

Vintage race bikes sound good in theory. But unless you’re handy with a spanner and have access to an underground parts network, they’re likely to drain your bank account faster than a weekend in Vegas.

So wouldn’t it be good if you could have a race replica that starts at the push of a button? And doesn’t require a fleet of mechanics to keep it running?



That’s the thinking behind the latest release from Giovanni Magni—son of the legendary MV Agusta engineer Arturo, and current custodian of the Magni factory.

The Filo Rosso is powered by the 3-cylinder MV Agusta Brutale 800 engine, encased in a classic double-cradle frame. It’s got 125 eager Italian horses on tap, and weighs only 145 kg (320 pounds). Which means it’ll be fast enough to embarrass all but the most exotic of modern machinery.



The rest of the spec sheet is equally mouth-watering. The forks are classic Cerianis, and the 18” wheels are magnesium alloy. There’s a twin-disc Brembo brake setup at the front, thankfully, and modern Dunlop rubber at both ends.



The star of the show is the bodywork, though. You’ll be able to specify the bike in “café racer” trim—minus the fairing—but we’ll take the extra metallurgy, thank you.



Being hand-beaten aluminum it won’t weigh much, and it looks simply stunning in the classic MV Agusta red and silver livery. Just like the original 500 Three racebikes did some forty years ago, fettled by Magni Snr and ridden by Giacomo Agostini to seven consecutive championships.



There’s no word on price yet, and some of the components may change before limited production starts. But the Magni factory has been producing delectable short runs of sporting machinery since the 1980s, so the project is in good hands.

Interested? Please form an orderly queue at www.magni.it.