Falco, I Still Love It
Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:15 pm
I had a fantastic morning testing the Benelli Cafe Racer, the MV Augusta Brutale and the MV Augusta F4RR. We took them out on a ten mile circuit and the guys from the importers who were leading the rides were really up for it and let rip. The course had a good mixture of twisties and long straights mostly out in the country a way from prying eyes and cameras so we really got the chance to give the bikes a good go. Won't record the speed but we could all have been heading for Saughton if the plod had been around.
The Brutale was barking mad, great handling and that engine just pulls and pulls but at close to £12,000 its a lot of money. The Cafe Racer was just great fun, not quite as sweet handling as the MV but the triple engine sounded great, a guy bought one for £7,600 enough money to buy a tricked up suspension and still have money in the pocket over the MV. F4RR was nothing short of incredible, Giacomo Agostini had actually taken this one round the TT circuit and had signed the tank! I have to admit it made the Falco feel underpowered it just pulled and pulled and handled so well. Went the fastest I have ever gone on F4 and it was so effortless, brakes were amazing too, thankfully!
All that said, even if the wife hadn't threatened divorce if I had bought a bike, I don't think I would have. The Cafe Racer and the Brutale were brilliant fun on the twisties but I have to travel quite a few miles on the motorway and the wind blast would eventually get annoying. MV F4 was incredible to ride but even if I didn't have arthritis I don't think I could live with the riding position every day. There was nothing like the Falco which seems to me more than ever a great compromise. There was the Benelli Tre K but that is more a sort of adventure style bike than a sports tourer. So I am staying married and sticking with the Falco neither of which is a great hardship
The Brutale was barking mad, great handling and that engine just pulls and pulls but at close to £12,000 its a lot of money. The Cafe Racer was just great fun, not quite as sweet handling as the MV but the triple engine sounded great, a guy bought one for £7,600 enough money to buy a tricked up suspension and still have money in the pocket over the MV. F4RR was nothing short of incredible, Giacomo Agostini had actually taken this one round the TT circuit and had signed the tank! I have to admit it made the Falco feel underpowered it just pulled and pulled and handled so well. Went the fastest I have ever gone on F4 and it was so effortless, brakes were amazing too, thankfully!
All that said, even if the wife hadn't threatened divorce if I had bought a bike, I don't think I would have. The Cafe Racer and the Brutale were brilliant fun on the twisties but I have to travel quite a few miles on the motorway and the wind blast would eventually get annoying. MV F4 was incredible to ride but even if I didn't have arthritis I don't think I could live with the riding position every day. There was nothing like the Falco which seems to me more than ever a great compromise. There was the Benelli Tre K but that is more a sort of adventure style bike than a sports tourer. So I am staying married and sticking with the Falco neither of which is a great hardship
