s even with some regular and heavy daily use combined with track but that was a few years ago so now I would probably consider a 2013 B4 that go fast looks great and very comfortable.
 
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