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XXX: MV Agusta “AgoTT” by Deus Ex Machina

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With the debut of the MV Agusta F4Z – a custom superbike designed in partnership with Italian design house Zagato – I thought we would add some contrast to that machine with another special motorcycle that started life in Varese: Deus Ex Machina’s “AgoTT” street bike.

I recently got to see the AgoTT doing laps at Laguna Seca (note the balled racing slicks), and was immediately impressed with the build – the guys at Deus in Los Angeles really did a superb job with this machine, which has a nice balance of old and new in its design.

I also love the fact that we are seeing some great pieces of work get built from the MV Agusta platform, especially the Brutale line. Adrian Morton and his team at CRC have made a lineup of truly beautiful machines, taking on the difficult task of improving upon the work of Massimo Tamburini.

But the even more difficult task is then to take those finish production bikes and rework them into something that is not only new, but also equally as beautiful.

What we have seen from Walt Siegl, and now from Deus Ex Machina hit the nail on the head, and give us a much-needed break from the Honda CB builds of the last few year. I think you’ll agree, and also enjoy the pictures, after the jump.

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Bikes

Behold, The MV Agusta F4Z

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The much hyped MV Agusta F4Z broke cover today – much to our surprise, ahead of its scheduled September 4th debut. The bike is a collaboration between MV Agusta and Milan-based design house Zagato, using the four-cylinder MV Agusta F4 superbike as its platform.

Thanks to the not one, but two teaser videos from MV Agusta, we had a good idea what the F4Z would look like, but now there is little room for speculation with what appears to be CG renders images of the machine..

We expect that this design will certainly be polarizing, especially considering the iconic form that the F4 embodied. As such, leave your thoughts in the comments section.

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Bikes

The MV Agusta F4Z Teases Us Again

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MV Agusta continues to tease its collaboration with design house Zagato, with their MV Agusta F4Z set to drop in a couple weeks’ time.

Using yet another teaser video, MV Agusta pulls the curtain back a little further, giving us a better glimpse of the F4Z’s lines, which shows off a very unique sport bike.

Zagato has given the MV Agusta F4 quite the makeover, going from superbike to something closer to a futuristic café racer. We’re not sure how that’s going to play with hardcore MV Agusta fans, but the design partnership is certainly producing some interesting results.

Tell us your thoughts, is the MV Agusta F4Z a yay or a nay? The teaser video (after the jump) is full of fast cuts, so we added some screen captures of the good bits for you.

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Bikes

More Teasers from MV Agusta & Zagato

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Seemingly reading our minds from yesterday, MV Agusta has released a teaser video for its soon-to-be-revealed collaboration with Zagato.

The video uses light a great deal to hide and reveal elements of the machine, thus obfuscating the details of the special motorcycle. But still, we can glean some important pieces of information, nonetheless.

For starters, the MV Agusta F4 does appear to be the basis for this new machine, confirming rumors from yesterday, with the video providing a good look at the crankcase cover and chassis configuration, which are the same as those on the the inline-four superbike.

The various other pieces we see suggest a motorcycle that is very different from the donor model though, with Zagato’s touches seemingly taking the F4 from superbike to avant-garde café racer (the above enhanced photo shows the silhouette).

To that end, the overall aesthetic might not be that different from the Ducati MH900E, with similarly chosen modern touches on a retro design. We wll let you watch the video, checkout the stills, and make up your own mind, though.

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Rumors

MV Agusta F4 Getting the Zagato Makeover?

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When MV Agusta announced that it was working with automobile design house Zagato, it left us scratching our heads. What were these two Italian brands up to? The teaser image did little to help narrow down that answer too.

We might have another piece to the puzzle though, as Swiss outfit AcidMoto has a source who is saying that the special motorcycle will be based off the MV Agusta F4 – Varese’s venerable superbike.

That news probably doesn’t give us any more clarity than we had before, but it is interesting to see the aged four-cylinder platform getting the Zagato custom treatment.

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News

MV Agusta In Talks with New Investors

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News out of Italy is that MV Agusta is courting not one, but three potential investors that would takeover Mercedes-AMG’s stake in the two-wheeled company.

As we have covered extensively already, MV Agusta is in quite the precarious financial position, with cash flow issues compounding the unhappy marriage between the Italian motorcycle-maker and the German automobile manufacturer.

MV Agusta would like to divest Mercedes from its business, but that comes with complications involving the immediate payback of debts, should Mercedes-AMG’s position in MV Agusta drops below 20%.

In order to make that divesture, MV Agusta would need not only an investor who would bring sizable amounts of cash to the table to keep MV Agusta’s business running, but one who can also cover the €15 million debt whose payment would be triggered by Mercedes-AMG’s business departure.

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Rumors

MV Agusta, What the Hell Are You Up To?

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We got a strange email from MV Agusta this morning, one that seems to be teasing a new motorcycle. That much isn’t too uncommon, as the Italian brand loves to build anticipation of its new model releases. But, this teaser seems like something else entirely.

You can see it above, although there is not much to see beyond a wheel and some sort of enlarged canopy. That in itself though is something of an oddity, and quite frankly it looks like that on September 4th, we are going to see a machine like no other that’s ever been in the MV Agusta lineup.

I have three theories on what this rogue “Z” wearing vehicle could be, and they all are based off the idea that we are looking at the hind quarters of a new machine. Let me explain.

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Racing

World Superbike Silly Season Update: Melandri Is Back, Bradl Switches, & Aprilia Arrives

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While the MotoGP grid is as good as settled, Silly Season for World Superbikes is in full swing.

With the Kawasaki riders’ contracts settled before the summer break, attention has turned to the other seats, most of which are up in the air. In addition, there could be some changes in machinery, with some teams eyeing a switch of manufacturers.

The biggest news – still unofficial, but widely believed to be a done deal – is that Marco Melandri is set to make a return to the World Superbike paddock, this time in the factory Aruba.it Ducati team alongside Chaz Davies.

Melandri has been angling for a ride ever since his departure from the factory Aprilia MotoGP squad, a move he had never wanted to make in the first place.

Over the past twelve months or so, he has been linked to rides with Yamaha, Aprilia, BMW, and Kawasaki in World Superbikes, and – possibly the most bizarrely inaccurate rumor to be published in a while – to a ride with BMW in MotoGP.

The fact that BMW have no intention of racing in MotoGP, and the break up with Melandri in 2013 so acrimonious that they would not have him back anyway is what made that particular rumor so entertaining.

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MotoGP

Paddock Pass Podcast – Episode 31 – WSBK Misano

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Episode 31 of the Paddock Pass Podcast comes to you from Misano, Italy where David Emmett joins Steve English for the recent World Superbike round. The two talk about the weekend’s racing, and catch us up with the general happenings of the WSBK paddock.

The obvious major topic of discussion is Jonathan Rea’s domination so far this year, as he leads Tom Sykes and Chaz Davies in the Championship standings.

Talk about the other “factory” teams also occurs, mostly looking at the differences of factory support in WSBK. This includes the plight of Nicky Hayden and the Honda Racing outfit, as well as the Pata Yamaha and Milwaukee BMW squads, who don’t have the same budgets and resources as Ducati and Kawasaki.

In addition to that, we think you will enjoy the conversation about Leon Camier and MV Agusta, both of who had great outings at the Misano round. MV Agusta is slowly making progress with its program, but the company’s financial difficulties put clouds over the Italian outfit’s future.

To finish things up, the guys also have a frank conversation about the difficulties riders have moving from WSBK into the MotoGP paddock.

Whether you are a regular follower of World Superbike racing, or just a casual observer, we think you will find this episode both highly insightful and entertaining.

As always, be sure to follow the Paddock Pass Podcast on Facebook, Twitter and subscribe to the show on iTunes and SoundCloud – we even have an RSS feed for you. If you like the show, we would really appreciate you giving it a review on iTunes. Thanks for listening!

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Bikes

CEO Tips New MV Agusta Brutale in the Works

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Many words lately have been spent telling the tale of MV Agusta, as the Italian motorcycle manufacturer is at an interesting crossroads for its future. It’s marriage with Mercedes-AMG failed, and now MV Agusta is in a precarious state, financially.

Because of its financial troubles, the motorcycle brand from Varese, Italy has had to rethink it production goals, and its model lineup.

MV Agusta CEO Giovanni Castiglioni sat down with Alan Cathcart (that interview is slowly making its way out from the publications that Cathcart works with internationally) about this subject, and many other topics of interest.

One of the more interesting elements to come from their discussion is MV Agusta’s work on a new inline-four platform, and when we can see MV Agusta’s most iconic models getting a refresh.

We originally thought this delayed endeavor would manifest itself in a new superbike platform, with the next-generation MV Agusta F4 debuting shortly, but as Castiglioni reveals, the first new four-cylinder from MV Agusta will not be and F4, and instead will be a Brutale.

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News

Polaris in the MV Agusta Acquisition Mix?

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If you believe the rumors coming out of Italy, Polaris is poised to save acquire ailing motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta.

We have documented MV Agusta’s precarious financial troubles already in great detail, and how MV Agusta CEO Giovanni Castiglioni is between a rock and a hard place with his main investor, Mercedes-AMG.

According to the Italian media, and those who repeat their words like parrots, Polaris represents an escape from MV Agusta’s difficult position with the German automobile-maker, though the reality is that nothing could be farther from the truth.

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