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A piece of Grand Prix
history to go on sale in Australian early next year December 19th, 2003 |
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A piece of Grand Prix
history to go on sale in Australian early next year December 19th, 2003 |
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Cagiva's most successful 500cc grand
prix motorcycle will go on sale in Australia early next year. The Gold Coast-based Paul Feeney Group, Australian distributors for Italian brands Cagiva and MV Agusta, confirmed today it would soon take delivery of a two-stroke 500cc machine raced by American John Kocinski in the 1994 world championship. Kocinski rode a Cagiva to third position in the 500cc world championship in 1994, and his results included winning the Australian Grand Prix at Eastern Creek, six other top-three podium finishes, and three pole positions as fastest qualifier. The PFG's Managing Director Paul Feeney said the Cagiva 500 headed for Australia would be placed on the market for sale after it arrived from Italy toward the end of January, but he said the price had not yet been determined. He said the 130kg Cagiva was a genuine grand prix machine, and not one of the 25 replica models the Italian company was building to celebrate its 25th anniversary this year, and which will reportedly cost about $250,000 each. Feeney, who organised delivery of the Cagiva 500 through Italian-based MV Agusta boss Claudio Castiglioni, said the machine would be delivered in operating condition. "This will be a unique opportunity for someone to own a piece of grand prix history," said Feeney. "Everyone remembers the Cagiva was the best looking 500 on the grid in its day, and the '94 model won races and had plenty of podiums so it was very competitive." "The bike will come in running order, and some spares will be available. It can be used on track days, or perhaps it will find a home in a private collection or in a motorsport museum somewhere." Feeney said the eventual owner would receive introductory personal tuition from the PFG's official ambassador Daryl Beattie, who raced against Kocinski's Cagiva in the 500cc world championship in 1994, before finishing runner-up to fellow-Australian Mick Doohan the following year. "Anything that weighs 130kg and puts out around 180-horsepower can be a handful, especially with the narrow powerband the 500s had back then," said Feeney. "Fortunately we can call on Daryl's expertise to give some tips on riding these bikes." Cagiva won a total of three 500cc grand prix races during it's period in the world championship. Apart from Kocinski's win at Eastern Creek in 1994, Cagiva's other 500cc victories were by American Eddie Lawson in Hungary in 1992, and Kocinski at Laguna Seca in 1993. The list of Cagiva 500cc riders in the late 1980s and early 1990s also included Americans Randy Mamola and Doug Chandler, Brazil's Alex Barros, Briton Ron Haslam, Spaniard Juan Garriga, Belgian Didier de Radigues, Frenchman Raymond Roche, and Australia's Mat Mladin. 1994 CAGIVA 500 – Specifications Engine Type: 2 stroke, water
cooled, 4 cylinders (80-degrees V formation), crankcase reed valve
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MCNEWS.COM.AU |
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