Description
1953 MV Agusta Monoalbero Corsa, Customer Racer, one of 166 made between 1953 and 1956.
Frame number 10055, engine number 10053. Frame and engine numbers verified correct and original. 13th at 1961 Ulster GP.
For 1953, MV offered an over-the-counter '125' racer for privateers, which was developed directly from the works bikes. Raced in the period by the likes of Ubbiali, Sandford and a certain Mike Hailwood, who won his first race on an over-bored version of this bike.
Italian regulations for the domestic Formula Sport demanded that machines should have only a single camshaft and four gears, and so the Monoalbero (single-camshaft) '125' racer was born. The SOHC '125' employed an impressive column of gears to drive its cam (see right side photos of the engine). Bore and stroke were 53x56mm and the motor breathed via a 27mm Dell'Orto racing carburettor, eventually producing a maximum of 16bhp at 10, 300rpm. The cycle parts were virtually an exact copy of the '52 works bikes', featuring a tubular duplex loop frame, telescopic front fork with central hydraulic damper, and swinging-arm rear suspension. Brakes were full-width aluminium-alloy: 7" diameter at the front, 6" at the rear. Dry weight was 165lb and the top speed over 90mph (145km/ h). Because Italy's long-distance road races, such as the Moto Giro d'Italia and Milan-Taranto required that machines be street legal and possess lights, a flywheel generator could form part of the specification. The MV Agusta Monoalbero '125' racer proved an enormous success, remaining in production until 1956 and continuing to offer privateers a competitive ride in the 125cc class for many years thereafter. It was a popular model for top racers taking victory at the lightweight TT.
This bike is number 55 of the 166 made between ’53 and ’56 and was one of six imported to the UK in 1955 by Bill Webster, a prominent dealer and race team owner from Crewe in Cheshire. Of the six bikes, one went to Mike Hailwood, who aged 17, competed on it in his first race on April 22nd 1957 at Oulton Park in Cheshire where he finished 11th. By the end of the same season, he had bored the bike out to 203cc and taken his maiden victory at Oulton Park.
This bike was bought by Wilf Friend a clubman racer from London, who raced under the Westminster Racing MCC and he continued to race it for the rest of the 1950s and early 1960s. A number of race programmes show Wilf lining up next to Maike Hailwood in 1958 who was by this time on a Ducati and holder of the lap record at Snetterton. Wilf raced against Hailwood and other top racers of the time including Dan Shorey, Jim Daikin and Tommy Robb, sometimes using a full dustbin faired machine. There is a picture of Wilf Friend in Mick Walker’s MV book riding this Monoalbero fully faired with a dustbin fairing, typically used on faster circuits.
Wilf’s note book showed some very specific details of his race preparation, especially with gear ratios and sprocket choices. His standard gearing led to a calculated 96mph at 10, 400 revs in top gear (41mph in first gear!). This was meticulously calculated to the point of measuring the tyre circumference at his preferred pressure – 26 psi.
Engine preparation was standard with only changes made to the jetting. He used Castrol 20R oil and 100 octane fuel with a 115 main jet, “unless it is a hot day” when he dropped to 112.
In 1961, Wilf came 13th at the Ulster GP at Dundrod, arguably his best result on this machine. Wilf fell on hard times in the 1980s and was evicted from his rented accommodation by his landlord. At the time of eviction, the engine was not housed in the frame; he had a number of motorcycles in various states of disassembly, and all of Wilf’s possessions were thrown out of the house and ended up on the lawn outside and in the street including another Monoalbero that ended up in a skip!
The rolling chassis minus engine was bought by “A Touch of Classics” owner in Croydon. The engine was bought separately by another racer.
Later, a world leading MV expert and member of the UK MV Owners Club bought the engine. In time and with some persuasion, he also managed to buy the rolling chassis, which included some parts missing from the engine. He recognised it for what it was and re-assembled the bike so that original engine and frame were re-united.
He eventually sold the bike to a fellow enthusiast of the MVOCUK who paraded the bike occasionally and then sold it on in 2017 to another MV enthusiast and member of the UKMVOC. This latter owner maintained the bike well and regularly displayed it at shows and at parades. With the bike being completely as raced condition, unrestored and with original patina, it is a major draw at historical events and receives invitations to display and parade all over Europe. This bike is incredibly historically significant being of completely original condition. This is one of the reasons it attracts so many invitations for parading and display and must be one the last few 125 Monoalberos in such original unrestored condition anywhere in the world. It is advised by MVOCUK and the MV Agusta museum in Italy that it should not be restored, or attempts made to substantially clean it or polish it from the condition it is in today; it is an historic artefact and its value lies in its originality.
The bike runs well and comes with a large history file and certificate of originality from the MV Agusta museum in Italy. There is further research warranted on the bike as Wilf Friend was not the original factory purchaser. There is a suspicion that it may have been purchased by either Frank Cope or George Arnold originally, both well known in racing circles with Frank Cope being favourite as most other pilots of the time can be ruled out. Research shows it’s unlikely to be earlier than Ivor Lloyd’s July 1953 TT bike, and George Arnold’s bike is next one along after that bike in 1953, this being a definite 1953 machine.
For someone interested in the history and research about the machine, there is a trail of breadcrumbs yet to be discovered to lead to its factory purchaser. Often unique aspects of the bike are the clues needed to do that and this bike has some small but unique features such as ball ended handlebar levers and a carburettor float bowl painted in the same colour as the frame, both unusual minor variations that may help trace more of its history. This makes it a unique and fascinating ownership proposition for an enthusiastic and empathetic new custodian.
The bike comes with a small display stand and a large file of information, magazine references, pictures and other paperwork. Despite being a full-on race machine, it has been road registered in the UK by the previous owner and comes with a full UK V5 registration document.
