MV Agusta Riders
Several riders chose to ride for MV Agusta, ranging from professionals to amateurs, support riders as well as the very best aces, riders that wrote some of the very best and most spectacular pages in racing history. Remembering all of them is almost impossible, as is not remembering the very greatest of them and their epic adventures and successes, the immense glory as well as heart-breaking tragedy. MV Agusta is grateful to the great riders of the past that have risked their lives in the name of motorsport
Phil Read
Born in Luton, England in 1939, this smiling and elegant rider who was a lover of luxury (he went to the tracks with his white Rolls) practically closed the glorious MV world championship cycle. MV signed him in 1972, after he had already won five world titles with Yamaha, not only because of his class and experience, but also owing to his disposition. He was combative and meticulous, and impatient of secondary roles.
It was precisely this aspect that made him an interesting stimulus for Agostini, who was anything but in unprepared, but who was too fearful of the Japanese offensive. Read raced in 1972 with the 350, getting good results, and in 1973 with the 500 where, with full leeway, he was able to capture the title with "Ago" coming in only third. He was left MV's only leading man in 1974 and confined himself to just the top class, winning the title again without much difficulty. That was the last world trophy for the Cascina Costa manufacturer.
Gianfranco Bonera
Born in 1945 in the province of Udine, although he received his motorcycle training in the Monza area, athletic (he made his sports debut as a cyclist), exuberant and free and easy-going, Bonera often fell short of important goals not owing to his lack of talent as a rider, but because of his impetuous nature. MV signed him in 1974 because it felt the need to grow a new talent that would fill the void left by Agostini (who switched over to Yamaha).
He claimed two important races in the 500 class, ending the season in second place in both the World and the Italian championships behind riders of the calibre of Read and Agostini, respectively. In the first race of 1975, he took too great a risk and hit a bale with his knee. The injury put him out of the running for a good part of the season. Then at Mugello, while he was in the lead 15 seconds ahead of Agostini, he took a frightening fall that ended his race and his brief relationship with MV. A short while afterwards Bonera once and for all quit racing to devote himself to business activities in the world of motorcycling
Leslie Graham
A former RAF pilot and an excellent engineer, Graham arrived at MV in 1951 at the age of 39 with the job of developing the Four-Cylinder 500, a powerful though hard to ride machine owing to the audacious engineering solutions adopted. Winner of the first World Championship in 1949 with the AJS 500, he developed Cascina Costa's motorcycle and in 1952 the first satisfactions arrived, crowned by its second place in the World Championship behind Gilera. The 1953 season got off to a good start and in the first race, the TT, Graham won the 125 class, demonstrating his great versatility as a rider, too.
A few days later, as he was racing in the 500 class in hot pursuit of the Nortons, the compression following a long downhill stretch bottomed-out his Earles fork, and he lost control of his motorcycle – also because he had an arm injured by a fall during practice – and was unable to correct the awful swerve off the track. And thus the career of a great rider and the work of developing the 500, which only with Surtees was to be able to reach the highest goals, tragically came to an end.
Mike Hailwood
One of the most loved riders of all times, Hailwood was the initiator of the "frog" style, with knees pointing outwards. He raced and won in all the classes, including 125, which certainly was not suited to his height. He rode difficult motorcycles such as the MZ 250 and the first Honda 500 to victory. He reached the finish lines despite some frightening falls. He won a TT race even after spending years away from the world of motorcycling and a nasty car accident, still with a manner marked by exemplary fairness with his rivals. Born into a wealthy family in Oxford in 1940, he started racing at the early age of 17 with the help of a sizeable cheque he received from his father that he used to buy a semi-official MV.
He became "official" in 1961, and was MV’s leading man after Hocking pulled out in 1962. He then won four consecutive titles with the 500 from 1962 to 1965. He went to Honda in 1966, and his memorable duels with former team-mate Agostini elated and divided up fans. After turning to car racing with satisfactory results, Mike the Bike made occasional appearances in motorcycle races in 1971 and in brilliant TT exploits of 1978 and 1979. As a mocking sign of fate, he died in an ordinary road accident together with his young daughter Michelle on 22 March 1981.
Giacomo Agostini
Giacomo Agostini and MV Agusta made the legend of motorcycling. Their association started in 1965 when Count Domenico Agusta realised that the youngster from Bergamo would effectively support the unforgettable Mike Hailwood. In actual fact, Agostini never played that role. Instead, he immediately established himself in the eyes of sporting fans as motorcycling's rising star. His first solo performance in the 500 class hit home in 1965 when he triumphed over his champion team-mate at the Grand Prix of Germany. This victory, achieved on the racetrack deemed as the most difficult of the time, marked the beginning of an era that lasted 17 years, through which the Agostini-MV Agusta combination won 14 World titles, ten victories at the Tourist Trophy and more than 250 wins.
But Agostini is not just the most successful rider of motorcycling history. Ago is also the ambassador or our sport and of MV Agusta around the World. Helped by the natural charm he radiates and his movie star smile and good looks, Agostini knew how to build and preserve a universal and irreprehensible popularity. From being everything from an unbeatable rider to film star, winning team manager (with the Cagiva GPs) and successful entrepreneur, today Agostini continues to wear his riding suit during the most important historical commemorations and keeps abreast of the world motorcycling championships as a television commentator.
John Surtees
When MV approached him at the end of the 1955 season, young 21-year-old Surtees, who was born into a well-to-do family of motorcycle enthusiasts in Catford, had already won 77 races, mainly with Norton 350's and 500's. He was capable of bringing Cascina Costa its first 500 title during his first season with the Italian brand. Inventor of a new style that was challenged and that is at the roots of today's riding technique with the body outstretched towards the inside of the curve, he won another six titles in the 350 and 500 classes between 1958 and 1960. Of course they were "easy" years for MV due to the fact that the leading rivals pulled out.
But we have to remember that Big John, as he was called, really ran wild, shattering records previously set on racetracks throughout Europe on a regular basis. In 1961 he turned to the world of automobile racing, entering the annals of history as the only rider who was ever able to win the World Championship Title with both motorcycles and cars. Indeed, he won the 1964 F1 title with Ferrari. Following his long car-racing interlude - first as a driver and then as a builder and engineer - today he has returned to his first love by willingly entering revival races, still fast and a great stylist.
Angelo Bergamonti
Born in the province of Cremona in 1939, he realized his dream of being signed on by MV in the late ‘70’s, following a shining career that brought him two Italian Championship titles with Morini (250 and 500) in 1967 and one with the Paton 125 in 1970. He came in behind team-mate Agostini in both the 350 and 500 in his first race with MV, the "Gran Premio delle Nazioni". The result was the same in the following two races, but he won both classes with record-breaking times at the final World Championship trial in Barcelona, when he was set free from team orders.
Generous and reckless to the point of being daring, he took on the 1971 season with a determination to beat his rival, Agostini. His goal took shape as early as the first race of the season, when he won the 350 class right in front of Agostini. But he hit his head on the pavement at the Riccione racetrack, which had been flooded by a heavy rain, tragically ending a dream of glory that was about to become reality.
Carlo Ubbiali
With his nine world championship trophies, he is one of the most titled riders of all times. Born in Bergamo, Italy in 1929, he spent three years at Mondial where he won the World Cchampionship in 1951 before joining MV in 1953. He stayed with MV until 1960, when he retired from racing after winning five 125 class World Championships and three World Championships in the 250 class, in addition to five Italian titles. Not particularly spectacular in his riding although extremely profitable, he was and still is a great expert of mechanics.
When at the peak of his career and following his umpteenth double World Championship in the 125 and 250 classes, he married and retired to his hometown of Bergamo, thoroughly removing himself from the world of racing. It was only in the 1980’s that he started attending various commemorations and shows again, gladly talking with admirers and friends about those historical feats. But he was unapproachable back in the days when he was racing. He avoided all contact that could have made him lose his concentration and take his mind off his main goal: winning.
Gary Hocking
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One of the bravest riders in motorcycling history, he drew attention to himself in 1958 with Norton, above all on difficult courses and in extreme conditions. After leaving his home in Rhodesia, MZ signed him on in 1958 to ride its difficult and indomitable 250’s. The first podiums were not to be long awaited. He switched over to MV in 1960, and there he had the difficult job of riding back-up for Ubbiali in the 125 and 250 classes, and for Surtees in 350, and he succeeded in winning several international races. In 1961 he was left as the only MV rider with the 4-cylinder "Privat", and took the double World Championship title in the 350 and 500 classes. At the end of the season Hailwood joined him, and from that time on they shared the highest steps on the podiums of the two classes. However, owing to the death of a friend and colleague at the TT and his unexpected fascination with cars, in 1962 he left the World scene and met with a tragic death in South Africa during practice of a car race.
Cecil Sandford
Born in Blockley in 1928, MV Agusta signed him on in 1952 to try - together with Graham, Sala and Copeta - to shatter the World Championship front. The undertaking was a roaring success due to his finishes (3 wins and 2 second places), which won the first of a long series of World Championship titles for MV.
He stayed at MV Agusta the next two seasons, where he again took second place in the 125 World Championship class in 1953.
