Motobecane Vent Noir?

I rode all last year with a friend who had a Vent Noir he bought new at BD. He rode the [censored] out of it and did virtually no maintenance and never had a problem. Of course he was a 60+ year old recreational rider so he did not exactly stress the bike with awesome power and wattage.

I am just now selling my Vent Noir (60 cm).
Just upgraded to a full Carbon Specialized Roubaix. I would certainly recommend this bike, if you want to save some money and get a "starter" bike.

Yes, you get better components for less money. The bike ride well. I would suggest that you compare this bike to something like a Specialized Allez. Ride the Allez, and then another bike with the same shifters as the Vent Noir. That to me is the biggest difference.
Also know that many bike shops include a free fitting. This is most important no matter which bike you purchase. A good fit makes the ride more comfortable.

Finally, I rode over 4,000 miles on the bike and still love it. Many friends ride Motobecane and they are not inferior except maybe in comfort. Bike Direct tends to sell their bikes with better components, but often those are not truly comparable based on the year the Shifters etc were manufactured.

You won't go wrong, but ride other bikes in the same price range.