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/128177
British marque, for that very day marked the long-awaited restart of production at the rebuilt Hinckley factory, albeit to begin with only at 25 percent of eventual capacity. But Triumph is now very much back in business, with the added bonus of having completely sold out of unsold stock worldwide. Expect the array of novelties from the British marque which should have debuted at Intermot to commence appearing next spring, with first up most likely to be the race-targeted TT600 Daytona Supersport contender with which John Bloor's company will finally make its long-awaited competition debut in the second half of 2003, after sufficient numbers have been produced to meet homologation requirements. Joining them in the Superbike paddock in July next year will be Mondial, who with factory Honda SP2 race engines now committed to the Italian marque, according to owner Roberto Ziletti, will enter World Superbike after July next year with the Piega V -twin displayed in unchanged form on a classy Intermot stand. Though handbuilt Piegas continue to trickle out of the firm's Brescia base, series production will begin at last in January in the company's all-new, purpose-built factory which has now been built just the other side of the wall from the Monza autodromo's legendary Lesmo curves. Another Italian trophy marque hoping to restart volume production shortly is MV Agusta, whose modern. well-equipped Cassinetta factory has been at a standstill for most of the year, pending its proposed merger with scooter giants Piaggio. The two fmancially troubled companies have now fallen out of bed with each other, but MV's Intermot display allegedly presaged the restart of production next month. This will focus entirely at first on meeting pent-up demand for existing models, primarily the Husqvarna off-road range and four-cylinder F4, the latest limited-edition version of which was launched at Intermot; the F4 Ago, which commemorates the most successful Grand Prix racer of aU time, MY's Giacomo Agostini. The machine was unveiled by Ago himself in company with another Latin legend who also at one stage defected to Japan Inc., before seeing the error of his ways, Marco Lucchinelli. guise, which with a new cylinder block and pistons as well as a revised exhaust system now delivers a claimed 137 bhp at the crank at 12,600 rpm - 10 bhp up on the previous 127-bhp motor which now only appears in the Brutale four-cylinder streetrod, production of which is supposed to finally happen next spring. Next year, we're also assured, will also see the production of the powerup SPR version of the F4, this time around displayed in all-black carbon fiber bodywork at lntermot, and whose revised camshafts, exhaust system, Mahle pistons and many other tuning components developed on the semi-works endurance racer which has shone in grueling 24-hour marathons this year, jack power up to a claimed 146 bhp at 13,000 rpm. No sign of the 1000cc version formerly known as the F5 (but to be launched at Milan a year hence as the F4 Mille, says MV boss Claudio Castiglioni), which has been put back by a year to allow MV to get back on track. For the same reason, the only real novelties from its Cagiva brand were the 1000 X-Raptor, a carbon-bodied, single-seat version of its Raptor streetrod powered by Suzuki's TLlOOOS V-twin motor but now fitted with ram-air induction, and a restyled version of its 125cc Planet two-stroke equivalent, now renamed the Raptor 125 to link in with the SUZUki-powered bigger models, which are also due to restart production soon, in the various guises seen at Intermot. Only, don't hold your breath. Piaggio is suffering even more from the collapse of the deal with MV Agusta, since it now has nowhere to build the range of Gilera motorcycles The F4 Ago will be built in a 500off quantity with carbon bodywork, uprated Showa suspension, forged Marchesini wheels, adjustable footrests, six-piston Nissin one-piece racing brake calipers, 50mm Marzocchi upside-down forks, and a red-painted frame, the whole adorned with Ago's autograph and an extremely tackylooking '1' fake race number slapped on the side of Tamburini's twowheeled stylistic work of art. Boy racers wishing to join the Ago fan club will need in excess of Euro 30,000 to become a member. Like all MV's standard 2003 F4 models, the F4 Ago is powered by the Evoluzione version of the fourcylinder radial-valve engine in 750cc cue I • n e _ IS • OCTOBER 23. 2002 25