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Motus V4

windyrun

By windyrun
in OTHER Motorcycle Talk (non vfr)

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Bent Collaborator

Bent

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This is an interesting bike indeed.  I have to wonder where and under what kind of riding circumstances it would perform best.  To me, it looks like it would be riding fast in mostly straight lines.  I don't see this bike performing near to what a VFR will do in the tight twisties of the Smokies or any other twisty haven.  We all like to dream and some with funds to burn will buy one of these machines.  As for now, I'll just enjoy my "too expensive" (anyone that paid list is nuts), too heavy, under-powered, VTEC, VFR that does quite a few things quite well.  So, am I comparing a Motus to a VFR?  Of course.  The Motus is going to be compared to a lot of motorcycles and they will have to compete unless they expect to only sell to those with unlimited funds looking for a novelty that compares to nothing well.  I'll be visiting their place in Birmingham.  They have a nice idea but getting people to separate from their money is their biggest challenge IMHO.  They have to answer that age old marketing question for every consumer that buys one, and it is, "what's in it for me"?  People that get one will be able to answer that.  

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CornerCarver Mentor

CornerCarver

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Finally got to ride one today.

 

HOLY CRAP.  They do handle very well with the funky Helibars providing a lot of leverage.  

They sound amazing. There is even more to the MSTR that is special than I previously thought or noticed. If I pull the trigger it will definitely be for the MSTR with hand laid carbon body and carbon Akrapovik instead of the standard Akrapovik exhaust.  Monoblock Brembo calipers are the real deal, not your garden variety cast Brembos for sure.

 

The difference in hp between MST and MSTR is just icing on my fat arse cake.  The MST will loft the front as high as you want in the first two gears with just a proper twist of the grip.  Tremendous torque and incredible sound from 3k to 6500 or so.  The MST redlines at 7500 and the MSTR at 8500 (about the same as the ST1300).

 

In fact the bike actually feels like the love child of an ST1300 and RC51.  It has a truly amazing power plant.

For those who are curious not many options can be added.  As you know or have read the seat is made by Sargent (heated or not tall or low seat are the options on the seat) and the exhaust is Akropovic.  It has an american made tool kit under the seat (made in Cali) and you can damn near disassemble the bike with the included tool kit.  BraKing rotors and Brembo masters on the BST wheels. Each bike is hand made and the craftsmen who assemble them sign their names on the bikes (not on the painted surface).


They are building 3 bikes a week and that is all they really want to do. The reference I made to a VIncent in the first couple pages of this thread resonated with the President and Co-founder of Motus who lead the group rides yesterday and today from Hourglass Cycles in Buford, GA (surprisingly good rider :goofy:) and he is still very passionate about  motorcycling and motorcycle manufacturing.

 

Good group of people at Hourglass Cycles, very knowledgeable sales group and I spoke to several people who have purchased and service their bikes there, the shop gets very high grades. There was a VeeStrom with a side hack there and the service guy who sets up the hacks have set up over 100 of them!

 

The dealer sold their red MST yesterday after a demo ride and the new owner was there picking up his bike and dropping of the BMW K1600GTL that he was trading in for it. Look for the Motus demo truck or email them at Motus and see if they are going to be in your area soon, go by and take a look at the bikes. You will be impressed.

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CornerCarver Mentor

CornerCarver

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Your posting priviledges should be suspended until I can swing the purchase price. :goofy:

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Duc2V4 Mentor

Duc2V4

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On June 11, 2016 at 5:59 PM, CornerCarver said:

Finally got to ride one today.

 

HOLY CRAP.  They do handle very well with the funky Helibars providing a lot of leverage.  

They sound amazing. There is even more to the MSTR that is special than I previously thought or noticed. If I pull the trigger it will definitely be for the MSTR with hand laid carbon body and carbon Akrapovik instead of the standard Akrapovik exhaust.  Monoblock Brembo calipers are the real deal, not your garden variety cast Brembos for sure.

 

The difference in hp between MST and MSTR is just icing on my fat arse cake.  The MST will loft the front as high as you want in the first two gears with just a proper twist of the grip.  Tremendous torque and incredible sound from 3k to 6500 or so.  The MST redlines at 7500 and the MSTR at 8500 (about the same as the ST1300).

 

In fact the bike actually feels like the love child of an ST1300 and RC51.  It has a truly amazing power plant.

For those who are curious not many options can be added.  As you know or have read the seat is made by Sargent (heated or not tall or low seat are the options on the seat) and the exhaust is Akropovic.  It has an american made tool kit under the seat (made in Cali) and you can damn near disassemble the bike with the included tool kit.  BraKing rotors and Brembo masters on the BST wheels. Each bike is hand made and the craftsmen who assemble them sign their names on the bikes (not on the painted surface).


They are building 3 bikes a week and that is all they really want to do. The reference I made to a VIncent in the first couple pages of this thread resonated with the President and Co-founder of Motus who lead the group rides yesterday and today from Hourglass Cycles in Buford, GA (surprisingly good rider :goofy:) and he is still very passionate about  motorcycling and motorcycle manufacturing.

 

Good group of people at Hourglass Cycles, very knowledgeable sales group and I spoke to several people who have purchased and service their bikes there, the shop gets very high grades. There was a VeeStrom with a side hack there and the service guy who sets up the hacks have set up over 100 of them!

 

The dealer sold their red MST yesterday after a demo ride and the new owner was there picking up his bike and dropping of the BMW K1600GTL that he was trading in for it. Look for the Motus demo truck or email them at Motus and see if they are going to be in your area soon, go by and take a look at the bikes. You will be impressed.

Thanks CC. Although I'm only a few miles from the dealer in Westminster, I just never made the time to actually test ride one. Partly because I'm afraid I might like it too much and don't really have the funds at the moment to buy one. These are definitely gorgeous bikes, being hand built makes them even more special IMO. They are definitely for the discerning buyer who does have the money to spend but honestly there are so many bikes out there that if I did have the money, they would be in my 20 car, err bike garage. The Motus would most likely be sitting there in the same garage space as my RC-213V!

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CornerCarver Mentor

CornerCarver

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If Honda does a WSBK homologation of a 1000cc V4 then that is what i would have to purchase before this Motus.

 

Still wondering how to get a sponsor for my uncle and I to ride the Motus to Alaska and back next year.  He has been planning this trip for a couple of years.

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Bent Collaborator

Bent

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I rode my VFR yesterday, went in to get some lunch and there was a Motus parked right next to my VFR when I was ready to mount up and go home.  I looked over the Motus pretty good and felt even better riding home through the twisties on my VFR knowing what it is capable of doing.  I didn't see any value for me parked next to my VFR for us commoners.  It just had nothing to impress me for any amount of money.  Yeah, lots of HP with lots of weight.  

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On 11/6/2016 at 0:48 PM, Bent said:

I rode my VFR yesterday, went in to get some lunch and there was a Motus parked right next to my VFR when I was ready to mount up and go home.  I looked over the Motus pretty good and felt even better riding home through the twisties on my VFR knowing what it is capable of doing.  I didn't see any value for me parked next to my VFR for us commoners.  It just had nothing to impress me for any amount of money.  Yeah, lots of HP with lots of weight.  

 

Yeah, nothing to see here....keep moving.  Well yes, those are Brembo monoblock brakes, with Ohlins TTX36 shock and top of the line NIX30 forks, OZ forged wheels, carbon fiber body work, Sargent seat and Heli bars standard....and speaking of HP you nailed it, 180 hp in the MSTR and at 565 lbs wet with full tank of gas and luggage on it is a bit lighter than the VFR800 (current gen - QUITE a bit lighter than the VFR800 6G).

 

But it is just as expensive as you would expect a handmade bike of which 3 per week are produced would be.

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Bent Collaborator

Bent

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I'll just keep VFRing along.  Got a paycheck this week that I could drop on a Motus and pay for it but I already have a bike that does the same thing as a Motus at less than a third the price and enough HP to get me in trouble already.  Motus is a curious bike that fills somebody's niche, just not mine.  To each their own.  Wonder how long they'll be around.    

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On 6/11/2016 at 5:59 PM, CornerCarver said:

Finally got to ride one today.

 

HOLY CRAP.  They do handle very well with the funky Helibars providing a lot of leverage.  

They sound amazing. There is even more to the MSTR that is special than I previously thought or noticed. If I pull the trigger it will definitely be for the MSTR with hand laid carbon body and carbon Akrapovik instead of the standard Akrapovik exhaust.  Monoblock Brembo calipers are the real deal, not your garden variety cast Brembos for sure.

 

The difference in hp between MST and MSTR is just icing on my fat arse cake.  The MST will loft the front as high as you want in the first two gears with just a proper twist of the grip.  Tremendous torque and incredible sound from 3k to 6500 or so.  The MST redlines at 7500 and the MSTR at 8500 (about the same as the ST1300).

 

In fact the bike actually feels like the love child of an ST1300 and RC51.  It has a truly amazing power plant.

For those who are curious not many options can be added.  As you know or have read the seat is made by Sargent (heated or not tall or low seat are the options on the seat) and the exhaust is Akropovic.  It has an american made tool kit under the seat (made in Cali) and you can damn near disassemble the bike with the included tool kit.  BraKing rotors and Brembo masters on the BST wheels. Each bike is hand made and the craftsmen who assemble them sign their names on the bikes (not on the painted surface).


They are building 3 bikes a week and that is all they really want to do. The reference I made to a VIncent in the first couple pages of this thread resonated with the President and Co-founder of Motus who lead the group rides yesterday and today from Hourglass Cycles in Buford, GA (surprisingly good rider :goofy:) and he is still very passionate about  motorcycling and motorcycle manufacturing.

 

Good group of people at Hourglass Cycles, very knowledgeable sales group and I spoke to several people who have purchased and service their bikes there, the shop gets very high grades. There was a VeeStrom with a side hack there and the service guy who sets up the hacks have set up over 100 of them!

 

The dealer sold their red MST yesterday after a demo ride and the new owner was there picking up his bike and dropping of the BMW K1600GTL that he was trading in for it. Look for the Motus demo truck or email them at Motus and see if they are going to be in your area soon, go by and take a look at the bikes. You will be impressed.

Have you ridden a 7th gen?  I'd be curious on how they compare, considering I paid under 10,000 for mine, with full luggage including the 45L euro top box, and upgraded suspension.  I'll add helis and a seat and still be under 10.  To me there is no comparison on looks and fit and finish.  The 7th gen wins hands down.

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23 hours ago, ridered said:

Have you ridden a 7th gen?  I'd be curious on how they compare, considering I paid under 10,000 for mine, with full luggage including the 45L euro top box, and upgraded suspension.  I'll add helis and a seat and still be under 10.  To me there is no comparison on looks and fit and finish.  The 7th gen wins hands down.

 

I have spent some time on the 7th gen.

 

Honda flew me to the introduction in Santa Barbara and we were able to ride the 2010 standard and DCT versions.  I then rented one for 10-11 days in the Alps and Dolomites two up a couple of years ago (a 2012 model I believe) so I only have about 4,000 miles on them but I have some opinions of them.

 

Now that Honda have sorted the shaft issue I would not hesitate to purchase a VFR1200 and drop an additional $2500 on a proper suspension for it.  And the 12 is not so plentiful that you see yourself everywhere either.  There is a lot to like about the VFR1200 and once the suspension is sorted just a small quibble of range but then only if you are traveling in the western US.

 

That being said, refer back to your second sentence...you paid under $10k for yours.  Honda asks about $17,500 with luggage. I think you have a well bought bike.  But the VFR1200 and Motus MST/R are apples and pickles.  The VFR1200 is a very good shaft drive sporty bike that can handle two up duty albeit with limits to range (when 2 up or traveling through less densely populated areas) and with a fit and finish that at the top of the food chain for mass production motorcycles.


The Motus is not a bike to replace the VFR (either 800 or 1200) as a commuter or only bike or split duty tourer and it doesn't pretend to be. The Motus is possibly this centuries Vincent Black Shadow, a hand assembled motorycle of unique character that will never have 50% or more of it's MSRP discounted.  They only make three per week and all are hand assembled in Alabama.  Vincent over the entire run of Black Shadows only made about 1,700 (iirc). The Motus is speced out with the best of the best in terms of outsourced components such as suspension, brakes, seat, exhaust, bars etc...Motus think there may be enough people who want to purchase something made in the US that doesn't have to apologize for every corner it wobbles through while holding up a half dozen SUVs and minivans.

 

It is not for everyone but just because we love our various V4 Hondas we shouldn't be the guy parking our Corvette next to a Koenigsegg One saying that we don't see anything unique or objectively better.  We should celebrate that someone was just crazy enough to build the Motus and a lucky few are crazy enough to buy them so that maybe in 50-70 years someone will be talking about them.  More than likely my progeny will be still be talking about how much fun they had actually riding and taking their VFRs to the track and across the country.

 

TLDR - celebrate the amazing bikes that are available today from many different manufacturers and enjoy your ride.

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