MV Agusta and BMW plan new middleweights

BMW and MV Agusta are planning to take on the Japanese manufacturers with two all-new middleweight supersport motorcycles.

BMW has already publicly announced its keen interest in entering the 600 market – both BMW Motorrad’s General Director Hendrik von Kuenheim and Vice President of development and model lines Peter Mueller have spoke about the considerations the firm have.

BMW will base their 600 on the same principle that let to the S1000RR WSB bike, a project based on picking the most competitive layout rather than the traditional BMW approach of picking a more individual format, so an inline four is the likely power plant.

But MV is prepared to go with the more unusual route. MV’s intentions to build a middleweight triple have been a poorly kept secret, but the financial troubles the Varese factory suffered before the Harley-Davidson buyout meant that the designs haven’t left the CRC design department.

Earlier rumours suggested that the MV triple would be a 675, but it appears that is no longer the case. Rumours circulating the close-knit Italian bike industry say the capacity will be closer to 800cc, pitching it at the same market as the Ducati 848 and the Suzuki GSX-R750