SFV4-T

I beat all my super-naked bikes with an ugly stick. I love taking them on multi-day road trips so I need comfort and luggage capacity. Definitely effects the looks but not the performance at relatively sane and safe street pace. My 2021 SFV4 received these modifications:

Ohlins TTX Shock
Ohlins Fork Cartridge Kit
Ohlins Steering Damper
Givi 20L Tank Lock Tank Bag
Ventura Rear Rack with Hepco-Becker Orbit Top Box
Hepco-Becker C-Bow Pannier Rack with Orbit Panniers
MFW Adjustable Lowered Foot Pegs
Seth Laam Custom Saddle
MRA Highway Windshield with MRA Sport X-creen spoiler
Koso Apollo Heated Grips
Rox Bar Risers/Bar Backs
Acerbis Hand Guards
SW-Motech Mirror Extenders

Interesting. Why didn't you just get a Multistrada V4?

bp_SFV4 said:

Interesting. Why didn't you just get a Multistrada V4?

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80 lbs heavier, all around larger, 19" front wheel, conventional swingarm and I don't like the way it looks.

Great reasoning!

Well done. I bet its a blast to ride.

wallycycle said:

80 lbs heavier, all around larger, 19" front wheel, conventional swingarm and I don't like the way it looks.

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OK, then why didn't you get Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak then? It has 17" wheels and a SSSA.
I'm not sure the "I don't like the way it looks" is a joke or not, looking at what you've done to the poor Streetfighter.

toshy said:

OK, then why didn't you get Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak then? It has 17" wheels and a SSSA.
I'm not sure the "I don't like the way it looks" is a joke or not, looking at what you've done to the poor Streetfighter.

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Yes, but it's still heavier, bigger, a lot more expensive and I especially don't like e-suspension.

No, not a joke about the looks. Even after my modifications, I still see a Steetfighter V4 and that warms my heart. The Multistrada is a bloated wanna-be ADV bike. I'm sure it performs and handles very nice. Has all kinds of electronic gizmos which don't interest me. (Except cruise control). Multis just don't do it for me on all counts. Never have.

I didn't like them until I sat on one. Tremendously comfortable, very stable likely due to its size and added weight. It has actually useable mirrors, who knew Ducati was capable of that. The adaptive cruise, blind spot monitoring and heated seats are also nice. I was considering trading the Panigale in for one before I took the Panigale to the track. I'm sort of over superbikes for street riding, but I could see enjoying street riding with a Multistrada V4.

I couldn’t see it being a good touring bike as it’s thirsty AF! With a small gas tank, but enjoy.

I think its great, not my cup of tea, but I get it.

wallycycle said:

Yes, but it's still heavier, bigger, a lot more expensive and I especially don't like e-suspension.

No, not a joke about the looks. Even after my modifications, I still see a Steetfighter V4 and that warms my heart. The Multistrada is a bloated wanna-be ADV bike. I'm sure it performs and handles very nice. Has all kinds of electronic gizmos which don't interest me. (Except cruise control). Multis just don't do it for me on all counts. Never have.

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I understand you so well. I don't like all the mods you made especially the windscreen but I see what you mean. I used to have Multi1200 and it is like you said a wanna-be ADV. Suspension is too long for asphalt which makes handling worse (not so precise). Also the bike is taller than it needs to be. The weight of Multi is some 30 kg more than sfv4. If you compare it to MultiV4 it is even 50 kg more. What you loose with SFV4 is to ability to take a passenger on your trips. If you put luggage on both bikes it is the same with both; they don't look as pretty.

What spring rate do you have in the shock and fork? Was it just plug and play for the fork cartridge?

I thought to put also my touring version.


I also use the Ventura Rear Rack. Soft bags (side) and tank bag are SW Motech . Now I have taken away the windscreen as it was only a turbulance generator.
Funny, I think there is less wind turbulance and wind in SFV4 than in my earlier Multistrada.

Ducatifan said:

What spring rate do you have in the shock and fork? Was it just plug and play for the fork cartridge?

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I'm sorry I don't know the spring rates. I gave the supplier my weight/type of riding and they made the decision. I'm very happy with the result, especially the fork. If you have rebuilt/removed fork internals before, then you should have no problem fitting the cartridges. Was not difficult.

Ducatifan said:

I thought to put also my touring version.

I also use the Ventura Rear Rack. Soft bags (side) and tank bag are SW Motech . Now I have taken away the windscreen as it was only a turbulance generator.
Funny, I think there is less wind turbulance and wind in SFV4 than in my earlier Multistrada.

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Interesting and good to see another rider expanding the capability of their SFV4. I believe in Europe such modifications are much more accepted than here in the US. I've kept bikes in Ö with my family for almost 30 years now for annual road trips. And that is where I got the inspiration to make my sport bikes more ergonomically and practically useful for touring duties. While riding around the Verdon Gorge in Southern France, we stopped in Castellane for lunch and that is where I saw many sport bikes with high superbike bars (LSL Kit). That was the inspiration that started my makeovers. Below is a photo of my K6 Gixxer and wife's Blade in Sardinia. High bars, top box, panniers, taller seat, shield etc...

If I couldn't make the Hepco-Becker C-Bow rack fit with my Ventura L-Arms, my backup was going to use the SW Motech Blaze panniers you have mounted.

Enjoy and happy riding.

Trippy. I say good job. I wonder how your SFV4 rides 2-up? Not the best looking, but...
+1 on the Multi's looks. Genuinely, "wtf."
If you can imagine I strapped my poor wife to the back of my Panigale and rode Stelvio.
She has recently started making demands for a Multistrada with every gizmo humanity can provide to soften the ride.
I used to dig the Multistrada riding it, NOT looking at it. IMHO, it's a fugly bike the Italian MNF shat out - looks like Nixon in profile.
I can't wrap my head around that aesthetic because it's such an unrelated ....... looking to the rest of the drop dead gorgeous line up.
I've since started having a hard time getting excited about riding it. Especially the V4.
The Desmosedici was a deep lust a decade before I bought it and would excuse most of its insane heat issues.
I have growing doubts and disinterests in a massive engine that is then de-tuned for civilizing,
adding to the list of wtf's. Ok, I get it, greater distance between maintenance. Philosophically speaking,
I don't know what's wrong with a nice light V2 with 'good-enough-horse power?' I'm not going to race a Multi. I'm going to adventure ride and tour and I want to do a wheelie now and then with a svelt 48 kilo girl on the back.
I'm now curious about alt-bikes like a Buddhist in front of half empty shot of tequila.

Your wife truly has guts sitting on the back, especially if you came up the East side of Stelvio. And I'll give you a huge nod as well for negotiating the hairpins two up on a sportbike braving the Edelweiss tour first-timers and HOG members coming the other way. I'm sure like myself, you've seen many a bike laying on their sides at the inside apex.

My wife, who is 5'2" with T-Rex arms, would stress with the tight Tornantis on her Blade, especially with a caravan coming the other way. I told her how much easier they were with a bit of leverage and sitting more upright. She finally relented and installed the same LSL superbike bar kit I have on my Gixxer and it was a game changer. Now, laughs all the way up the Gavia.

How are you getting your bikes around? Do you live in the EU or you fly them around?

wallycycle said:

Your wife truly has guts sitting on the back, especially if you came up the East side of Stelvio. And I'll give you a huge nod as well for negotiating the hairpins two up on a sportbike braving the Edelweiss tour first-timers and HOG members coming the other way. I'm sure like myself, you've seen many a bike laying on their sides at the inside apex.

My wife, who is 5'2" with T-Rex arms, would stress with the tight Tornantis on her Blade, especially with a caravan coming the other way. I told her how much easier they were with a bit of leverage and sitting more upright. She finally relented and installed the same LSL superbike bar kit I have on my Gixxer and it was a game changer. Now, laughs all the way up the Gavia.

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We keep bikes/gear with family in Austria and fly over a couple times every year for road trips

What I was wondering is how the big windscreen affects steering. With a big screen connected to handlebar you might have some instability. I noticed that in Monster with a small screen. Any experience?
I would test the bike without the screen. You might be surprised how little wind and wind noise there is. I know I did.

I think this thing youve made here is gorgeous man, very nicely done sir!

Ducatifan said:

What I was wondering is how the big windscreen affects steering. With a big screen connected to handlebar you might have some instability. I noticed that in Monster with a small screen. Any experience?
I would test the bike without the screen. You might be surprised how little wind and wind noise there is. I know I did.

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The screen does not affect the steering at all. It is attached to the bar very close to the center (steering stem). No issues with cross-winds either.

I did ride the bike without a screen and much prefer the experience with it mounted. I ride with a flip helmet (Shark Evoline-3) and temperature permitting, I like to ride with it open and visor down. At highway speeds, very little breeze in my face. Especially pleasant in hot temps.