Editing MV Agusta

[[File:MV Agusta logo.svg|100px|thumb|right]]
'''MV Agusta''' is a [[motorcycle]] manufacturer founded in 1945 near Milan in Cascina Costa, Italy. The company began as an offshoot of the Agusta aviation company which was formed by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923. The Count died in 1927, leaving the company in the hands of his wife and sons, Domenico, Vincenzo, Mario and Corrado. Count Vincenzo Agusta together with his brother Domenico formed MV Agusta (the MV stood for Meccanica Verghera) at the end of the Second World War as a means to save the jobs of employees of the Agusta firm and also to fill the post-war need for cheap, efficient transportation. The company manufactured small-displacement, [[Café racer]] style motorcycles (mostly 125 to 150&nbsp;cc) through the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1960s small motorcycle sales declined, and MV started producing larger displacement cycles in more limited quantities. A 250&nbsp;cc, and later a  350&nbsp;cc twin were produced, and a 600&nbsp;cc four-cylinder evolved into a 750&nbsp;cc which is still extremely valuable today.

==History==
[[Image:54-mv-175-cstl.jpg|thumb|left|1954 MV Agusta CSTL 175 Turismo Lusso]]
[[Image:750 America.JPG|thumb|right|750 America]]
[[Image:Agostini, Giacomo 1976-08-28.jpg|thumb|right|Giacomo Agostini on the MV Agusta 350 Four Cylinder]]
Count Vincenzo and Domenico Agusta had a passion for mechanical workings and for motorcycle racing. Much like Enzo Ferrari, they produced and sold motorcycles almost exclusively to fund their racing efforts. They were determined to have the best [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing]] team in the world and spared no expense on their passion. MV Agusta produced their first prototype, called "Vespa 98", in 1945. After learning that the name had already been registered by [[Piaggio]] for its [[Vespa]] [[motorscooter]], it was referred to simply by the number “98”. In 1948, the company built a 125&nbsp;cc [[two-stroke]] single and entered Franco Bertoni in the Italian Grand Prix. Bertoni won the event held in Monza and instantly put the new motorcycle manufacturer on the map.

In [[1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1949 season]], the 125&nbsp;cc or Ultra light weight class gained new prestige. More motorcycle manufacturers were competing in the inaugural World Championships that were held in Switzerland, Holland and Italy. The [[Mondial (motorcycle manufacturer)|Mondial]] 125&nbsp;cc DOHC design dominated the 1949 season. The MV riders placed 9th and 10th in the final standings. In 1950, Arturo Magni and Piero Remor joined the company after working with Gilera. Magni was the chief mechanic and Remor was chief designer <ref>MV Agusta All production road and racing motorcycles. Mick Walker. Osprey Publishing Limited</ref>. The [[1950 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1950 season]] and [[1951 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1951 season]] were development years, as the company adopted the [[MV Agusta 125 Sohc|125 Dohc]] [[four-stroke]] engine. Racing efforts only produced a fifth place finish at the [[Dutch TT]] in 1950. The 1951, results were only slightly better.
[[Image:1951 125cc Racing engine.JPG|thumb|left|MV Racing engine 125&nbsp;cc]]
The [[1952 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1952 season]] saw the introduction of telescopic forks, full width alloy brake hubs and a sleek fuel tank on the 125 race bike. Power was 15bhp @ 10800&nbsp;rpm. Britain's [[Cecil Sandford]] piloted the new MV 125 to a [[1952 Isle of Man TT]] victory and went on to win MV Agusta's first [[List of Grand Prix motorcycle racing World champions|world championship]]. 

With the success of the 1952 season, independent or “privateer” riders could now purchase a “catalog” version of the 125 Dohc, now available through the company.  The [[MV Agusta 125 Sohc|Sport Competizione]] racer had many of the same features as the factory bike. These included a multi-plate clutch, gear-driven oil pump, Dell'Orto 27mm SS1 carburetor and remote [[float chamber]]. The bike was nick-named “The Boy Racer”. In [[1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1953]] the race engineers adopted the [[Earl-type forks]] to help with handling problems on the [[works racers]]. The 1953 season saw the introduction of the 350 Four.  MV’s racing efforts now included the 500&nbsp;cc, 350&nbsp;cc and 125&nbsp;cc class.

The mid 1950s saw the introduction of the 175&nbsp;cc class. MV Agusta produced the 175 CSS for street use and also developed a 175&nbsp;cc production racer for privateer racing. The 175&nbsp;cc was very popular in Britain in the mid 1950s.  Racers like, Micheal O’Rourke, [[Derek Minter]] and Bob Keeler raced the 175 and 125 Sport Competizione around Europe with a great deal of success. The marketing strategy of “race it on Sunday , sell it on Monday” was employed. For racing, early MV racing engines had the right side casting removed for instant access to the gear box.

After the [[1957 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season]], the Italian motorcycle manufacturers [[Gilera]], [[Moto Guzzi]] and [[Mondial (motorcycle manufacturer)|Mondial]], jointly agreed to withdraw from Grand Prix competition, citing escalating costs and diminishing motorcycle sales as a reason. Count Agusta originally agreed to withdraw, but then had second thoughts. MV Agusta would go on to dominate Grand Prix racing, winning 17 consecutive [[List of Grand Prix motorcycle racing World champions|500 cc world championships]]. Count Agusta's competitive nature usually saw him hire some of the best riders of the time, namely [[Carlo Ubbiali]], [[John Surtees]], [[Mike Hailwood]], [[Giacomo Agostini]], [[Phil Read]], among others, and having the best engineers, most notably Arturo Magni. The three and four cylinder race bikes were known for their excellent road handling. The fire-engine red racing machines became a hallmark of Grand Prix racing in the 1960s and early 1970s. 

With the death of Count Domenico Agusta in 1971, the company lost its guiding force. The company won their last Grand Prix in [[1976 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1976]], and by the [[1980 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season]], they were out of racing. Shortly thereafter, they ceased motorcycle production. Between 1948 and 1976 MV Agusta motorcycles had won over 3000 races and 63 World Championships overall. After MV Agusta left the racing scene in 1980, Magni began producing his own custom-framed MV motorcycles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/motorcycle-reviews/2008-01-01/Magni-861.aspx|title=Magni 861: The bike MV Agusta Should Have Built|publisher=Motorcycle Classics|accessdate=2009-08-10|date=January/February 2008|author=Neale Bayly}}</ref>

==Resurrected by Cagiva==
[[Image:1998 Oro.JPG|thumb|left|F4 750 Oro]]
[[Cagiva]] purchased the MV Agusta name trademarks in 1991. In 1997, it introduced the first new MV Agusta motorcycle. The new bikes were four-cylinder 750&nbsp;cc sports machines ([[MV Agusta F4 series|the F4 range]]), which included a series of limited production run models, such as the all black paint work SPR model ("Special Production Racing") which was featured in the movie ''I, Robot'' and in 2004, they introduced their first 1000&nbsp;cc bike. 2004 marked the end of production for the 750 sports machines, with a limited production of 300 SR (Special Racing) model in the traditional red and silver livery.

MV Agusta also made a limited number of F4 750&nbsp;cc and F4 1000&nbsp;cc Senna editions in memory of the late Formula One Champion [[Ayrton Senna]], an avid Ducati and MV Agusta collector, in aid of the Instituto Ayrton Senna, his charity foundation in Brazil for children and young people. Three hundred models of each were made in the early 2000s.

They also produce a range of 750 and 910 [[naked bike]]s called the [[MV Agusta Brutale series|Brutale]]. Production is limited, as it is the policy of the company to produce an elite machine similar to Ferrari in motor cars.  They do not compete directly with Japanese manufacturers, whose motorcycles typically sell for considerably less than the cost of an MV Agusta. Rather they compete with other Italian models such as [[Ducati]] sports bikes the [[Ducati 996|996]], [[Ducati 998|998]], [[Ducati 999|999]], [[Ducati 1098|1098]], and the naked [[Ducati Monster|Monster]]. In 2005, MV Agusta introduced the Tamburini 1000, which is named after its creator, [[Massimo Tamburini]], who previously worked for [[Moto Guzzi]], and most recently Ducati.  [[Cycle World]] and Australian Motorcycle News magazine named it the best [[sportbike]] in the world. Tamburini designed the Ducati 916 sports bike (predecessor of the 748 and 996 series) which marked the return of Ducati as a successful motorcycle manufacturer over the last decade. The MV Agusta F4 refined the innovative design of the 916. In recent publications, the MV Agusta has been highly praised as one of the best handling motorcycles ever created and the 2008 F4 312R model is known to be the world's fastest production motorcycle. Claimed power of the new F4 312R model is 183hp. In 1999 the Cagiva group was restructured for strategic purposes and MV Agusta become the main brand comprising Cagiva and Husqvarna.

== MV Agusta's resurgence ==
Heavily indebted, the manufacturer was bought by Malaysian car maker Proton in December 2004 for €70 million. In December 2005 however, Proton decided to cut its ties with MV Agusta and sold it to GEVI SpA, a Genoa-based financing company related to Carige, for a token euro excluding debt. In 2006 that financing company, GEVI SpA, with 65% of the share capital, had refinanced MV Agusta, and by so doing allowed the company to continue, and brought MV Agusta ownership back to Italy.

In July 2007, MV Agusta Motor S.p.A, sold the [[Husqvarna Motorcycles|Husqvarna]] motorcycle brand to [[BMW]] for an undisclosed amount.<ref name="hsale">[http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=29685 BMW Buys Husqvarna From MV Agusta] roadracingworld.com retrieved on September 30, 2007</ref> According to MV Agusta president [[Claudio Castiglioni]], the sale was a strategic step to concentrate all of the company's resources in order to expand MV Agusta and [[Cagiva]] presence in the international markets having more financial resources for new models development.<ref name="hsale"/>

Following years of stalled ownership, the Guggenheim's "Art of the Motorcycle" icon, the F4 model, was ready for a refresh but the financial status of the company did not allow it. On July 11, 2008, [[Harley-Davidson]] announced they had signed a definitive agreement to acquire the MV Agusta Group for US$109 million (€70M).  The purchase  raised hopes for a new direction for the company.<ref name="SuperbikePlanet.com July 11">{{cite news | url=http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Jul/080711b.htm | title=Harley-Davidson Acquires Both MV Agusta & Cagiva! | publisher=SuperbikePlanet.com| accessdate=2008-07-11 }}</ref><ref name="Harley-Davidson.com July 11"> {{cite news | url=http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/HD_News/Company/newsarticle.jsp?locale=en_US&articleLink=News/0292_press_release.hdnews&newsYear=2008&history=news | title=Harley-Davidson to acquire Mv Agusta Group expanding presence in Europe | publisher=Harley-Davidson.com| accessdate=2008-07-11 }}</ref> 
The acquisition was completed on August 8, 2008.<ref>[http://www.motorcycledaily.com/080808pressrelease1.htm Harley-Davidson Completes Acquisition of MV Agusta]</ref>

On October 15, 2009, Harley-Davidson announced that it would divest its interest in MV Agusta.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Harley drops two lines, income plummets |first=Rick |last=Barrett |newspaper=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]] |issn=1082-8850 |location=Milwaukee, Wisconsin |date=15 October 2009 |url=http://www.jsonline.com/business/64352232.html }}</ref>

MV Agusta announce that for the first three months of 2010 bike sales went up 50%<ref>http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/2010_MV_Agusta_Sales_Results_Increase</ref>

==Return to racing==
[[Image:2003 MV Agusta Daytona Podium.jpg|thumb|left|Daytona International Podium, MV Agusta F4]]
Although there were no factory racing efforts, independent (”privateer”) teams were racing the F4 750. In 2003, Big Show Racing, Chicago Illinois; fielded an F4 750 in the Formula USA, [[Daytona International Speedway]] 200&nbsp;Mile Team Challenge. The team placed second overall with riders Larry Denning and Aaron Risinger piloting the bike.<ref>Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology Magazine. December 2003 Vol. 13 #12</ref>

In May 2007, the company confirmed its return to racing in the 2008 [[Superbike World Championship]]. [[Carl Fogarty]]'s English based Team Foggy Racing was going to run the team.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/6613129.stm|publisher=BBC SPORT|title=Fogarty team confirms 2008 return | date=May 2, 2007 | accessdate=May 19, 2010}}</ref> Fogarty however abandoned the plans to return to the Superbike World Championship because of lack of sponsorship.<ref name="scraped">[http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~5~id~155056.htm Foggy Racing scraps WSBK return.] crash.net retrieved 0n September 30, 2007</ref>

MV Agusta's racing program in 2008 competed in the Italian Superbike Championship.  Luca Scassa won the Italian Superbike Championship on a MV Agusta factory backed effort from the racing department in Schiranna, Varese Italy.<ref name="racing2008">{{cite web|url=http://www.mvagusta.com/_vti_g2_nwArt.aspx?idnews=662&rpstry=26_|title=MV Austa racing program for the 2008 season|publisher=mvagusta.com|accessdate=2008-03-27}}</ref>

==Production models 1946–1980==
[[Image:1952 150 Turismo.JPG|thumb|right|1952 150&nbsp;cc Turismo]]
[[Image:1953-MV-Agusta-125.jpg|right|thumb|1953 MV Agusta 125]]
[[Image:1954-MV-Agusta-125TR.jpg|right|thumb|1954 MV Agusta 125TR]]

*  98 cc  1946–1949
*  125 Twin  1947
*  125 3-Speed 1948–1949
*  125 TEL 1949–1954
*  125 CSL Scooter 1949–1951
[[Image:1956 Pullman 125cc.JPG|thumb|right|1956 Pullman 125&nbsp;cc]]
[[Image:1956-MV-Agusta-175CS-Disco-Volante.jpg|right|thumb|1956 MV Agusta 175CS Disco Volante]]
[[Image:1961-MV-Agusta-350.jpg|right|thumb|1961 MV Agusta 350]]
[[Image:1968-MV-Agusta-600.jpg|right|thumb|1968 MV Agusta 600]]
[[Image:1975-MV-Agusta-750S-America.jpg|right|thumb|1975 MV Agusta 750S America]]
*  250 1947–1951
*  125 Motore Lungo 1950–1953
*  125  CGT Scooter  1950–1952
*  500 Turismo  1950
*  Ovunque Scooter  1951–1954
*  150 1952–1953
*  175 CS  1953–1959
*  Pullman 1953-1956
*  125 Turismo Rapido 1954–1958
*  48 Moped 1955–1959


*  Superpullman 1955–1957
*  300 Twin 1955
*  Raid 250 cc and 300 cc 1956–1962
*  Ottantatre  83 cc 1958–1960
*  175 A B 1958-1959
*  125 TREL.  Centomila 1959–1963
*  150 4T 1959–1970
*  Chicco Scooter 1960–1964
*  Tevere 235  1959–1960
*  Checca ( 83 cc, 99 cc, 125cc ) 1960–1969
*  Liberty 50 cc  1962–1969

*  Germano 50 cc 1964–1968
*   Arno 166 GT  1964–1965
*  125 GT-GTL  1964–1973
*  125 Regolarita 1965–1970
*  250 Twin 1966–1971
*  Four Cylinder series 1965–1980
*  600 tourer
*  750 GT
*  750SS
*  750 Sport (drum brake) 1972–1974
*  750 Sport (Disc brake) 1974
*  750 Sport America 1975–1978
*  850SS
* [[MV Agusta 350B Sport]] 1970–1974
*  350 Ipotesi 1975–1980
*  125 Sport 1975–1980

==Race models 1946–1976==
[[Image:Yta.jpg|thumb|right|MV Agusta]]
* 98/125 Two Stroke 1946–1949
* 125 Twin-Cam 1950–1960
* 500 cc Shaft Drive Four
* [[MV Agusta 125 Sohc]] 1953–1956
*  175 Twin-Cam 1955–1958
*  250 Single 1955–1959
*  350 Twin 1957
*  250 Twin 1959–1966
[[Image:500 4 yt.jpg|thumb|right|500 cc Four]]

*  500 cc Six Cylinder  1957–1958
*  125 Disc Valve 1965
*  350 cc Three Cylinder 1965–1973
*  [[MV Agusta 500 Three]] 1966–1974
*  350 cc Six Cylinder 1969
*  350 cc Four Cylinder 1971–1976
*  500 cc Four Cylinder 1973–1976

==Models 1998 to 2009 - ==


[[Image:1999-MV-Agusta-F4.jpg|right|thumb|1999 MV Agusta F4]]

[[Image:2002-MV-Agusta-F4S-1+1.jpg|right|thumb|2002 MV Agusta F4S 1+1]]
[[Image:2002-MV-Agusta-F4-SPR.jpg|right|thumb|2002 MV Agusta F4 SPR]]
[[Image:2002-MV-Agusta-F4-Strada.jpg|right|thumb|2002 MV Agusta F4 Strada]]
[[Image:2004-MV-Agusta-F4-1000-Tamburini.jpg|right|thumb|2004 MV Agusta F4-1000 Tamburini]]
[[Image:2004-MV-Agusta-F4-1000.jpg|right|thumb|2004 MV Agusta F4-1000]]
[[Image:2004-MV-Agusta-Brutale-S.jpg|right|thumb|2004 MV Agusta Brutale S]]
'''[[MV Agusta Brutale series|Brutale]]'''
* Brutale 1078 RR
* Brutale 989 R
* Brutale 910 R	
* Brutale 910 S	
* Brutale 750S 	

'''[[MV Agusta F4 series|F4]]'''
	
*F4 1078 RR 312
* [[MV Agusta F4 series#F4_1000_R|F4 1000 R / R 1+1]]
*F4 1000 R 312	
* [[MV Agusta F4 series#F4 750 S|F4 750 S / 1+1]]
* [[MV Agusta F4 series#F4 1000 S|F4 1000 S / 1+1]]
	
'''Limited Editions'''
* F4CC - Claudio Castiglioni]	
* [[MV Agusta F4 series#F4 Tamburini|F4 Tamburini]]
* [[MV Agusta F4 series#F4 Senna|F4 Senna]]
* [[MV Agusta F4 series#F4 1000 Senna|F4 1000 Senna]]	
* [[MV Agusta F4 series#F4 1000 Veltro|F4 1000 Veltro]]
* [[MV Agusta F4 series#F4 750 SPR and SR|F4 SPR]]
* [[MV Agusta F4 series#F4 AGO|F4 AGO]] 	
* [[MV Agusta F4 series#F4 Mamba|F4 Mamba]] 	
* [[MV Agusta F4 series#F4 Corse|F4 Corse]] 	
* Brutale ORO
* Brutale America	
* Brutale Gladio 	
* Brutale Corse 
* Brutale Italia
* Brutale Starfighter	

A limited production edition of the F4 1000 R known as the F4 CC, named after Claudio Castiglioni (the managing director of MV Agusta), is the most expensive production motorcycle with a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $120,000 USD.



==External links==
*[http://www.mvagusta.it/ MV Agusta official website]





==See Also==
*[[Cagiva]]
*[[Husqvarna]]
*[[Harley-Davidson]]
*[[:Category:MV Agusta motorcycles]]
*[[List of MV Agusta motorcycles]]

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

[[Category:Motorcycle manufacturers]]
[[Category:Italian motorcycles]]
[[Category:Harley-Davidson]]
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	[[File:MV Agusta logo.svg\|100px\|right]]		[[File:MV Agusta logo.svg\|100px\|thumb\|right]]
	'''MV Agusta''' is a [[motorcycle]] manufacturer founded in 1945 near Milan in Cascina Costa, Italy. The company began as an offshoot of the Agusta aviation company which was formed by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923. The Count died in 1927, leaving the company in the hands of his wife and sons, Domenico, Vincenzo, Mario and Corrado. Count Vincenzo Agusta together with his brother Domenico formed MV Agusta (the MV stood for Meccanica Verghera) at the end of the Second World War as a means to save the jobs of employees of the Agusta firm and also to fill the post-war need for cheap, efficient transportation. The company manufactured small-displacement, [[Café racer]] style motorcycles (mostly 125 to 150 cc) through the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1960s small motorcycle sales declined, and MV started producing larger displacement cycles in more limited quantities. A 250 cc, and later a 350 cc twin were produced, and a 600 cc four-cylinder evolved into a 750 cc which is still extremely valuable today.		'''MV Agusta''' is a [[motorcycle]] manufacturer founded in 1945 near Milan in Cascina Costa, Italy. The company began as an offshoot of the Agusta aviation company which was formed by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923. The Count died in 1927, leaving the company in the hands of his wife and sons, Domenico, Vincenzo, Mario and Corrado. Count Vincenzo Agusta together with his brother Domenico formed MV Agusta (the MV stood for Meccanica Verghera) at the end of the Second World War as a means to save the jobs of employees of the Agusta firm and also to fill the post-war need for cheap, efficient transportation. The company manufactured small-displacement, [[Café racer]] style motorcycles (mostly 125 to 150 cc) through the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1960s small motorcycle sales declined, and MV started producing larger displacement cycles in more limited quantities. A 250 cc, and later a 350 cc twin were produced, and a 600 cc four-cylinder evolved into a 750 cc which is still extremely valuable today.