The moment the Streetfighter V4’s engine comes to life, you get a sense of what’s going to happen next. The sound coming off the exhaust pipes was equal parts intimidating and soul-stirring. And I hadn’t even gotten into first gear!
The deep, angry tone when you blip the throttle still rings in my ears. And as you begin to roll off and feed in the revs, this engine switches on that mean streak within you. After this point, you’ve signed a pact with the Streetfighter V4 to engage in one of the most riveting motorcycling experiences you’ll ever encounter.
In Full power mode, the Streetfighter V4 is an insane animal. The acceleration, the eye-poppingly quick jump in the numbers on the speedo and the evocative sound coming off the exhaust culminates into a theatre that you’d keep buying tickets to.
I’m guilty of finding empty stretches of tarmac in the middle of the night and indulging in the wholesome, exciting and laugh-out-loud performance of this bike and consequently raking up a big fuel bill. The Streetfighter drinks when ridden in the manner it should. But, would you care about a few extra thousand spent on fuel in exchange for indelible memories?
For all that performance, I was impressed by the engine’s ability to manage commute duties with equal aplomb. Switching to Urban or Wet mode makes it rather simple to manage this mad motorcycle through city traffic. The throttle response is calmer, the bike isn’t intimidating and there’s no sign of protest from the big V4. You do feel the heat around your legs in choc-a-bloc traffic in the middle of a summer afternoon but full credit to the rear cylinder bank deactivation system and the heat management of the bike to cope with the ordeal.
It never shut off the engine even once and that’s commendable for an engine of this size and power. One, however, must be mindful to stick to fuel that’s 95 octane or above or else the V4 grumbles a lot.
While the engine deals with Indian road conditions impressively, the Ohlins suspension is like the cherry on top of the package. It is so easy to set up as per the road conditions and then the way it deals with bad roads would even put some Indian bikes to shame. At the same time, the suspension does a brilliant job of keeping the wheels planted on the road when you go around corners.
There’s a finesse in the Stretfighter’s chassis that allows riders of different skill levels to push the envelope of their potential. It is only possible because of the immense confidence that the bike’s handling provides. The traction control is seamless in its intervention, and the ride modes, wheelie control and other electronics have your back. Adding to this sense of reassurance are the superb Brembo Stylema brakes. The Streetfighter V4 has a ride and handling setup that is truly, par excellence.