Highlights

One-off bike with period racing provenance
Older restoration
Featured in a book about MV Agusta
Requires straightforward recommissioning

The Appeal

Throughout the 1950s, MV Agusta was building some of Italy’s finest motorcycles, and of all its range, the 175 series, built from 1953 to 1960, was the best-seller. This is hardly surprising, considering its versatility – it could be bought in touring, sports or super-sports guises, and there were even a couple of racing models.

It’s those racing models which concern us, since they formed the inspiration for this one. Its general appearance is evocative of the MV Distributors Ltd. racing team, which dominated 200cc racing events in the mid-1950s. The team, which consisted of Michael O’Rourke, Derek Minter and Rob Keeler, raced the Super Sport Competizione with many good results.

Ken Brett was one enthusiast who felt sufficiently inspired by MV’s successes to buy a 175 and construct his own lightweight racing special (this was much more economical than buying one – at £434, a 175 CSS cost more than a Manx Norton). This bike started life as a true, MV-inspired special, with Brett's frame made along similar lines and fitted with an Earles-type leading-link front fork, swing-arm rear suspension, 18-inch wheels and MV front brake. It was originally built around a 125cc engine with a Rudge crankcase but a cylinder barrel and overhead-cam head of Brett’s own creation, and an Albion four-speed gearbox.

Brett raced his magnificent creation for the first time at Oulton Park in 1957, and would go on two build two further specials of a similar nature.

It has been restored once in the past, and at some point it also came to be fitted with the MV Agusta 175 CSS engine, but it’s not known when or how that happened. It’s still in good condition though, several years down the line, so it’s time someone took it and had some fun with it. Having been on static display in a collection for a few years, it will need some straightforward recommissioning, and then there’ll be nothing stopping you from putting it through its paces in circuit-racing and speed trials.

The History and Paperwork

The first of three built by Ken Brett along MV Agusta lines for his own use in lightweight circuit racing
Raced at Oulton Park in 1957
Restored once at some point in the past and fitted with the MV Agusta 175 engine
Featured in Mick Walker’s book about MV Agusta
It has belonged to at least two private collections, and is offered for sale after several years in a large collection in Hertfordshire
The only paperwork with the bike are some documents containing technical information and history about MV Agusta generally, the 175 model and Ken Brett

The Condition

Older restoration has survived well
Unique assembly of parts
Has the appearance of a well-used racing bike

Hard to miss in its eye-catching bright red, this marvellous special still presents very well following its restoration a number of years ago. While we don’t know when the restoration took place, it has had time to mellow very nicely, and now has a nice patina – the sort of patina that looks just right on a historic racing bike.

By patina, we mean there are just a few light marks on the paintwork, some very light scratches on the Perspex screen and some pitting and flaking of the chromed parts around the top of the forks, and the seat may benefit from being scrubbed with a bit of elbow grease but, as we say, a racing bike shouldn’t look too shiny.

The wheels and tyres are in good condition and there’s not much more to it than that. It’s a very attractive, ‘oily rag’ machine, and there really is nothing else like it.

The Mechanics

Fitted with MV Agusta’s racing-specification 175 CSS engine
Supplied with some technical papers pertaining to the mechanics
Will need some light recommissioning

On the one hand, it’s a little bit of a shame that this bike no longer retains its original Brett engine. On the other hand, if you really want to use it, the MV engine puts you at a great advantage, since you know how it’s been put together and how to work on it, spares are available and, though we’ve no doubts at all that Brett was a very capable engineer, it’s probably more competitive.

Unfortunately, we can’t say how it runs because several years spent on static display without being run does mean that it now needs recommissioning, but we don’t envisage it being too involving at all. We were satisfied with the brakes as we wheeled the bike around – though that’s no guarantee for them when you’re doing 100mph – and everything looks to be in good external condition, so apart from a few new seals here and there, it shouldn’t need much else to make it race-ready.

The Summary

MV Agusta 175s were really king of the hill when it came to lightweight motorcycle racing in the 1950s but, from the collector’s point of view, this is arguably something better. This may not have quite the same glamorous racing provenance, but it is a true one-off with a fascinating story.

Having been restored once, the Brett Special now exhibits a nice patina, which we think suits it better than a shiny restoration. All it needs is some straightforward fettling, which you’ll easily be able to do over a few winter weekends, and then it’s ready to race. What are you waiting for?

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