Fine Art Models, P.O.Box 225, Birmingham, Michigan, 48012, USA | Tel: 248.288.5155 | Fax: 248.288.4412
I have been a “collector” all my life and have put together some pretty amazing collections including scale models, automobiles, airplanes, fossils, music boxes, and on and on. The collection is just a collection, but the hunt for the collection is what it is all about. In the past the collection was complete when the ultimate piece was acquired to complete the collection.
When Mr. Ferrari was alive I was privileged to experience the intense passion of not just Ferrari, but the people of Ferrari. This is where I learned of the passion the Italians have for their country, food, wine, and way of life. This is also how I fell in love with Italy. When Mr. Ferrari died so did the Ferrari way of life as far as I was concerned. Today Ferrari is just another Fiat as far as I am concerned.
Looking to replace this passion I began to follow the exploits and accomplishments of Massimo Tamburini when he was with the motorcycle company Bimota. When he moved to Ducati and created the classic 916 I knew this was the next great passion for me. Although I bought the 916 and then a second to set up as a 956 as it won the first World Super Bike Championship, I was not really interested in the vintage Ducati’s. But when Mr. Tamburini joined MV Agusta, I knew I had found the next great thing to collect: MV Agusta Motorcycles. For me Massimo Tamburini is to the motorcycle world as Pinninfarina is to automobiles: beauty and function in a package second to none.
If we look at the history of the motorcycle we find that up until WWII the motorcycle was primarily transportation. It wasn’t until after WWII that the culture of the motorcycle took on its evolution going from transportation to sport and on into world-class pieces of art. Once everyone had at least one car in his or her garage the motorcycle began to become very special.
Count Agusta had a personal passion for his motorcycles and while he achieved thirty-nine world championships, he also achieved something else not equaled by any other motorcycle company in history; he produced everything from mopeds and three-wheel agricultural vehicles to production race bikes, sport bikes, scooters and more. The common theme among all of them was leading edge design and technology. Simply put…..they all had passion.
So in 1997 when the now famous MV Agusta 750 Oro was introduced it became a classic that very moment. How many objects in life can claim the same? The passion of Massimo Tamburini and Claudio Castiglioni was evident and it has been carried through in everything they have done to date. Show me another motorcycle with the same design/function excellence.
Thus, I decided I would attempt to put together a collection representing every year of production from MV Agusta’s past. The criteria was simple…the bike had to be ideally original and un-restored or restored to original. No compromise in either case.
Over the past nine years I can say that I have never had more fun in my life. Once again the collection is not the issue, finding the collection is everything because most of the hunt takes place in all corners of Italy and that has lead to so many adventures that as time goes on I will relate many of the stories on these pages as it relates to specific bikes.
Then of course there are our models and to produce the finest motorcycle model in the world and have it be an MV Agusta….well that’s the cherry on the sundae isn’t it?
In the coming weeks if you’d like a laugh or two then read the stories of some of my exploits acquiring the bikes for this collection. And register for our Bonneville updates, as we’ll take you with us (virtually) to Bonneville this year if you’d like to go.
Regards,
Gary Kohs