MV Agusta Report

I was fortunate to visit Agusta Westland Helicopters in Northern Italy last week. Had the opportunity to spend a few hours at their museum which had all the original GP race bikes ridden by Mike Hailwood, Phill Read, etc etc. These bikes all run and are ridden annually in a celebration of their history. I took a crap load of pictures which I will post as soon as I can get my photobucket account updated.

Did a bunch of exploration in the area of Laggo Garda and laggo Dorta, wishing I had my bike with me instead of the Fiat Panda rental car. If you get a chance, you need to check this area out!!!! I almost wore my camera out!:smile:

OK I have the pics uploaded into and album that you can view in its entirety here,
http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a94/jethro911/MV Agusta Malpensa Italy/

Here are a few highlights







I like this one with Agostinini in the background!

 

Thanks for sharing the photos. I really appreciate them as I have only seen photos in magazines and these are much better.

Too bad they cannot make motorcycles like that now, and just put lights on them.
Good steel frames and easy to work on.

The new sportbikes are a nightmare. Junky frames , no access to work on them , and bad design features.
Remember that last post about changing the thermostat in that VFR? Perfect example.

The HONDA design dept needs to to this museum and take a look at these bikes and see how simple and clean these bikes were.
Adding fuel injection would not be that difficult.
Disc brakes would not be a problem either.

 

Hondas of the day were simpler as well. But you also were riding bikes that put out 30 hp -- maybe. You also had to deal with carbs and points and tubes and stuff we have all mostly since forgotten about. The "good old days" were not all good. A lot about them sucked.

If you want a bike that is simple to work on today, but a Royal Enfield or a Ural. Both woefully underpowered compared to modern designs, but simpler to be sure. They also need to be worked on more often, because they aren't nearly reliable.

Having ridden a modern MV, I do have to say they are bliss. Without a doubt the nicest bike I have ever personally ridden, like riding a Rolex the way everything was artful and just worked together, and IMHO, the prettiest bike I have ever seen in real life. If only I were born rich instead of good looking! ;-)

 

You are wrong about the older racing HONDA's having 30 HP. Get your facts straight. The Honda 250 six cylinder had 62 HP at 18.000 rpm.
Go to: http://www.vf750fd.com/Joep_Kortekaas/1966.html#RC166
Points were no problem. But I am glad we have electronic ignition because the environment cannot support coming up with all that copper. And points wore out faster.
Electronic ignition good.
Disk brakes good.
Fuel injection good.
Plastic bad in the wrong applications.(like oil pump gears)

Young guys are afraid of carbs but they are as simple as fixing a toilet.

A typewriter is not complicated either. You just do not have any experience with them.

The Ducati 999 has all the features I am talking about and they are beautiful.
I have worked on them. Steel tubular frame too.

 

So, what you're saying is, it's not the "modern" bikes that have all the problems you listed that are a bitch to work on (yes, my 6th is a pain in the ass sometimes) but that the bike you want is out of the common motorcyclist's price range. It's there for you if you wanna pay to play!

 

wasn't talking about the racing bikes -- of course; but rather street bikes

 

I do not see a reason that HONDA cannot come out with a bike as exciting as the Ducati 999 but a little lower cost. Steel frame would be a lot cheaper than that aluminum frame.

I personally would not own a motorcycle with an aluminum frame.
Aluminum swing arm is ok. But not the frame.

 

MV Agusta really set the bar for performance back in the fifties and sixties as evidenced by their many many world championships. When I looked at the elegant cylinder head / valve train designs, shown via cutaway displays, it reminded me of the early (70's) honda valve trains maybe even better in terms of size and weight. Now I need to recognize that the engines on display here were racing power-plants not run of the mill production stuff. Maybe they were similar? I have no idea. The HP numbers for the 500 four stroke were in the high seventies although the fellow giving the tour was talking around 108. I feel that 100+ is unlikely and the sign in front of the bike told a different story. A few things remain undisputable, they won races and they still look good!

I was very fortunate to be a guest of the company and receive a personalized tour which I'm happy to share with everyone here. If you go to the photobucket album you will see some of their helicopter achievements as well. The company still operates in buildings built in the 20's with the interiors fully modernized. They really appreciate their history!

 

Jethro,

Thanks for posting your MV trip on photobucket. The older MVs are pure art,
unlike the silly looking sport bikes of today with their little wasp tails.

I also like the rounded front fairings, unlike the jagged ones we have today.

I missed buying a 750 Sport, with a fairing, by 30 minutes when someone beat me to the dealership.

The older MVs are pure gold, bringing in some high dollar bids when they go up for sale.