MV Agusta 175 Disco Volante – Flying Saucer

MV Agusta 175 Disco Volante
UFOs

With Phil Aynsley

Say what you like about Italian motorcycles, but they almost always have style!

A good example is the two 175cc Disco Volante versions of the MV Agusta seen here.

The 1954 CS used conventional forks while the following year’s CSS used Earles forks. 700 units of each type were built in two batches.

Both are derivatives of the 175 CS, the first four-stroke model produced by MV and launched in late 1952.

Although fast, it gained a reputation as a somewhat flimsy design and was sold from 1954 to 1958.

Specialized racing models use narrow fuel tanks and different megaphone exhausts while road bikes have fishtail mufflers.

Depending on state of tune, the 59.6 x 62 mm SOHC engine produces between 8 and 14 horsepower at 8800 rpm. A four-speed transmission was used along with a 25mm Dell’Orto carburetor.

Dry weight is about 110 kg, compact wheelbase 1300 mm.