Cagiva

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Cagiva is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer. It was founded in 1950 by Giovanni Castiglioni in Varese, originally producing small metal components. It went into the motorcycle industry in 1978. The name is a portmanteau derived from the founder and the founding location, i.e. CAstiglioni GIovanni VArese. In 1999 for strategic purposes, the company got restructured. MV Agusta Motor become the main brand comprising Cagiva and Husqvarna. The company currently operates under the name MV Agusta Motor S.p.A. but remains under the ownership of Giovanni's sons, Claudio and Gianfranco Castiglioni.


History

Cagiva Elefant 650, a dual-sport motorcycle using a Ducati engine

In 1978 Cagiva entered the motorcycle business with two racing motorcycles riden by Gianfranco Bonera and Marco Lucchinelli.In the same year they bought a factory in Schiranna, Varese from AMF-Harley Davidson and went into motorcycle production. By 1979 the company reached an annual production of 40000 motorbikes with 8 models with two-stroke engines ranging from 125cc to 350cc.

In 1983 Cagiva obtained Ducati four stroke engines from 350cc to 1000cc and entered the big displacement market. They bought Ducati in 1985 but kept the Ducati name that was better recognized outside Italy. Ducati motorcycle production continued in Bologna, while the Varese-built Cagiva Ala Azzurra (sold under the name "Alazzurra") and Elefant were introduced, both featuring Ducati engines.

Cagiva continued with strategic buyouts of Moto Morini in 1985 and Husqvarna in 1987. In 1991 Cagiva also bought the tratemarks for the MV Agusta brand

In 1996 Ducati and the Moto Morini name were sold to Texas Pacific Group

In 1999 for strategic purposes, the company got restructured. MV Agusta Motor become the main brand comprising Cagiva and Husqvarna.


Racing

Cagiva Gran Canyon

In the early 80's Cagiva began to manufacture dirt bikes and started a massive public relations program with the opening of their North American branch. They hired "Radical" Ron Turner to test and develop their bikes. They also had Duane Summers, a legend in the cross country pro circuit. This was when Johnny O'Mara was the 'fast' one on the 125's that year and Ron beat Johnny numerous times at local Southern California tracks. Cagiva motocross bikes were characterized by their fast powerful engines and innovative features, such as the MX line that had only one spring in the front forks with one fork controlling dampening and the other spring.

In the early 1990s the company began campaigning the Grand Prix motorcycle racing circuit with Randy Mamola as their rider. They would also have some technical assistance from Yamaha. In 1991 they signed former world champion Eddie Lawson to their team. Lawson would claim their first victory when he won the 1992 Hungarian Grand Prix. John Kocinski would also win a Grand Prix on a Cagiva (the C594) and finishing third in the 1994 world championship.

In 1990 and 1994 Italian rider Edi Orioli won the famed Dakar Rally on a Cagiva.


External links

Cagiva Raptor



Cagiva Models
Mito 125 | Mito SP 525 | Raptor 125 | Raptor 650 | Cagiva 1C2 | Cagiva 2C2 | Cagiva 3C2 | Cagiva 4C3 | Cagiva C9 | Cagiva C10 | Cagiva C587 | Cagiva C588 | Cagiva C589 | Cagiva C590 | Cagiva C591 | Cagiva C592 | Cagiva C593 | Cagiva C594 | Cagiva WMX | Cagiva WRX | Cagiva Alazzurra | Cagiva Ala Verde | Cagiva Aletta Oro | Cagiva Aletta Rossa | Cagiva Tamanaco | Cagiva N 90 | Cagiva Cruiser | Cagiva K | Cagiva W | Cagiva Blues | Cagiva Freccia | Cagiva Elefant | Cagiva Grand Canyon | Cagiva Navigator | Cagiva Planet | Cagiva N 1 | Cagiva SST | Cagiva Super City | Cagiva SXT | Cagiva Mito | Cagiva Raptor
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