My first motorcycle was an MV Agusta 350B, a fire engine red air cooled parallel twin that I bought used in 1974. "39 Times World Champion" said the sticker on the tank, proclaiming its pedigree racing heritage. I put saddle bags on it and rode it all over Europe, camping by the side of the road and riding all overAustria, France, Germany and England while clutching the tiny little clip on handlebars as I hunched over the long red fuel tank giving my young back a workout. I remember that bike so well I wanted a Thruxton with a similar youthful posture when I went out to buy my Triumph in 2007, but time has passed and i need to sit up straight these days if I want any chance at all in traffic situations that need an alert rider...
.Now I read on the Motociclismo website from Italy that Harley Davidson has spent 109 million dollars buying out the debt riddled MV Agusta, whose production lines had shut down in Vergara Italy (MV= Meccanica Vergara, Agusta, was the name of the Count Agusta who founded the helicopter and motorcycle company) and now HD is planning a new marketing strategy to get MV selling again in Europe and eventually the US.
.MV bought the Italian company Aermacchi (another aircraft/motorcycle company) in the 1970's and eventually gave it up and it became Cagiva. MV went bust and got recreated by a businessman with a passion and Cagiva got bought out a few years ago by...the new MV Agusta! I hate these corporate shenanigans- until the motorcycle company that was my first love gets a shot at a second resurrection.
.MV Agusta motorcycles are impractical fire engine red (still) road racing machines, uncomfortable, fast and horribly awkward to ride. They are lovely but not for me, I could never hang a pair of saddle bags off a Brutale, and yet I love to see them on the road or more likely in the dealers with a price tag that would allow me to buy two or three Bonnevilles. Peak Oil can wait, I have good news. MV- Campione del Mondo- lives again!
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