The world’s greatest bikes#3 MV Agusta F4

Published: 29 September 2023

To design just one ground-breaking motorcycle that transforms the fortunes of a whole company is an incredible achievement. To then repeat this feat for another faltering firm is the sign of true genius.

That’s exactly what happened when two powerhouses of the Italian motorcycle industry, Claudio Castiglioni and Massimo Tamburini joined forces once again in the mid-’90s. And for added spice, they even threw Ferrari into the mix…

After working together at Ducati to create the 916, by the mid-1990s things were changing at the Bologna factory. In 1996 Claudio Castiglioni sold the firm to Texas Pacific Group (TPG) and switched his attention on his other motorcycle company, the Cagiva Group, which included MV Agusta.

By Jon Urry

MCN contributor, original 916 & R1-owner, human Labrador, thoroughly nice bloke. Working for over 20 years in the motorcycle industry, Jon not only has an encyclopaedic knowledge of bikes, but has also interviewed many key players in the motorcycle industry, including designers, factory bosses and legendary racers. Still a passionate motorcyclist with child-like enthusiasm for two-wheels, Jon has a collection of both modern and classic bikes that he maintains himself and he writes a weekly column in MCN (newspaper) about used bikes and the state of the motorcycle market.