Friday Forum Foraging: 1975 MV Agusta 750S America
One of only 200 is now up for auction on Bring a Trailer
Rare motorcycles are always fun to talk about, and this 1975 MV Agusta 750S America is no exception. One of only 200 built over a two-year production run, the 750S America was lobbied into existence by racer Jim Cotherman and distributor Chris Garville who traveled to Italy, in 1974. There, they convinced MV's management to evolve the existing 750S into a limited-edition luxury sport bike tailored for the American market with more power and styling cues from MV's contemporary race bikes that dominated racing in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Hence the 37-star graphic on the fuel tank celebrating 37 world championships.
And now one is up for sale on Bring a Trailer. Copied below is the full description from BaT, but you'll have to go directly to the listing to view over 60 more photos of this classic MV Agusta and, if you're interested, place a bid. As of press time the current bid stands at $58,000 with the auction ending tomorrow, July 22 at 10am PST.
1975 MV Agusta 750S America
This 1975 MV Agusta 750S America is one of 200 produced during the first of the model’s two-year production run. Power comes from a 789cc DOHC inline-four mated to a five-speed transmission with a driveshaft, and features include a full fairing, a brown suede seat, clip-on handlebars, rear-set foot controls, Borrani alloy rims, Brembo front disc brakes, a Ceriani fork, adjustable Sebac shocks, an aluminum cylinder head and cylinders, four Dell’Orto VHB carburetors, and a chrome four-into-four exhaust system. This 750S America was acquired by the seller in September 2007 and is now offered with a 2023 Motorcycle Classics calendar in which the bike appears and a clean Illinois title in the seller’s name.
A 750S America prototype was readied less than two months after MV importer and distributor Chris Garville and MV retailer and racer Jim Cotherman traveled to Varese, Italy, in 1974. There, they successfully lobbied MV management to evolve the existing 750S into a limited-edition luxury sport bike tailored for the American market with more power, angular styling that borrowed from MV’s contemporary race bikes, and features that met US-market requirements such as a left-side shifter, turn signals, and air filters.
This example is finished in red over a silver frame and features an optional red- and gold-painted fairing of the type that was available from Garville’s Commerce Overseas Corporation. Additional equipment includes a 5.2-gallon fuel tank, vented contiguous side covers, a ducktail rear cowl, and a brown suede seat with a rear bumper pad as well as a chrome flip-top fuel filler, rear-set foot controls, a lift-assist handle, and both center and side stands.
In addition to silver side stripes and brand badging, the fuel tank is adorned with the 37-star graphic emblematic of the marque’s 37 world championships.
Borrani alloy rims are mounted with 100/90-18″ Metzeler ME330 front and 4.00-18″ Metzeler Perfect ME99A rear tires. Suspension consists of a 38mm Ceriani fork as well as a pair of preload-adjustable Sebac shocks mounted to the swingarm. Braking is handled via dual Brembo calipers over 280mm solid discs up front as well as a 200mm single leading-shoe drum at the rear.
Tommaselli clip-on handlebars secured beneath the top triple clamp carry Tommaselli Matador lever perches, Tommaselli Daytona grips, a Brembo master brake cylinder, Aprilia switchgear, and a bar-end mirror. The dash pod houses a branded 150-mph Smiths speedometer, a matching tachometer with an 8,500-rpm redline, and a vertical row of indicator lamps. The five-digit odometer shows 6,900 miles, approximately 100 of which were ridden by the seller.
The sandcast 789cc DOHC inline-four was rated at 75 horsepower when new and features four individually removable aluminum alloy cylinders attached to a “crankshaft block,” so called for a self-contained crankshaft subassembly that bolts directly into a rack cast in the crankcase. Additional equipment includes an aluminum alloy cylinder head, gear-driven camshafts, quad 26mm Dell’Orto VHB carburetors, a Bosch electric starter/generator, a Bosch automotive-style distributor, and a chrome four-into-four exhaust system.
Power is sent to the rear wheel via a multi-disc wet clutch, a five-speed transmission, and an enclosed driveshaft.
The corrected Illinois title lists the bike as a 1974 model using number 2210172 stamped on the engine case. A redacted photo of the title can be viewed in the gallery.
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Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.
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