The MV Agusta 921 S concept reinterprets past style and blends it with the technology of the future.
The 921 project was born last spring on the intuition of Brian Gillen and Stephen Zache, who looked to the 1973 MV Agusta 750S with the aim of using it as the base for a futuristic model.
The challenge with the 921 project was to break free of the traditional framework of the retro segment. The 921 will not be a modern replica of the 750S, but a tribute to that bike.
The line is very horizontal, like the café racers of the 1960s and 70s. And the shapes also retrace the proportions of the past. The concept’s body is stripped right back to leave room for the brand-new in-line four engine which takes centre stage.
The technical equipment is cutting-edge, from the chassis with oversized swingarm to the wheels, produced with a combination of carbon fibre cover, spokes and forged rim, and from the four exhausts exit positioned under the engine, to the intriguing aluminium front brake cover, a styling solution that directs air to the callipers for cooling. The frame retraces the celebrated MV Agusta new-generation configuration, with a welded steel tube trellis and aluminium alloy side plates.
The position of the instrument panel is original, with a circular section as in the past but with the addition of a touch screen. Resting on the tank, it ensures that the futuristic handlebar and beautiful machined from solid steering plate remain visible. The handlebar is inspired by solutions used in cycling time trials. Two short race-inspired semi-handlebars are secured to the contoured central section created in forged aluminium.
The entire tail section is created with the aim of facilitating the switch from an Alcantara-covered single seat to a two-seater saddle. It takes just a moment to go from one configuration to the other. The round headlight gets a style boost with a perimetral area of DRLs, a decorative metal ring and a powerful central light. The rear section of the light is in metal, with air-cooled design.
As for the engine, the in-line four has been redesigned to deliver 115.5 hp at 7000 rpm, with 116.5 Nm of maximum torque. Many technical solutions add to the overall performance, from revised intake ducts to a more efficient liquid-cooling circuit, and even new camshaft profiles. A countershaft reduces second order vibration. The rods and pistons are specific to this four-cylinder unit, as is the entire intake system.
It is unclear whether the 921 S concept will go into production.
