MV Agusta 500cc Three is a road racing motorcycle made by MV Agusta

MV Agusta

MV Agusta is a motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1945 near Milan in Cascina Costa, Italy. The company began as an offshoot of the Agusta aviation company formed by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923. The Count died in 1927, leaving the company in the hands of his wife and sons, Domenico, Vincenzo,...

 to compete in the 500 cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...

 World Championship. The motorcycle was introduced in 1966 to compete with the ever competitive Honda Racing

Honda Racing Corporation

Honda Racing Corporation is a division of the Honda Motor Company formed in 1982. The company combines participation in motorcycle races throughout the world with the development of high potential racing machines. Its racing activities are an important source for the creation of leading edge...

. The bike was a bored out version of MV Agusta's highly successful 350 cc three cylinder. Its production lasted until 1974.

Specifications

Both the 500cc and the 350cc Factory race bikes specifications, bore and stroke were veiled in secrecy. When information was leaked, MV Agusta was known to leak disinformation. Over the passing of years, MV race engineers provided information on 500cc Three cylinder.

• Bore Stroke: (4-Stroke in-line Three Cylinder 62 X 55 X 3mm - 497.9 cm)
• Compression Ratio
  Compression ratio
  The 'compression ratio' of an internal-combustion engine or external combustion engine is a value that represents the ratio of the volume of its combustion chamber from its largest capacity to its smallest capacity...
  
  : 11 : 1
• Ignition: Coil
• Clutch: Dry, Multi plate
• Carburetors: Dell’ Orto MASSI 27A (3)
• Wheels: Light Alloy, Spoke
• Oil Tank capacity 3 kg.

Race history

Giacomo Agostini

Giacomo Agostini

-Non-riding career:Like John Surtees and Mike Hailwood before him, Agostini raced in Formula One cars. He competed in non-championship Formula One races in 1978. He competed in the European Formula 2 series in a Chevron B42-BMW and British Aurora Formula 1 with his own team and a Williams FW06...

 rode the 500 Three to six consecutive 500cc World Championships Grand Prix motorcycle racing

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...

from 1966 to 1973.