MV Agusta
Brand DNA
"Motorcycle Art" — that's the official tagline, and for once, it's not empty marketing. MV Agusta is the most decorated brand in Grand Prix motorcycle racing history — 270 wins, 75 world titles — reborn as a maker of exceptional sportbikes and naked machines. Every motorcycle is assembled in Varese, on the shores of the lake, at a factory that produces barely 4,000 units per year. The counter-rotating crankshaft inline triple is the brand's sonic and technical signature. The design is obsessive, the finish meticulous, the entry price steep. MV Agusta doesn't aim to sell to everyone: it aims to thrill those who understand that a motorcycle can be art.
Key features
Pros and cons
Pros
- Unmatched racing heritage: 270 GP wins, 75 world titles, the most decorated brand in history
- Exceptional design, consistently ranked among the most beautiful motorcycles on the market
- Counter-rotating crankshaft inline triple: unique sound and character
- Artisanal production in Varese, Italy: every motorcycle is carefully hand-assembled
- Limited editions and special series that maintain exclusivity and collector value
- Advanced onboard electronics (traction control, launch control, quickshifter)
Cons
- Very high purchase price, among the most expensive in its segments
- Maintenance costs well above average, with short service intervals
- Reliability historically below Japanese standards, though recent improvements are notable
- Very limited dealer network (approximately 220 worldwide)
- Chronic ownership instability (multiple changes of hands since the 2000s)
History
How did MV Agusta begin?
MV Agusta’s story begins in the sky before it ever hit tarmac. In 1907, Count Giovanni Agusta, a Sicilian aristocrat with a passion for flight, founded an aeronautics company in northern Italy, near what is now Malpensa airport. The business thrived on military contracts through both World Wars. But in 1945, post-war Italy banned aircraft production. Count Domenico Agusta, Giovanni’s son, had to reinvent the family business.
On January 19, 1945, Domenico founded Meccanica Verghera S.r.l. in Cascina Costa, near Varese. MV stands for Meccanica Verghera, named after the hamlet where the factory was based. The first prototype, the MV 98 — a modest 98cc two-stroke barely more sophisticated than a motorized bicycle — was shown to the press in October 1945 in Milan. Humble beginnings, but the seed of a legend was planted.
How did MV Agusta become the queen of Grand Prix racing?
Domenico Agusta wasn’t content just selling small utility bikes. Obsessed with competition, he invested heavily in racing from 1947, when Franco Bertoni scored the brand’s first victory at Carate Brianza. In 1950, the Count poached engineer Piero Remor (from Gilera) and chief mechanic Arturo Magni: together, they built MV Agusta’s first 500cc four-cylinder racer.
In 1952, MV Agusta won its first world championship in the 125cc class. This marked the start of a reign lasting over two decades. After the joint withdrawal of Gilera, Moto Guzzi, and Mondial in 1957, MV Agusta stood virtually alone on the grid — and proceeded to stack titles. The brand would claim 17 consecutive 500cc world championships, a record that has never been matched.
The final tally is staggering: 270 Grand Prix wins, 38 World Riders’ Championships, 37 Constructors’ Championships. The red-and-silver machines became the absolute icons of circuit racing. Legendary riders like Carlo Ubbiali, John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Phil Read, and above all Giacomo Agostini wrote history aboard MVs. Agostini alone won 13 of his 15 world titles on MV Agusta, including seven consecutive 500cc crowns (1966-1972). In 1955, the Count acquired a Bell Helicopter production license, injecting cutting-edge aerospace technology into the motorcycle department: MV race bikes were then machined using the same techniques as military helicopters.
Why did MV Agusta disappear?
The death of Count Domenico Agusta in 1971 robbed the company of its driving force. His nephew, Count Corrado “Rocky” Agusta, took over but lacked the same authority. Giacomo Agostini’s defection to Yamaha in 1974 symbolized the end of an era: Japanese two-strokes had made MV’s four-stroke racers obsolete. The last Grand Prix victory came in August 1976 at the Nurburgring.
Crushed by financial difficulties, MV Agusta ceased motorcycle production in 1980. The last machines left the Cascina Costa warehouses. A chapter closed: the most decorated brand in motorcycle racing history went silent.
How did the F4 resurrect MV Agusta?
The revival has a name: Castiglioni. In 1992, Claudio Castiglioni, head of the Cagiva group (which also owned Ducati at the time), purchased the dormant MV Agusta brand. He tasked Massimo Tamburini — the brilliant designer behind the Ducati 916 — with creating the motorcycle that would bring MV Agusta back to life.
The result was unveiled at the Milan Motorcycle Show in September 1997: the MV Agusta F4 750 Serie Oro. The motorcycle world was stunned. An inline four-cylinder engine with radial valves (with DNA traced to Ferrari Formula 1 technology), trellis frame, single-sided swingarm, four under-seat exhaust pipes, red-and-silver livery: the F4 was immediately regarded as one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever made. It would be displayed at the Guggenheim Museum’s “Art of the Motorcycle” exhibition. Series production began in 1999, and the brand was truly reborn.
MV Agusta today
Since its resurrection, MV Agusta has weathered numerous financial storms and ownership changes: Harley-Davidson (2008-2010), return to the Castiglioni family, a partnership with Mercedes-AMG, then acquisition by Timur Sardarov (via ComSar Invest) in 2017, with full control by 2019. In 2022, KTM acquired 25.1% of the company, increasing to 50.1% in 2024. But KTM’s own financial crisis in late 2024 triggered a reversal: in January 2025, the Sardarov family (via Art of Mobility S.A.) regained full control of MV Agusta. The transaction was completed in July 2025.
Today, MV Agusta builds approximately 4,000 motorcycles per year (up 116% in 2024 versus 2023), exclusively at its Schiranna factory in Varese, on the shores of the lake. The range centers on the 800cc inline triple (F3, Brutale, Dragster, Superveloce) and the 1000cc inline four (Brutale 1000, Rush, Superveloce 1000). In 2025, MV Agusta is celebrating its 80th anniversary with the Ottantesimo Collection (six limited-edition models, 500 units each) and unveiled a five-cylinder engine concept at EICMA. The brand is also exploring the adventure segment with the Enduro Veloce.
The tagline “Motorcycle Art” is not mere marketing: every MV Agusta remains a piece of Italian engineering, hand-assembled, to the sound of a triple that sounds like nothing else on the road.
In summary
MV Agusta is the Ferrari of motorcycles. Born from aviation, forged by racing (270 GP wins, 75 world titles), dead in 1980, resurrected by the F4 in 1997, tossed between owners yet still standing in Varese. It’s a brand that makes few bikes, charges a lot, and demands expensive maintenance — but in return delivers character, sound, and design that nobody else can match. If you’re looking for a motorcycle that rides like a work of art, you’re in the right place.
Iconic models
MV Agusta F4 (1999-2018)
The motorcycle that resurrected MV Agusta. Designed by Massimo Tamburini (creator of the Ducati 916) and unveiled in 1997, the F4 is considered one of the most beautiful sportbikes ever produced. Its inline four-cylinder engine with radial valves, inspired by Ferrari Formula 1 technology, produced 126 hp in the original 750 Serie Oro, rising to 212 hp in the final 1078cc iteration. Single-sided swingarm, trellis frame, four under-seat exhaust pipes, and red-and-silver livery: everything about this motorcycle exudes exclusivity. The F4 was displayed at New York’s Guggenheim Museum as part of the celebrated ‘Art of the Motorcycle’ exhibition, and it will forever symbolize MV Agusta’s rebirth. Only 300 Serie Oro units were produced, all pre-sold before they left the factory.
MV Agusta Brutale (since 2001)
The naked version of the F4, stripped of its fairings to reveal the mechanical beauty beneath. The Brutale made MV Agusta relatively more accessible by offering the engine’s character in a more versatile, everyday-friendly package. Available in 675, 800, and 1000cc versions over the years, it remains the heart of the range and the best-selling model in the lineup. The Brutale 1000 RR, with its 208 hp four-cylinder engine, stands among the most powerful naked bikes on the market. The model also spawned special editions like the Brutale Serie Oro, unveiled at EICMA 2025.
MV Agusta Superveloce (since 2020)
MV Agusta’s neo-retro sportbike and arguably the most emotionally charged model in the current catalog. With its half-fairing evoking the red-and-silver race machines of the 1970s, the Superveloce marries the brand’s aesthetic heritage with the modern 800cc triple platform. It’s also available in a 1000cc version and in special Ago editions — first limited to 311 units, then 83 (matching Agostini’s age) — honoring the legendary Giacomo Agostini. The round taillight, sculpted tank, and flowing lines make it an instant classic.
MV Agusta F3 (since 2012)
The mid-displacement sportbike that introduced the 675cc, then 800cc inline triple to the range. More compact and lighter than the F4, the F3 proved MV Agusta could build a supersport that was both genuinely high-performance and usable on a daily basis. Its counter-rotating crankshaft engine (spinning opposite to the wheels, reducing gyroscopic effects for sharper handling) became the technical signature of the entire modern MV range. The F3 RR remains one of the sharpest middleweights in production.
MV Agusta Dragster (since 2014)
The radical streetfighter of the lineup. Low clip-on bars, minimal overhang, massive rear tire: the Dragster is visually the most aggressive MV Agusta. Based on the same platform as the Brutale 800, it pushes the muscular naked concept to its extreme. The Dragster RR with Ohlins forks and Brembo brakes delivers race-grade equipment in a street-legal package. It also features MV’s SCS (Smart Clutch System), allowing clutchless stop-and-go riding in traffic.