14 amcn.com.au
THE MOST FAMOUSname
in GP racing, MV Agusta, will
return next year with an entry
in the Moto2 championship.
The Italian marque – which
won every premier class
world title from 1958 to 1974
- will even campaign with
a three-cylinder engine, a
configuration that brought it
great success in the 1960s.
However, it will be the
Triumph 765cc powerplant
specified for all Moto
machines from 2019.
Judging by this artist’s
impression released by MV
Agusta, the racebike clearly
shares similarities with its
road-going machines. As well
as the classic MV red, silver
and gold paint scheme, there’s
a part-trellis, part-aluminium
frame similar to those used on
current F3 production models.
MV will start track-testing a
prototype next month and the
Forward Racing team, which
currently uses Suter chassis,
will run the Moto2 team.
Forward Racing CEO
Giovanni Cuzari described
the emotional connection
between the two organisations:
“The dream of bringing MV
Agusta back to the World
Championship was born with
Claudio Castiglioni (and) the
dream came true with his son,
Giovanni.
“I find it difficult to express
what this means, to be actively
part of a common project with
both MV Agusta and (MV’s
R&D arm) CRC. I worked many
years for this to happen.”MV president Giovanni
Castiglioni is realistic about
the challenge: “MV Agusta
is the most successful brand
in history of motorcycling
and the return of MV Agusta
to the grand prix is a great
honour for me. The Moto
World Championship is very
competitive and in order to be
successful we need to apply
the best of our technology
and experience in racing
motorcycle development.”
BEN PURVISMV’s grand prix glitter
PRESENT FROM THE start of the world
championship in 1949 until 1976, MV
Agusta won 38 rider championships and
37 manufacturer titles.
Its most successful racer was Giacomo
Agostini, the most successful GP rider of
all time with 122 race wins and 15 world
titles. He rode an MV to his fi nal career
win in 1976; it was also the last four-stroke
GP victory. Ago has often nominated his
favourite MV racer as the three-cylinder
500ccheracedinthelate1960s.Rider titles 500cc 18 / 350cc 10 / 250cc 4 / 125cc 6
Manufacturer titles 500cc 16 / 350cc 9 / 250cc 5 / 125cc 7MV Agusta set for
grand prix return!
Italian marque bids to add to its legion of world titles
IT HAPPENED SINCE LAST ISSUE
A NEW YZ250F is the highlight
of Yamaha’s recently revealed
2019 off-road range, featuring
a completely revised engine
and frame.
The unusual rear-slanted
cylinder idea used in the
previous generation remains,
but the cylinder itself is more
upright and topped with a new
head using a lighter throttle
body and housing re-profiled
cams and ports.
Inside, the piston is also new,
increasing compression, and
the whole thing drives through
a transmission using stronger
material for the gears, allowing
them to be slimmer and lighter.
A larger-diameter clutch with
thicker plates connects the two,
and there are new radiators and
exhausts to improve weight
distribution.
A smartphone Power Tuner
app connects to the ECU
wirelessly and lets you swap
and modify engine maps,
including air/fuel ratios and
ignition timing, and also
to download datalogging
information. There’s a two-
position bar switch to change
maps on the f ly.
All this tech sits in a new
aluminium frame designed to
increase rigidity and give better
feedback in corners. Of course,
the skin is new as well, with
a more compact shape and a
lower seat than before, and
both the forks and rear shock
are improved over last year’s
versions. BPNew
YZ250F
for 2019