1950 MV Agusta 125cc 'Quattro Marce' Racing Motorcycle

•Four-speed model
•Formerly the property of Giancarlo Morbidelli
•Believed restored in the Morbidelli workshops
•Present ownership since 2015

Although best known for their racing and road-going four-cylinder four-strokes, MV Agusta built lightweights throughout its manufacturing career and in its early days listed small two-strokes and even a scooter. Indeed, one of the marque's earliest Grand Prix results - 5th place in the Dutch 125 round in 1950 - was achieved by a two-stroke. Much better engineered than any British contemporary, the 125 MV was powered by a neat unitary construction single-cylinder engine which, somewhat unusually for a post-war design, featured detachable transfer ports. The cycle parts comprised a twin-downtube swinging-arm frame and blade-type girder forks.

As soon as the 125cc roadster appeared the factory began developing a racing version, although at first the latter was not that different from the standard model. Its shortcomings soon became apparent, leading to a hasty redesign, the most obvious evidence of which was a new cylinder head with greatly enlarged finning. In this form the MV 125 racer achieved its first major success, winning at the Grand Prix des Nations at Faenza in 1948. For 1949 there was an entirely new version, featuring a more streamlined engine, a four-speed gearbox (replacing the earlier three-speed) and a new frame with swinging-arm rear suspension. An ideal machine for privateers, the racing 125cc two-strokes were a major success, winning the arduous Milan-Taranto road race in 1950, '51 and '52, but at World Championship level the MVs were outclassed by the four-stroke F.B. Mondial with its twin-overhead-cam engine. Count Agusta's response was to hire Gilera's chief designer Piero Remor together with its chief mechanic, Arturo Magni, and build a four-stroke racer of his own, and in 1950 the works team ceased to use the two-stroke.

The immediately preceding owner, a prominent German private collector, purchased this beautiful little Quattro Marce (four-speed) MV 125 from a deaf German racer, who had acquired it in Italy from Giancarlo Morbidelli, founder of the eponymous motorcycle company and head of the Morbidelli Museum. Believed restored in the Morbidelli workshops, the machine has been run but not raced.

The late owner purchased the MV from Bonhams' Stafford Sale in April 2015 (Lot 379), since when it has formed part of his extensive private collection. Having been stored in controlled conditions and unused since purchase the machine will require recommissioning to a greater or lesser extent before further use and thus is sold strictly as viewed.