While the MV F4 is the most beautiful motorcycle ever built.. since day one I thought the cheesy looking footpegs and brackets had to go. Had been looking for a good looking pair of rear sets for the last 8 months.. Hated everything on the market for their “blocky” appearance or weird colors.. until I found these... Sato rearsets from Japan.

After a 5 week wait, they arrived Thursday. Got them on and have did a little riding and here’s my report. Install: Right side went on like budda in 5 minutes.. Shift side took about an hour, but mostly because you have to get the shift lever in the perfect corresponding position to the peg. Workmanship of the parts is first rate and the pics do NOT do them justice. Simply beautiful. Before I installed mine I measured the exact location of the factory pegs.. height, distance from engine, etc and figured I’d set the new “sets” to the stock position initially and then adjust from there as I got used to them..

While the inclosed instructions say that there is a corresponding stock position.. there really isn’t.. The closest the Sato kit gets to stock peg position is about 3/4" LOWER but at the same distance from the stock shifter..So be it... Another thing you notice is that due to the length of the furnished shift lever, the distance from the Sato peg to the actual toe piece will be increased by a full 1". To those with larger feet, this would be a plus.. but I wear size 8.5 shoes and I LIKE the short distance from the peg to shifter ratio. Hmmm

Road Test: Once I got them on and ready for a test.. a few buds came by and were practically drooling over them... they are THAT attractive. First ride revealed both good and bad... Shifting was as good as the factory set-up.. which is good, but as I feared.. the longer shift lever is NOT agreeable to my short feet. Simply is too long for me. Perhaps I could adapt.. but I doubt it. What a pisser! What to do??

I rode a little more hoping I’d feel better about it.. but I didn’t.. At this point.. I have two options. 1. Take them off and sell them.. which would mean putting those fugly factory pieces back on or... 2. an idea!... Use the rear sets WITHOUT the shift lever...Hmmmm

I took everything apart, removed the Sato shifter from the assembly carrier, re-installed everything and.. “vunderbah!”.. The best of both worlds..but at a hefty price. I now have the Sato pegs on but I am leaving the stock shift lever in place. I now have the look I was wanting and the toe/peg relationship is virtually the same once I loosed the shift end and tilted it down slightly to compensate for the 3/4" lower Sato position. The grip on the Sato pegs is so much better than ANY pegs I have ever used it’s almost grabby to the bottom of my boot.. A good thing, me thinks. Unlike the factory pegs, the Sato’s do NOT fold up which should also be a good thing should the bike ever go down.

The pegs are still adjustable to quite a few positions although without the shift lever, I can NOT use ˝ of them, but the bike feels better.. and looks like a million bucks.. as Crom intended.. Is this worth the $460 retail? Hmm.. would depend on how anal you are about the looks of the bike. Fortunately I didn’t face that dilemma as I didn’t pay retail so... I can sleep at night..

Bottom line.. if you have size 9 shoes or above.. the Sato rearsets might actually feel better than the stock set-up.. if you have smaller feet.. I’d pass...

And that’s all I’ve got to say about that..

I have a few more pics posted in our photo gallery at http://community.webshots.com/user/pirate0007

-- Pirate (Pirate@acelink.net), October 09, 2004

Answers

I've been kicking around purchasing these rearsets as well. How is it that you were able to obtain them for less than retail?

-- Tom Solimine (Tsolimine@amph.com), October 13, 2004.

Becuase we are in the biz.. We design and manufacture accessories for many bikes including the MV F4... www.PiratesLair.net

one of the perks of the biz.. get almost everything (except tires) at dealer cost..

-- Pirate (Pirate@acelink.net), October 13, 2004.

I'm thinking that in order to sell more rearsets a review other than from someone who retails them should be written. See some to me for dealer cost + 10% and I'll gladly write them up.

-- Tom Solimine (TSolimine@amph.com), October 13, 2004.

Tom... I'm a rider first.. vendor second...We make all our $$ off BMW goodies..Our MV section probably brings in 2%.. I do it for fun.

My review was honest as am I.. I pointed out the good and bad..but thanks for the offer ...

-- Pirate (Pirate@acelink.net), October 13, 2004.