Magni Australia
Magni Australia. .
Tts sleek styling, big V-twinengine and enormous rear tyre showed that this was a serious sports bike,but it was the red-and-silver paintwork that revealed most about the MagniAustralia. Those were the colours of the legendary MV Agusta race team oncerun by Arturo Magni, the Australia's creator.
Magni had prepared the 'GallarateFire Engines' raced to glory by John Surtees, Mike Hailwood and GiacomoAgostini. Then, when MV stopped racing after winning 17 consecutive 500ccworld titles between 1958 and 1974, Magni set up business with his sonGiovanni to build high-quality roadsters from a workshop near Agusta's oldbase at Gallarate, north of Milan. Several used engines from Moto Guzzi,notably the 1990-model Sfida, a retro-styled sportster powered by thetwo-valves-per-cylinder engine from the Le Mans.
Two years later came the fastestand best Magni yet: the Australia, so-called because it was a directdescendent of a Guzzi-engined Magni racebike that had notched up a string ofimpressive results Down Under. The Australia was powered by the V-twinengine from the Daytona 1000, Guzzi's fuel-injected, eight-valve flagship.To ease homologation the 992cc 'high cam' unit was retained in its entiretyfrom airbox to silencers.
Almost everything else was new,though, most notably the frame. In place of the Daytona's large-diameterspine was a more conventional arrangement, based on three 34mm diameterchrome-molybdenum steel tubes running back from the steering head. A pair offront downtubes helped secure the engine.
The swing-arm was a single-shockversion of Magni's proven Parallelogramo design, created to combattorque-reaction. Rear suspension was provided by a single shock from Dutchfirm White Power. The Australia's swing-arm was wide enough to allow fitmentof a wide, 180-section rear tyre.
At the front were upside-downForcelle Italia forks - adjustable, like the shock, for both compression andrebound damping. The 17-inch wheels held 320mm Brembo brake discs withfour-piston calipers. Both mudguards were lightweight carbon fibre, helpingto keep weight to a respectable 4501b dry.
The cylinder heads visible ateach side of the Australia made the Guzzi connection clear, and there was nodoubting the engine's origins when it fired up to send the bike rocking incharacteristic fashion with every blip of the throttle. At most enginespeeds the Australia had a wonderfully loose, rev-happy feel, aided by theWeber-Marelli fuel-injection's crisp response.
With a peak output of 95bhp, theslippery Australia had a top speed of about 140mph, plus generousacceleration from low revs. The Magni pulled strongly almost from tickover,with a slight surge at around 4000rpm that sent it charging along
with a rustling from theaircooled engine's sticking-out cylinders, and a typically long-legged Guzzifeel at high speed.
It was on a twisty road, though,that the Australia came into its own. Its Brembo brakes were superblypowerful, steering was light and the Magni could be cornered easily and withgreat precision. Suspension was compliant but very well-controlled at bothends, and the drive shaft barely noticeable.
That blend of good looks,effortless engine performance and nimble handling made the Australia a veryimpressive special, with a captivating blend of pace and grace. Its pricewas high - but not excessively so for a machine hand-built in tiny numbers.Especially when those hands had once built bikes for legends such asSurtees, Hailwood and Agostini.
Source Super Bikesby Mac McDiarmid