Story and photos: Gaven Dall’Osto
1927 witnessed the maiden flight of Count Giovanni Agusta’s Ag2 monoplane which was reportedly the first “sport” aircraft designed and built in Italy. Unfortunately he passed away later that year leaving the family to run Construzione Aeronautiche Giovanni Agusta.
The arrival of WW2 saw Italy side with Germany and the factory contributing to the war effort. Nearing the war’s end, the eldest son Domenico, considered the main force behind the business, foresaw an unfavourable outcome and secretly planned to build an affordable motorcycle to keep the factory and staff going post-war. His vision was correct as Italy’s punishment forbade them from producing any aircraft. On the 12th of February 1945 he formed Mechanica Veghera Agusta (MV Agusta) and the MV98 was born (see OBA 87).
It wasn’t long before the MV98 was updated to a 98 Sport just like his Dad did in 1927. This pattern was repeated on most subsequent MV models. Domenico was competitive and believed in racing as the ultimate sales tool. In 1948 Franco Bertoni won the Italian Grand Prix in Monza on the first 125cc MV race prototype, initiating the quest for MV’s racing supremacy. A 125S (Sport) road version followed in true MV fashion.
MV Design Foundations
This new model set MV’s design cues which carried through well into the ‘70s. The new frame introduced a two-piece pressed, fully welded hollow boomerang shaped section to each side. It began at the rear engine bracket and ended 125mm behind the damper mount where it supported the rear mudguard via a spacer, providing a bonus centre stand lift handle. A decal on top of the fuel tank celebrated their recent championship win. The label grew longer every year as their championship tally increased. A new model code included the engine’s cubic capacity as a prefix followed by abbreviations T for Turismo (Touring), L for Lusso (Luxury) and S for Sport. Engine and gearbox specifics included 2T for 2 tempo (2 stroke), 4T for 4 tempo (4 stroke), 3V for 3 Velocita (3 speed) and 4V or 5V as applicable.
When the ‘up to 125cc’ government licence and registration fee exemption was removed in 1951 manufacturers moved to larger capacities. The trend began favouring 4 stroke engines as it was realised that while dearer to make, they delivered superior economy, needed less maintenance and gave a longer service life. 4 stroke Mondials were also dominating racing. At the November 1952 Milan Show MV wasn’t alone in unveiling a new 175cc 4 stroke machine. The MV however was unique in adopting a chain drive overhead cam, identified by a ‘C’ prefix to denote the (Cammes) models. On display was a 175CST (Turismo) with a single saddle seat and a 175 CSTL (Turismo Lusso) with a dual seat. The 175 was MVA’s second attempt at mass production after the original 98. It was acclaimed as technically advanced and was well accepted with 25,564 produced.
MV175 Commuter
The crankcase was a highly polished aluminium teardrop shape with a vertically split central section and removable side covers. The front of the central crankcase carried a series of vertical cooling fins like the 125, becoming another MV design cue which carried through to the final 4-cylinder beasts. These fins ooze the Italian sophistication of the pintucks on the shirt worn under a tuxedo. Inside the crankcase was a four-speed gearbox. On top of the case was a convenient oil filler tube with integrated sprung quarter turn dipstick-cum-breather. Beneath the case was an oil drain and a removable plate which gave access to a cylindrical mesh oil filter and through which the gear type oil pump could be removed. The crankcase covers were adorned with raised ribs and the word AGUSTA. The right cover was dry and provided access to the Dansi charging system, ignition points, clutch lever, cam chain tensioner and drive sprocket. The left cover housed the gear driven wet clutch and included an oilway from the oil pump which branched to the end of the crankshaft and the base of the cylinder which fed the overhead rockers.
The removable steel-lined alloy cylinder was angled forward at 10 degrees. This provided an enclosed rectangular pocket on the left which allowed passage of the chain and returned oil to the crankcase. A cast steel rocker housing sat on the flat alloy head and clamped the assembly via four through studs to the crankcase. A hole in an overhead tube showered oil onto the camshaft below. Four fixings clamped a large pan-shaped alloy cover over the rocker assembly. The 172.5cc displacement was achieved with a 59.5mm bore and 56mm stroke which provided 8 HP at 5,600 RPM. The frame, suspension and front 180mm and rear 150mm alloy full width hubs were carried over from the 125 model. The tyres which were slightly wider at 2.75 x 19” front and 3.00 x 19” rear. A new two-tone fuel tank completed the design.
175cc Racing
In 1953 the MSDS (Moto Sportiva Derivata Di Serie – Motorcycle Sport Derivative Series) was introduced to promote affordable motorcycle racing and a level playing field for low budget talented riders. This regulation restricted the race bikes to standard production models fitted with lighting, an electrical charge circuit and a silencer in classes for 100, 125 and a maximum of 175cc machines. MSDS regulations extended to the revived public road races including the Motogiro d’Italia and the Milano – Taranto. Manufacturers including MV responded by developing race-tuned machines disguised as production models.
It wasn’t long before tradition repeated and on the 28th of November 1953 the MV175CS (Sport) was unveiled at the Milan show. Most notable was the well-rounded fuel tank. It formed around the rider’s arms at the top while the bottom bulged significantly and from above is almost circular but still cleared the rider’s knees. Resembling accounts of UFO sightings at the time, the tank was christened the Disco Volante (Flying Saucer). The tank colour scheme (red top and silver bottom) began a trend for all MV’s future race and sport bikes. The Sport’s frame, tinware, cables, seat and battery were now racy red while the handlebars became two-piece low set race type in chrome with red hand grips. The wheels were now polished alloy. The engine was upgraded and stamped with an ‘S’ suffix. Inside was a 3-ring 6.9:1 Borgo piston, a vernier adjustable high lift cam with tacho drive extension and hairpin valve springs. A baffle plate was added between the transmission gears and the oil breather which was extended vertically. The ignition points were moved to a localized bulge in the left-hand crankcase cover for easier access via a small ribbed alloy cover. Extended cooling fins enlarged the head. A Dell’Orto MB22B carburettor with open bell mouth increased output to 11HP @ 7000RPM and a top speed of 73MPH. Released in early 1954, it became one of MV’s best sellers with 4,000 sold that year alone.
Released in July 1954 was the MV175 CSS (Super Sport). The main difference was the Earles fork front. Patented by Ernie Earles in 1953, it was via his good friend (factory team racer Les Graham) that MV had the opportunity to be early adopters of this innovation. Developed to resist the side stresses at lean angles for racing, this was possibly a first for any production bike. An ‘SS’ suffix was added to the engine number. A new Borgo 8.2:1 piston, higher spec cam and SS25 A Dell’Orto raised output to 14HP and a top speed of 135km/h at 8800 RPM. Only 500 were produced in 1954.
The 175 off-road
Endurance off-road competition was popular locally and worldwide. MV had been successful with 125 MVs and had their own factory team. They took the CSS and developed the MV175 Regolarita or 175 Six Day Motocross as advertised in a 1955 US brochure. Really a competition-only model, it significantly had two ignition systems. The left-hand side cover was recast to support a Dansi magneto coupled directly to the crankshaft and protruded precariously. The standard back-up ignition was available with a quick-release electrical wire relocation. The right-hand cover was cut away to give easy access to the drive sprocket. Interestingly, no air cleaner was supposedly fitted to protect against dust and mud. The high-level exhaust with a fishtail silencer came from a 150 Sport. The front teledraulic forks and rear dampers were now heavy-duty longer units resulting in a clear 7-inch ground clearance. A 125 Pullman fuel tank with added knee recesses and wire hooks on top (to retain rally notes) was fitted, and a sump guard was also added. Bent steel tubes braced the foot rests to the front engine mounts and a crash bar was added around the protruding magneto. The mudguards were flat (so as not to retain mud) and the rear was raised for extra suspension travel. The right-hand toolbox was replaced with an adjustable flow chain oiler. The seat was a sprung single saddle and both tyres were knobby. Released in 1954, it won the Italian Championship as well as the ISDT (International Six Day Trial) in Wales. The factory team was dissolved in 1956 but privateers continued competitively. Several Regolaritas were reported to be sold in the UK even though they were more expensive than an Ariel Square Four.
175 CSS Competizione
Still in 1954, the ultimate 175 road racer was released to comply with the MSDS regulations. The donor Regolarita engine’s gearbox was upgraded to 5-speed and a suffix ‘/5V’ added to the engine and frame number. The camshaft lobes were also vernier linked so they could be adjusted relative to each other for ultimate tune. Compression was 9.5:1 and an SSI 27 Dell’Orto fitted. Output was 15HP at 8800RPM with a top speed of 140km/h. A new full duplex frame retained only half of the boomerang rear and the foot controls were now rear set. The Earles fork front members were thinned down and the damper shrouds removed. The flat front guard was lengthened at the front and positioned tight to the tyre for better aerodynamics. The special exhaust and muffler were moved to the left side. A long (20 litre) fuel tank and ‘ski jump’ single seat shaved the weight to 95kg but it was theoretically still no match for its larger capacity competitors. Its nimble consistency however allowed it to successfully hunt down its more powerful competitors one by one and so was affectionately christened the Squalo (shark). Its giant-killing ability was captured in the 1955 US brochure: “The 1955 250cc Championship was taken by MV rider Bill Lomas then taken away on a technicality. So he ended up second .…. the nearest MV could get to the 250cc limit was 203cc contrived by over-boring the regular one-seven-five.” 15 double overhead cam conversion kits where released in 1955 for the serious competitor. In 1956 Michael O’Rouke set new lap records at Brands Hatch and Crystal Palace, while Mike Hailwood won his first ever race in 1957 at Oulton Park with a CSS Competizione bored to 196cc.
175 Slush Box
A hydraulic variable-speed drive MV175 appeared at the 1954 Milan show. The remodelled left-hand crankcase housed a ‘Badalini’ oil drive transmission unit. This baby unit was designed and patented by the Roman Giovanni Badalini. It was eventually released in 1956 as the MV175 Cambio Idraulico Badalini Turismo. The engine powered a built-in oil pump to pressurise scavenged engine oil. A cable control from a left-hand twist grip adjusted a swash plate to increase and decrease output speeds. The clutch lever allowed the engine to free-wheel by bypassing oil away from the transmission. A button would lock the clutch in neutral for engine starting. A batch of 100 were supposedly made but few survived. It saw reasonable success in long distance regularity races. Praised by the English press, it was too far ahead of its time so the project was abandoned. MV Agusta Idrobad 175cc – Youtube shows one in action.
175 Ute
Catering for the rural Italian, 1954 saw the release of the MV 175 Motocarro. The front half of a CST was grafted to a box steel frame which triangulated outward to a tray-back 3-wheeled ute. The front included a new 3”x 17” wheel, heavier front springs, running boards, leg shields and an air funnel to channel air to the engine. A dry clutch and a solid shaft drove a rear axle and 4.25’ x 15” rear wheels. A reverse gear was added and controlled by a separate lever on the top of the rear crankcase. Tuned for torque with lowered gearing, top speed was limited to 31MPH. 2,200 were reportedly produced.
Fuel Injection
MVA and a German engineer Schindele (who had patented a form of indirect fuel injection) set up a company called SBS to develop a system for machines of up to 8 cylinders. MV grafted the mechanical fuel pump into the top of the left-hand crankcase on its 125, 175 and 250cc engines. It fed fuel to a nozzle in the intake manifold where a butterfly valve controlled the air entry. Test rides were available on working examples at the 1957 Milan show. Unfortunately, the technology was ahead of its time so the project stalled.
1957 saw a revised engine. Chain stretch over time altered the cam timing, resulting in an undesirable power loss. A power compromise for a more stable push rod “Valvole in testa” (valves in head) system was displayed at the Milan Show as an MV175 AB CST (AB stands for “Aste e Bilanciere” – rods and barbell). MV had already produced examples in 1956 exclusively for the Italian Armed Forces called the MV175 Militare. These lacklustre versions were to be the last MV175 models. Production figures show they were only manufactured in 1957 yet advertised for sale through to 1959.
The 175 OHC era was the mid 50’s during MV’s most successful and innovative period. Production figures increased to a peak of 21,000 units in 1953 before tapering down to 9,000 by 1960. By the end of 1953 MVA had set up a factory (EMEVUE) in Spain, had 250 outlets in Italy, and agents in France, Switzerland Holland, Austria, Argentina and Brazil. The aviation ban eventually lifted and the company began manufacturing Bell helicopters from 1952, reducing their focus on motorcycles. From 1957, cheap motorcars like the Fiat Bambino contributed to this slump in sales.
Because MVs were so expensive only small numbers were ever exported. UK Distributers Ltd formed in October 1955 and MV 175 CSTL, CS and the CSS Competizione were imported there in small batches until the end of 1957. Around the same time, US Italian Motors Ltd of California advertised the same model range. After an initial viewing at the 1956 Catalina Grand Prix a batch was imported and sold out quickly. An MV175 Sport road test in January 1957 gave a glowing report of this lightweight machine. The US advertising slogan was aptly headed “Now you can ride the world Champion”. 1958 saw Dave Schuler win the Catalina Lightweight class on a tweaked production Sport by a comfortable margin. The 1959 brochure included the 175 CSTA (Turismo America) which was produced especially for the local market but the importation was short lived. I don’t believe there were any official Import agents in Australia before Bob Jane in the 1970s. I could only find advertisements in period newspapers for MV scooters.
Extra-terrestrial Flying Saucer
UFO sightings are very rare so owning one is near unthinkable. The Disco Volante Earles fork has always been my favourite MV. Extravagant prices and proliferation of replicas thwarted my attempts at procurement until 2018. It took until April 2019 to land on my side of the planet and then on my first outing I surmised “Never believe anyone who says anything is fully-restored, ready to ride with nothing to spend”. The good news is that after 8 months of rebuilding you get to know the workings of the machine intimately. Not so good was the diminishing bank balance and time chasing accurate information and rare and expensive parts.
The MV175 CSS is easy to live with as it is light and low slung. The riding position is a little strange for me. The springing in the long seat is divided into a front and rear section by a steel plate. My natural seat position is right on the plate. Further forward is difficult so I have to sit to the rear and assume the race position which looks weird when commuting. The clutch is pretty stiff for a little bike but when you look at the baby internal lever arm you can understand why. The lock to lock is very limited because of the Disco tank but is only a problem when negotiating the corridors in the house to its parking place. Everything else is a joy including the exhaust note and the wailing straight cut gears. There is very little torque on tap but the 175 revs like a 2 stroke. To get the most out of this little Italian you need to ride it like a hooligan and become a master of momentum. Peg the throttle to the stop and it’s the most fun you can have within the speed limit (and just beyond if you peg top gear).
MV Agusta of new quote their brand as ‘Motorcycle Art’. This was certainly the case with the heritage 175s where the Disco Volante was distinctive enough to be featured in the 1954 Italian movie La Donna Del Fiume (The Lady of the River) starring Sophia Loren. I don’t really give names to my machines but my CSS is now called ‘Sophia’. My beautiful curvaceous little Italian is just as feisty, attracts plenty of attention and can produce fireworks when provoked.
