Always produced in small numbers, the MV Agusta Fours are now considered amongst the most classic of motorcycles from the 1960s and 1970s. These were the first motorcycles that made Grand Prix technology available to the public, albeit at an almost prohibitive cost.

A completely new edition in graphics and updated in content of the MV Agusta story by Mario Colombo and Roberto Patrignani to mark MV's 70th anniversary in 2015, all told in two different sections: in the first part are the human, technical, industrial and sports stories. In the second is the systematic cataloguing of all the MV Agusta road and racing models, including all the versions of the latest F4 and F3. Hundreds of pictures in black and white and color enrich the book, in the creation of which Otto Grizzo has contributed to the most recent part.

With 75 World Championships (riders and manufacturers), 270 Grand Prix victories, and more than 3000 International race wins, MV Agusta's competition record is unequalled amongst Italian motorcycle manufacturers. MV's list of World Champions includes some of the greatest names in the sport, with Carlo Ubbiali, John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini and Phil Read winning multiple times. Alongside the magnificent racing bikes MV produced a wide range of street models, including the exotic four-cylinder bikes based on the Grand Prix racers of the 1950s and early 1960s. After closing in 1977 MV Agusta was resurrected by Cagiva in 1997 and released the Massimo Tamburini-designed four-cylinder F4. Initially 750cc, this evolved into 1000cc and the Brutale series. In 2012 the three-cylinder F3 joined the F4 and a large range of models has grown from these two platforms. With a 50 year passion for Italian motorcycles, The MV Agusta Story tells the full story of MV Agusta, covering all the street and racing models from 1945.

The world came to know the MV Agusta F4 in the autumn of 1997. After 20 years of oblivion, the legendary marque makes its comeback with this 4-cylinder in line front gear masterpiece, the classic “architecture” of the glorious Italian school. Those in the know have no doubts: the “most beautiful motorcycle in the world” is still the MV Agusta F4.

The World Championship Grand Prix (WCGP) is the premier championship event of motorcycle road racing. The WCGP was established in 1949 by the sport's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), and is the oldest world championship event in the motorsports arena. This book, developed especially for racing enthusiasts by motorsports engineering expert Dr. Alberto Boretti, provides a broad view of WCGP motorcycle racing and vehicles, but is primarily focused on the design of four-stroke engines for the MotoGP class. The book opens with general background on MotoGP governing bodies and a history of the event’s classes since the competition began in 1949. It then presents some of the key engines that have been developed and used for the competition through the years. Technologies that are used in today’s MotoGP engines are discussed. A sidebar discussion on calculating brake, indicated, and friction performance parameters provides mathematical information for readers who like such technical details. Future developments of MotoGP engines, including the use of biofuels and recovery of thermal and braking energy, are presented. The introduction concludes with a chart that details the winners of the various classes of WCGP motorcycle racing since the competition began in 1949. The bulk of the book consists of four previously published SAE technical papers that were expressly chosen by Dr. Boretti to provide greater insight to the relationships between engine parameters and performance, namely the influence on friction and mean effective pressure of traditional spark ignited four stroke engines tuned for a narrow high power output. The first paper provides the reader with a quick way to estimate the friction loss and engine output. The second paper discusses output and fuel consumption of multi-valve motorcycle engines. The third paper, published in 2002, compares WCGP engines developed to comply with the then-new FIM regulations that allowed four-stroke engines in the competition. The fourth paper examines specific power densities and therefore the level of sophistication and costs of MotoGP 800 cm3 engines. This paper shows the performance of these as well as the 1000cc SuperBike engines. The fifth paper presents four engine concepts including one for a MotoGP/Superbike with 2 and 3 cylinders. The sixth paper compares 3 and 4 in-line, V4, V5, and V6 layouts through 1-D engine simulations. The seventh paper considers the actual operation of 800cc MotoGP engines on the race track, where the percentage of the duration in fully open throttle is less than 20% of the race, but the partial throttle is used for as much as 80% of the race. The final paper in the compendium reports on the Honda oval piston engine concept.

Mick WalkerÆs Italian Racing Motorcycles Mick Walker. This much enlarged and heavily revised edition looks at both major and minor players throughout Italy who have produced racing motorcycles of significant interest. Among the legendary Italian motorcycles included in this volume are Aermacchi, FB Mondial, Bimota, Moto Guzzi, Ducati, Garelli, Bianchi,Laverda, Gilera, MV Agusta and Parilla. Well done! Sftbd., 8 1/4"x 11", 256 pgs., 683 b&w ill., 86 color.

A completely revised and updated version of this popular book. The book covers the history of superbikes from the l930's, but mainly focuses on the modern bikes, such as the extraordinary Honda NR750 and the Duccati 851, the fastest four-stroke vee-twin in the world. Full technical data is supplied for each of the approximately 35 bikes profiled. Further sections examine the technology of the superbike, look at the bikes of the future and provide tables of previous record breakers. 150 color illustrations.