Domenico Agusta built the MV (Meccanica Verghera) in 1907, after the 2nd World War, to cope with the crisis of his father’s aeronautical factory. It was intended for the construction of motorcycles.
The first model was released in the autumn of 1945 and it was called the ’98, released in two versions Tourism and Economic.
MV Agusta debuted in competitions a year after, conquering the first victory in a regularity rally in La Spezia with Vincenzo Nencioni. Since that day the MV has been on the podium countless times. It reached the peak of its success with Giacomo Agostini on the 29th of August with the podium at Nürburgring. He won the 75th world title (38 drivers category and 37 in constructors category).
The success of the MV was mostly connected to Agostini, fairly referred to as “the best driver of all times”, from 1967 to 1973 he won without interruption the World Championship with the MV 350 and 500, three and four cylinders.
At the end of the 70s, due to the economical difficulties of the MV, the EFIM (Ente partecipazione e Finanziamento Industria Manifatturiera) stepped in and imposed a stop to motorcycle production.
Knowing the imminent sales of the MV racing division in 1986 Ublado Elli “played a blinder” and bought a lot of the MV Agusta Cascina Costa of Verghera, province of Varese. In addition to the motorcycles, he brought home other curiosities such as the workbench complete with tools and pieces of equipment, the helmets, the office furniture, the transmission shaft of the first racing MV series, an aeronautic engine, the lifting platform on which were engineered the motorcycles and the entire spare parts warehouse of the World Championship racing bikes.
The Elly Collection today is a unique ensemble worldwide, among others including a red and triumphant parade of 27 MV Agusta Grand Prix. Almost all the machines are winners of world laurels, and they are part of the beating heart of the Italian motorcycle’s history.
Step by step the Elly Collection family restored the 350 three-cylinder with the Bergamonti titanium Frame, the 500 six-cylinder two valves with which Surtees won Monza in 1958. And many other bikes that excelled on circuits all over the world in the hands of great champions like Ubbiali, Provini, Surtees, Venturi, Hocking, and of course Agostini.
After the great MV deal, Ubaldo enlarged his collection with other rare racing motorcycles: the Yamaha 750 4 cylinders front gear two-stroke of Ceccotto, the Ducati 125 Spillo double shaft of Francesco Villa, the Guzzi Gambalunghino 250 with which Lorenzetti won the World Championship in 1951, the Aermacchi 250 oil-immersed clutch that Pasolini used for training.
Ubaldo brought the bikes back to their glory days with the help of the people employed at the racing division of Cascina Costa, among them the valuable and eccentric Ginetto Clerici whose son, following his father’s steps, became the mechanic of Casey Stoner and still works at Repsol.
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Writing and photos from “La storia di un rombo” Ghigo Roli, Barbara Brevi, Massimo Cirulli ©2011 Artioli Editore.
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