Well, I'm glad you like the bike, that's cool. My point wasn't to judge you. I just felt like the bike needs to be put in its proper place. It's only significant in its exotic nature. It doesn't really contribute to the world of motorcycling or racing, and that is the definning factor of true performance icons. You compare it to Ferrari, I compare it to a Spyker or TVR. Although that might not be entirely fair, it is more realistic. It's not like I don't also appreciate something different, and I always love the mechanical asthetics of billet parts and race quality cycle components, but the sum of the parts equate to more than the whole in this example.
If you love the bike, what more is there? ...and I hope you really enjoy it. I just sometimes think that people superficially appreciate things based on hype and circumstance, rather than on pure merit. And I'm not talking about media hype, or the influence of others, but within yourself. Sometimes people do things based on certain feelings they have that don't have anything to do with the actual thing in question.
Here are some examples: trucks with 12" lift kits and monster truck tires that have never seen a grain of dirt in their life. Cadillac Escalades with 26" wheels and a stereo so big that only the cars next to you can enjoy the crap you listen to. 800HP powerboats which never make it 1/2 a mile from the marina. The list is virtually endless, but they all have one thing in common--they are all compensation for something else entirely.
The point is, you can't define yourself by the things you own, and I'm not saying that you are that person, but like it or not the MV Agusta F4 is that kind of machine. That's not to say that it is good or bad, thats to say there are other choices that are more in tune to your needs and wants as objects, but only if you are honest with yourself. The fact is, I can appreciate and enjoy the looks of your motorcycle just as much as you can, and I didn't pay 35k to do it.
Maybe I'm just too practical, maybe I'm compensating for something, but I love motorcycles so much that the thrill of riding a truly balanced, confidence inspiring machine, road bike, off-roader, or cruiser, that everthing else is trivial. I didn't get that experience when riding an F4. I've ridden litterely hundreds of motorcycles, have owned at least 25, and I am involved with motorcycles everyday of my life. I am a certified Harley-Davidson tech, certified Ducati tech, Dyno-Jet certified, and have taken every single course offered at MMI, twice as many as needed to graduate. I recently was Race-Tech certified and currently work with BBR as a design consultant--
Those are my credentials, and those are my opinions. Take them or leave them.
Either way, glad to see you have a passion for motorcycles. Cheers!
P.S. this was the year MV was to return to racing, but finnancial problems have held them back. Hopefully we can see them next year in World Superbike, for that will surely improve their bikes, increase sales, and drive the prices down. SBK certainly tranformed Ducati from expensive, unreliable, and akward machines into regular mainstream performers that don't cost TOO much compared to the competition. Ohh, and sorry to Ferrari Life members for all the two wheeled discussion--allthough I always thaught Ferrari should get into bikes. Lamborghini and Pinninfarina tried it once--it was a hideous machine. Maybe Ferrari used that as inpiration not to. lol
) But i have something that pretty close to a ferrari.
