Cagiva factory tour photos

- August 23, 2013

Cagiva Factory Tour: The Legacy of Varese

Founded in 1950 by Giovanni Castiglioni, Cagiva (CAstiglioni GIovanni VArese) began as a small metal component manufacturer before exploding onto the motorcycle scene in 1978. This post takes you inside the Varese factory, the birthplace of the Mito, the Elephant, and the legendary C594 GP bike.

Cagiva’s Racing Heritage

Cagiva wasn't just a manufacturer; they were titans of the track:

GP500: Signed legends like Eddie Lawson (who took their first win in 1992) and John Kocinski (3rd in the 1994 World Championship on the C594).
Dakar Rally: Edi Orioli famously conquered the desert in 1990 and 1994 on the Ducati-powered Cagiva Elefant.
Motocross: Innovated the MX line in the 80s with features like single-spring front forks

CAGIVA IT

CAGIVA UK

Cagiva is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer. It was founded in 1950 by Giovanni Castiglioni in Varese, originally producing small metal components. It went into the motorcycle industry in 1978. The name is a portmanteau derived from the founder and the founding location, i.e. CAstiglioni GIovanni VArese. In 1999 for strategic purposes, the company was restructured. MV Agusta Motor became the main brand comprising Cagiva and Husqvarna.
The company currently operates under the name MV Agusta Motor S.p.A..In the early 1980s Cagiva began to manufacture dirt bikes and started a massive public relations program with the opening of its North American branch. It hired Ron Turner and Duane Summers to test and develop its bikes. Cagiva motocross bikes were characterized by their fast powerful engines and innovative features, such as the MX line that had only one spring in the front forks with one fork controlling dampening and the other spring.

MotoGP World Championship.

Cagiva GP, Randy Mamola, 1989 Japanese GP
At the end of the 1970s the company began campaigning the Grand Prix motorcycle racing circuit. Randy Mamola was its lead rider from 1988 to 1990, and he achieved Cagiva’s first podium result. It would also have some technical assistance from Yamaha. In 1991 it signed former world champion Eddie Lawson to its team. Lawson would claim the company's first victory when he won the 1992 Hungarian Grand Prix. John Kocinski would also win a Grand Prix on a Cagiva GP500 (C594), finishing third in the 1994 world championship.
Dakar Rally

Cagiva 750 Elefant of Jordi Arcarons 1995 Granada–Dakar Rally

In 1990 and 1994 the Italian rider Edi Orioli won the famed Dakar Rally on the Ducati-powered Cagiva Elefant.

Factory Tour Gallery

The Cagiva Model Archive

From 2-stroke rippers to Ducati-powered adventure bikes, here is the complete lineage:

Alazzurra 350, Ducati engine
Alazzurra 350 GT, Ducati engine
Alazzurra 400, Ducati engine
Alazzurra 400 GT, Ducati engine
Alazzurra 650, Ducati engine
Alazzurra 650 GT, Ducati engine
Aletta Oro 125 S1
Aletta Oro 125 S2
Blues 125
Freccia C9 125
Freccia C10 125
Freccia C12 125
Mito
mito mk2
Mito Ev
sp525
SS 175
SST 125
SST 250
SST 350
SuperCity 50/75
SuperCity 125
Roadster 521
Roadster 200
Low Rider 125
Prima 50/75
Planet 125
River 600
Raptor 650, Suzuki engine
V-Raptor 650, Suzuki engine
Raptor 1000, Suzuki engine
V-Raptor 1000, Suzuki engine
Xtra Raptor 1000, Suzuki engine

WMX 125
WMX 200
WMX 220
WMX 250
WMX 500
MXR 250
RX 250
MXR 500

Cagiva Elefant 900 i.e.
Cagiva Gran Canyon
SXT 125
SXT 175
SXT 200
SXT 250
SXT 350
T4 350 E
T4 350 R
T4 500 E
T4 500 R
Ala Blu 125
Ala Blu 250
Ala Blu 350
AR Aletta Rossa 125
AR Aletta Rossa 200
AR Ala Rossa 350
Elefant 125
Elefant 350, Ducati engine
Elefant 650, Ducati engine
Elefant 750, Ducati engine
Elefant 900, Ducati engine
Canyon 500
Canyon 600
Gran Canyon 900, Ducati engine
W4 50/75/80
W8 125
W12 350
W16 600
Cruiser 125
Tamanaco 125
N90 125
Cocis 50
Navigator 1000, Suzuki engine

some of my favorite Cagiva motorcycles

the cagiva mito obviously