Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125979
MV250: ,......; ,......; "6 ~ :E Ashort, choppy ride with Villa By John Huetter When you think of Italy, you probably think of the food: antipastas and veal piccata, or the women: from Sophia Loren to St efania SandreIli , o r th e go-fast motoring ma chinery: crea tions o f Ferra ri, DeTomaso , Agusta, or Guzzi. Pro bably you don't think of their drivers, at least not the professional ones ; the semi-pros are difficult to miss, very difficult a t times. Among t he group of impassioned Italians, li ke Agostini in road racing or Clay Regazzoni in Formula One for whom motor racing is barely behind making love, is a young man named Walter Villa. He was European Sedan class ch am pion a very few years ago , and lately World 250 road ra ce champion. Walte r also has an older brother with a significant manufacturing facility near Bologna in Northern Ita ly. They want to b uild. and race, racing mot orcycles. After winning the tiddler class in Italian ro ad racing this past ye ar, the Villas wer e furth er moved by the American importer to press on wit h their pet project : a n It alian m otocro ss bike. The result is a new, finally definitive line of motocross machinery called Moto Villa (Ro ugh translation: The Villa Motorcycle). Th e classic notion of Italian racing machinery is that it should be red and/or black in color with a little tri-color flag on it someplace, produce exp losive power in a possibly arcane manner, and provide ridi culously good handling. A few hours spent alternating with John De Soto in bouncing th e 250 MV over the hardened bumps of Saddleback's track co nfirmed that the Villa is these things. In a bal an ced man n er , the whole of the mac hine seems ex actly the sum of its parts. Basic to the b ike is a 41 30 chrome moly frame of a design derived John DeSoto, on the 250, hunts that missing ingredient in California soils- t racti on . fro m the American C&J frames th ro ugh Dallas Baker. After experimenting wi th a number o f chassis alternatives, the C&J design was sent to Ita ly where it was jigge d up to bec ome th e p roduction frame. Most notable are the rigid box section swingarm an d th e flat elliptical V -tubing leading to the swingarm pivot ~MONTESA 1975 MOTOCROSS TEAM 250 Cappra V-75 WHEN MOTOCROSS REALLY MATTERS. NATIONAL: MILAN GARRET RON S ELF TERRY CLARK Super-Specs: Chrome mol ly fra me. Con ical Hu bs. The best Betor suspension w ith 7'/," f ron t and rear t ravel (new gas-oil shock absorber s). New engine po rt ing with greater and broade r powe r band . New con ical exhaust . Swingi ng arm bushings in o il. Stain less steel spok es. A k ront mudless r ims. Dutch Tw in-A ir fi lter. Electron ic ignit io n. Rugged nylon f ender s. Five-speed sy nchroni zed t ransm issio n. Your nearest Montesa dealer: ALAS KA The Com pet ItIon Shgp 1745 -47 Willow 51. F 81~n k l . AK 997 0 1 190 71 456· 5920 Th.Sh... T.... 420 1 $pe na,d Ad . Spe nard. AK 99503 (907 ) 277 ·5959 HAWAII ThOf Motor s. Inc . 90 1 Clhlorn .. AIf8. W, t- aw , . HI 96786 u (8 08 1 6 2 1-866 0 ARIZ O NA A,i tonll Spor1 Cycl . 2 102 W. P"c: . m PhOltni... AZ 8 50 29 16021 944- 5 529 O_n Cyel. 4 132 E. Speed w'v Tuaon . AZ 8 5 7 16 16021 327-6246 K_ _ki 0' Yuma 270 1 4th A... . Yuma . AZ 853 64 (602) 72 6- 1446 6 Ok -v ' , Cvc::t . Shop P.o . 80 1< 20 1 O racill. AZ 95623 1 6011 896-9084 Tyl.,. Ind Ian M.e . 14 E. UnlY ltrsny TernPl' . AZ 85282 1602 1 968-613 7 SO. CALIFORNI A CUllom City Sp orl Cu . 1572 1 S. At lantte Com pt on. CA 902 2 1 (2 131 635-8058 Cy eh. C"cI .. ~ 23 19 CJ.be ta 5, So Blffna'dmo . C A 9 744 1 ln 0 141881 -2600 The Cycl. Works 1200 W. Whitt I'" Blvd Le Hab ra. CA 9002 1 12 13 1691·3273 Don' , Cycl" s.I" 1108 W. HOlt On18rio. CA 917 62 1714 1 986-5002 Milaion Hill, M.C. 8730 Sepu lvtrd. 81.0. Sepu lved• • CA 9 134 3 12131 78 5-4289 Su r ukl of ClilifOf'ni. 560 EI Cajo n B lvd . EI ~Jon . CA 92 020 17 141 44 2·17 4 7 Suz uk i City 728 5. L, 8 rll' A.... Inglewood. CA 90301 {2 13 1 6 74· 14 3 1 Vic's Compelili_ Shap 62 36 Mission Go,ge Ad . San DIItgO. CA 9 1210 {7141 28 4 ·709S W.t",inf1'" Spo!'I Cyc le 72 19 Westm in51 AIf8 '" W"'tm inll ... . CA 92638 (7 14 1 893 ·705 7 Whn llm llh MOlorcycll!!i 3641 Mc Fitdde n SlInt41 Af\ll. CA 927 04 P1 4 1839.CJ150 Hon da 01 Rl!land \ 405 W Red len d' RII(l ..... .. CA I m o lit E Cycle EI'lg & Supp ly 114O-A Kt aemllr Blvd . Ana he,m . C A 9 2806 NO. CAL IFORNIA Canntch Ml Hond . 7833 F'lF oa k, Blvd . Clr mlCtlllll . CA 9S6OB l 1 16 1 944·13 18 9 Cycl. MoI,.n 56 Bolinas Road F'.rlllll . CA 94 930 14151 45 3·1680 Dudt., 10 Sort 620 V 'wlie 51. Han ford . CA 932 30 1209 1582·9370 EIlIttItf'M.C. C.rn ... 10 7 S. " H" 5 ' E."I... . CA 93 1 2 1 1209 15 92 -2766 Frwno Cyel . Ctr . 2250 E. McK mley 51. f' lIlno . CA 93 70 3 1209 1 233· 18 34 H.. y.... Cwl. 258 9 ·2593 h I S!' LlV mo, _CA 94550 er 14 15 1 44 7·446 0 Moot'" 80 So M 2·14 3 1 E. Chlf Dr. Santa Cruz. CA 95060 l4OB1475·36 19 p oint. The ellipse was necessary to take the side loads imp osed in co mpression of the cantileve r dampers. These da m pers are th e excellent Marz oechi nitrogen-flu id shoe ks that, with 130 lb. spri ngs, give 6.5 inches o f rear wheel travel. These are the sam e dampers (actually a sligh tly im proved version) LOCAL : Mo rr is Malo ne Jo h n Hatl ey Charley Marshall Mark Short Ja mes Gardner Rick Smith Mike S ink ov ich Dave Pessy Gary Hynes Mike Sturns Bry an J odry Skeet Hise Hen ry Halbach Gary Murphy A & J Hond . Shop 5 10 Couc h 5 1. veneic. CA 94590 1707 1 69 1"' 944 R-'wood Motorwporb 1825 TOmlil\5On St . Eurek, . CA 95 50 1 17071 443 -406 5 Selby Mot Dri 346 EI Cam ino R N r Redwood C,ly . CA 94062 14 151 369 ... 112 o & L Spu n e ye"" St ar Rou l. No I Plymou l h. CA 9!)669 Impo , t Cycle No 1 6203 YOtII mlle Blvd Modello . CA 9 53 5 1 Im po rt Cycl. No . 2 608 Porle, AYII Stcc ktc n, CA So , Tahoe Spo rn lit Cyc les PO Bo .. 84 38 50 , T;JhOtl. CA 95 731 Trop hy Cye"" JOOEl CaminO Mt , VIew. C A 94040 South City Cycle Shop 5 11 M.yt.ir So . S.n Fr.lICilCD. CA 94OSO { 15 1 583-35 19 4 Tom ', Cycle Cent .. 1230 S. M, in ..... Veoet.. NV 89 104 (7021 38 2.fi600 IDAHO OREG O N Gtll. t1a En ..,.,..__ 1510 Sou th Concord Eugene. OR 97403 150 31 74&-224 2 ContpiWtlon MotlMto K_ 8340 S .W. B¥bur BlVd. Port l.nd. OR 9 721 9 150 3 1 245-3 18 1 Cyde s.m- OF. 51 20 Hill Ao.d 80,• • 10 83703 I2OBI 345-3 153 Don' , Tire .. Cyde 357 4th A..,... N.W. . Twin Fe ll, . 1083301 12081 733-0818 Hylton 's Honde 719 Norm M. in Moscow . 10 8384J l20B l 882-777 1 sc-te Elec h'1C 80. 119 R.tndrum . 10 83858 ':xiiI 687-201 1 W8Ilk. MItch . .. E... 12JON. Sky h.... Of . IdItho Falil . 1083401 12081 523.0871 NEVADA Cyde Fu n 905 S . RICk Shod. S!Mrk, . NV 69220 17021 358 ·5233 llM Cycle'nn 409 North Finl St . Post Off ICII Bo. 126& a..Grand • • OR 9 7850 150 3 1 963- 24 12 J 10J Motors J620 S. E. Powe ll St . eye'. SPec ie/ ty 4495 feble Rock Rd . Centrel Poin 1. O R 9 7501 (503) 664- 2756 OMot!', Cycle Shop UTA H bltmont <:yd. World E..,..-en. WA 98 204 1206 1337·30 31 c s G Cyc:I. $eIl t f 233 1 S. St , t. St . S11lt L.ke City . UT 84 115 18011487·261 2 SpgrtIIo Cyd. Cu. 596 E. T" 'mecle St. Geo rge . UT 84 770 tR01 I 67 3·2221 Grand PrIll Cycle Cen t.... J994 W. 64 00 Sout h Kearm. UT SAl 18 Kil1<', P' K llOOn Cyd. 45 1 W. 12 th Ogde n . UT 84404 Ponlllnd. OR 9 7202 15031 2JS..89 38 WASHIN GTON Ka.eMlr i of ROMbu ", 29 76 Nor1h ll;rlt O ~mo nd ROMburg .OR 15031 672.s8SS BuriMI Mon t. . Village Spo n Cycllll 10 1 ' N. 9th Co n..,. Gl ove . OR 9 74 24 Mon tesa Motors, In c.• 365 7 Beverly Blvd .• Lo s Ange les. CA 90004. Telephone: 213-MON-TESA 15026 h t A..,.. • So . • Sea tt l" . WA 9tIT4B (206 1 242-02!i6 w.t:. Inc. 14 1 Sce nic V_ On.... Cyl:I. Lo ngvi_ . W A 98632 12081 425- 7628 2009 Po rtl. nd A..,.. . W. II, W..~ . WA 99362 f5091 525-12 12 MorIt_ SIll.. 1051". 3401 M,in St . Unio n GiIP. WA 98903 1509 1 453-2203 Mot ors Unfimi t8d 3456 M. rtin W.y Oly mpi • • WA 985 06 12061 456-8685 hr.I,_·,Inc, 6 11·1(1Oth St .• S.W. TacorM. WA 98 499 f2061 588-1837 $porta Cve l.. 48 20 N. M. rkel SDok.ne. WA 992 02 lS09 I 489 -6500 O~w ' , Cytle Sho p 16 165 Colville Willi. Willl.1 WA 99 362 . 1509 1525·t 2 12 H.1 rlev ·[)avoch o n Cyd e World 8 320 E""",g' een Way e..,.,. u . WA 98 204 12061 387 -30 31