MV Agusta 750S America
The fat lady hadn't actually sung but MV Agusta's best times were well and truly behind it when its "America" model was launched. Ian Falloon of Motorcycle Trader mag takes up the storyThere is no more hallowed name amongst the Italian motorcycle marques than that of MV Agusta. Its achievement is unequalled with 38 individual riders' World Championships and 37 manufacturers' World Championships over the twenty-five year period from 1952 until 1976. During that time MVs won 270 World Championship races, and the spin-off was a limited number of street bikes in a range of capacities, culminating in the magnificent 790cc America.
The America grew out of the 750 Sport that wasn't able to be sold in the United States after 1974. The 750 Sport was one of the last of the old-school Italian bikes. Right side gearshift, no air cleaners, and four, extremely-loud mufflers. So at the end of 1974 Chris Garville of Commerce Overseas Corporation in New York (the US importer), and an enthusiastic dealer Jim Cotherman went to MV with a proposal to build a new motorcycle specifically for the American market. They optimistically expected to sell 500 a year at US$6000 each, and within two months the prototype was ready.
While the frame was largely unchanged from the 1974 750S, the engine of the America displaced 790cc. This was through a 2mm overbore to 67mm, still with a 56mm stroke. With a 9.5:1 compression ratio, and breathing through four Dell'Orto VHB 26mm "square slide" carburettors the claimed power was 86 horsepower at 8500 rpm. In an effort to improve tractability, the camshafts were slightly milder, but this didn't prevent the America from being a strong performing motorcycle for its day. While it hardly set the dragstrip alight because of the very high first gear, the unfaired America could easily run to 220km/h, making it one of the fastest bikes around in 1975.
The engine dominated the 750S America. Appearing massive and brutal, on close inspection the individual components had an intricate, almost delicate character. Basically it was the old 500cc Grand Prix unit from the 1950s, and a masterpiece of precision castings, gears, needle and ball bearings. The two double overhead camshafts were driven by a matched set of three straight-cut gears running between the middle cylinders. The pressed-together crankshaft ran in ball bearings and was held in a separate cylinder-block sub-assembly that bolted to the main engine casting. A carry-over from MV racing practice, this gave the crankshaft incredible support, but also eliminated the need for complex and intricate casting/machining operations in such a limited production engine.
The size of the America belied its considerable 230kg, and it was surprisingly compact. The wheelbase is a short 1390mm, and the sculptured petrol tank just doesn't look as if it held 23 litres. The styling mirrored the MV GP bikes, but with a suede leather seat, and the usual dubious, late-seventies features such as black mufflers. The twin Sebac shock absorbers were carried over from the 750 Sport, but the Ceriani forks went up to 38mm. Braking was by two 280mm Scarab discs on the front, along with a 200mm rear drum. There was considerable unsprung weight at the rear due to the driveshaft and as a riding experience the America wasn't quite as good at it looked. Although the production MV fours may be flawed and compromised in their execution, the engine is unmatched. While providing a connection with a racing past, it also remains one of the most sophisticated and beautiful engines ever to grace a streetbike.
FIVE GREAT THINGS ABOUT MV FOURS
- The first four-cylinder MV Agusta street bike appeared in prototype form at the end of 1950, less than a year after the 500cc four-cylinder racer made its debut. Count Agusta had persuaded Arturo Magni and Piero Remor to leave Gilera so the new engine was virtually identical to the Gilera design. The R19 Turismo road prototype incorporated shaft drive and torsion-bar suspension, but it never entered production.
- In 1965 another prototype road bike appeared at the Milan Show, this time with a 600cc version of the same engine producing a claimed 52hp at 9000rpm. One of the ugliest bikes ever to come out of Italy, this was designed so it couldn't be easily converted into a Grand Prix racer..
- For 1971 the 750S replaced the 600, with a massive Grimeca front drum brake instead of the mechanical discs. The 750S was a very expensive machine for its day, selling for $3889 in 1973 when a Ducati 750 was $1500.
- As the four-cylinder engine was a racing design the crankcases were sand cast, and the external dual-pulley starter motor and generator was driven behind the engine by a pair of rubber V belts.
- The MV Agusta America wasn't as successful as anticipated and a small number of unsold machines was converted into 850 SSs in 1977. After MV stopped producing motorcycles, Arturo Magni continued to build Magni MVs from donor 750s and Americas.
http://www.manxman.co.im/mvagusta/
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
The best club for older MV Agustas is the Classic Italian Motorcycle Association of Australia (CIMAA). With branches in Sydney and Melbourne they offer a red plate scheme for motorcycles over 25 years old and regular events.
http://www.cimaa.asn.au/
Bill Irwin in New Zealand has constructed this amazing Internet site for MV Fours:
http://www.thebikemuseum.com/
As far as published material goes, there is very little reliable information available. Although it concentrates on racing history and has little on the fours, the best book is Moto MV Agusta by Mario Colombo and Roberto Patrignani.
Available from:
http://www.pitstop.net.au/pitstop/page/bikes_mv_augusta_mc/3390.html
Other interesting sites include that of Arturo Magni
http://www.magni.it/
And the UK MV Agusta club
http://www.manxman.co.im/mvagusta/
Ian Falloon
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