Bill To
Senior Specialist
1954 MV Agusta 172.4 Super Sport Competizione Registration no. CSS 175 Frame no. 409986 5V Engine no. 450363 5V
Sold for £10,350 inc. premium
Lot 290
1954 MV Agusta 172.4 Super Sport Competizione
Registration no. CSS 175 Frame no. 409986 5V Engine no. 450363 5V
1954 MV Agusta 172.4 Super Sport Competizione
Registration no. CSS 175
Frame no. 409986 5V
Engine no. 450363 5V
Registration no. CSS 175
Frame no. 409986 5V
Engine no. 450363 5V
'In the hands of the MV Distributors Ltd team of Michael O'Rourke, Derek Minter and Rob Keeler, the MV 'Super Sport Competizione' has been dominating 200cc-class events, and setting new track records at almost every venue at which it has appeared.' – Motor Cycling, 17th May 1956.
Having commenced motorcycle production late in 1945 with a 98cc two-stroke, Meccanica Verghera (MV) introduced its first production four-strokes, the single-cylinder 175CST and CSTL, at the Milan Show in 1952, the newcomers' advanced overhead-cam, unitary construction engine setting them apart from most of the opposition. Their cycle parts too were state-of-the-art, consisting of a duplex loop frame incorporating the engine as a stressed member, oil-damped telescopic front fork, swinging-arm rear suspension and full-width alloy hubs. A year later the 175 CS Sport arrived featuring an engine in a higher state of tune that increased maximum power to 15bhp at 8,800rpm and pushed top speed to 135km/h (84mph). Alternative versions with either a race-developed Earles-type leading-link fork or conventional telescopics were offered. It was not just the Sport's cutting-edge technical specification that set the public's pulse racing but also its styling, for the model featured a sculpted fuel tank, almost circular when viewed from above, that soon gained it the popular sobriquet 'Disco Volante' (Flying Saucer).
Intended for production racing, the Competizione version added an external magneto and a five-speed gearbox to the package. Top speed was over 90mph but this kind of performance came at a eye-watering price, the little MV costing £434 at a time when a Manx Norton could be purchased new for £418 or a Vincent Black Shadow for £366!
A sales invoice on file shows that this Super Sport Competizione was sold as a used machine by H A Saunders Ltd of London NW11 in August 1957 to one W N Webb of New Malden, Surrey. Unfortunately nothing else is known of its history. Its most appropriate registration mark 'CSS 175' was acquired by Mole Benn in the 1990s. The machine is offered with MVOC dating letter, expired MoT (March 1998) and a file of technical data and other information.
Having commenced motorcycle production late in 1945 with a 98cc two-stroke, Meccanica Verghera (MV) introduced its first production four-strokes, the single-cylinder 175CST and CSTL, at the Milan Show in 1952, the newcomers' advanced overhead-cam, unitary construction engine setting them apart from most of the opposition. Their cycle parts too were state-of-the-art, consisting of a duplex loop frame incorporating the engine as a stressed member, oil-damped telescopic front fork, swinging-arm rear suspension and full-width alloy hubs. A year later the 175 CS Sport arrived featuring an engine in a higher state of tune that increased maximum power to 15bhp at 8,800rpm and pushed top speed to 135km/h (84mph). Alternative versions with either a race-developed Earles-type leading-link fork or conventional telescopics were offered. It was not just the Sport's cutting-edge technical specification that set the public's pulse racing but also its styling, for the model featured a sculpted fuel tank, almost circular when viewed from above, that soon gained it the popular sobriquet 'Disco Volante' (Flying Saucer).
Intended for production racing, the Competizione version added an external magneto and a five-speed gearbox to the package. Top speed was over 90mph but this kind of performance came at a eye-watering price, the little MV costing £434 at a time when a Manx Norton could be purchased new for £418 or a Vincent Black Shadow for £366!
A sales invoice on file shows that this Super Sport Competizione was sold as a used machine by H A Saunders Ltd of London NW11 in August 1957 to one W N Webb of New Malden, Surrey. Unfortunately nothing else is known of its history. Its most appropriate registration mark 'CSS 175' was acquired by Mole Benn in the 1990s. The machine is offered with MVOC dating letter, expired MoT (March 1998) and a file of technical data and other information.
Saleroom notices
Please note, the machine is offered with a V5C however it should be noted that the V5C incorrectly records the engine number as 45063/5V rather than 450363/5V as stamped to the machine
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