In the romantic setting of the villa that once belonged to Count Domenico Agusta, the MV Superveloce 98 was presented.
Many will wonder about the significance of this number, so a brief summary is in order.
“At the beginning of the 1940s in Italy, the war made life very difficult for everyone, starting with daily activities. For example, getting around, in the absence of public transport, was difficult and expensive. That’s why Domenico Agusta, who had taken over the family business in 1927 after the death of his father Giovanni, thought of motorcycles as a solution to make commuting easier and, at the same time, guarantee a future for himself and the employees of Officine Aeronautiche Giovanni Agusta.”
“In 1943, the first MV Agusta engine saw the light of day: single-cylinder, 98 cc, with a two-speed gearbox. Light and compact, it went into production immediately, but after a few weeks the occupation of the factory in September 1943 brought everything to a halt. The project had to wait until the immediate post-war period, when the end of hostilities made it possible to resume assembly of the complete bike, the MV 98, which made its debut in an elegant burgundy color.”
The Second World War ended a few months ago, and the choice of burgundy gives a remarkable elegance to a motorcycle ready to challenge the devastated roads of the post-war period.
80 years after the birth of the first engine, the initials “98” return to the fairing of an MV Agusta: it’s the Superveloce 98 Limited Edition, produced in just 300 numbered copies and instantly recognizable due to the “Rosso Verghera” color.
Directly inspired by the original color, Rosso Verghera is a sophisticated product of the highest quality, applied by hand in several stages, the color consists of a two-component matte base, combined with a glossy layer for a finish that highlights the metallic pigments.
A tribute to a story of success, courage and entrepreneurship that wouldn’t even have begun without the design of the 98 engine in 1943.
The initials “98 Limited Edition” are placed on the side of the rear and then on the top, characterizing these 300 examples built at the Schiranna factory on the shores of Lake Varese. The historical reference to the cylinder capacity of the engine designed in 1943 and to the limited series is also displayed on the steering plate, thanks to technological laser engraving, and is underlined by the certificate of authenticity, given when the bike is purchased.
Not to be missed is the specific kit, contained in an elegant box, inside which you’ll find the seat cover, a specific cover for the bike, the certificate of authenticity and two precious pieces: the three-outlet Arrow exhaust, for track use only, and the dedicated racing electronic control unit.
The engine, unchanged, the compact and powerful (147 hp) 798 cc in-line three, equipped with counter-rotating crankshaft, DLC-coated cams to reduce friction, titanium valves, remains an example of efficiency and performance. Take the engine and you take the rest of the bike, 173 kg, which drops even further to 165 kg with the racing kit.
Completing the picture of technical excellence is all the equipment on the Superveloce 98 Limited Edition: spoked wheels, braking system with Brembo PR 16/19 radial master cylinder and M4.30 Stylema calipers, Continental MK100 ABS. Fully customizable 5.5″ TFT color instrumentation with smartphone interface, Mobisat anti-theft satellite tracking system.