MV Agusta 150 Singles
Turismo GT, Sella & Rapido Sport WILL
Of course, most of the attention given to MV Agusta motorcycles is focused on the famous racing bikes or four-cylinder road machines. Their much more modest production pillars, not so much.
Here we have three examples of the single 150 cc engine (actually 150.1 cc – an important detail) that was once the company’s stable production vehicle.
First introduced in 1959 in response to a change in Italian road law banning bicycles under 150 cc from using automatic roads, the 150.1cc Rapido Sport uses a larger-diameter version of the engine. 125cc “Centomila” (100,000).
“100,000 km” is a reference to the advertised engine life of the redesigned engine with an enlarged reservoir and centrifugal oil filter.
Twin mufflers are used to increase power by reducing back pressure while a 20 mm Dell’Orto carburetor is fitted.
The original four-speed gearbox was replaced by a five-speed transmission in 1966. Power was 10 hp at 6400 rpm with a weight of 110 kg. Top speed is 115 km/h. The bike seen here is a 1964 model.
The Rapido Sport S model appeared in 1960 and used a larger, 22 mm carburetor and single muffler to increase power to 12.5 hp. Only 215 were produced until it was discontinued in 1973.
Rapido Sport production ended in 1969 with 6515 units produced.
The next model is an original 1971 150 Turismo GT, unpainted. Introduced in 1960, this model used a higher handlebar, a single muffler and a different fuel tank.
A smaller 18 mm carburetor has been fitted and maximum power is 8 hp at 5700 rpm. 3,132 units were produced.
Finally we have a 150 Sella 1963. This is one of many MV models made in Spain under license first MV Alpha (1948), then MV Avelló from 1951.
In 1955 MV itself became a Spanish business partner and the name on the tank changed from ‘Avelló’ to ‘Agusta’.
By 1966, more than 50,000 Spanish-language music videos had been produced. This arrangement lasted until the early 1970s when MV dropped the small capacity lineup to focus on larger road bikes.
