At the very end of MV Agusta’s four-cylinder road going dynasty, when racing budgets were gone, and the lights were beginning to dim in Varese, a final flourish emerged for the American market. The 850SS, often referred to as the “Monza”, was never meant to be common, but even by MV standards, it sits in rarefied air. With roughly 27 genuine examples produced, this was the last and most powerful evolution of the MV inline-four before the curtain closed. Now offered for sale through Brooklyn’s Moto Borgotaro, this 1977 example represents one of the most complete and carefully restored survivors of that era.

What elevates this particular 850SS beyond its already mythical status is the provenance. Sold new in June of 1978 through Halyak Cycle in Livermore, California, the bike remained with its second owner for more than three decades before changing hands in 2014. From there, it entered the workshop of Albert Bold of Bold Precision, one of the most respected MV Agusta specialists in the United States. Over five meticulous years, Bold carried out a ground-up refurbishment that concluded in 2019, returning the machine to factory-correct specification while preserving the integrity that collectors prize.

The result is visually arresting without tipping into excess. Finished in deep red with silver accents over a silver double-cradle frame, the bike wears its quarter fairing with purpose rather than ornament. A brown suede solo seat, ducktail rear cowl with locking storage, and vented side covers lend the 850SS a distinctly late-’70s Italian presence, luxurious, muscular, and unapologetically mechanical. Even the fuel tank tells a story, wearing MV’s iconic 37-star graphic, a quiet but confident nod to the marque’s world championship legacy.

Underneath the sculpted bodywork sits hardware that reads like a greatest-hits list of Italian performance engineering. EPM 18-inch cast alloy wheels finished in gold are paired with Avon RoadRiders, while suspension duties are handled by polished Ceriani forks up front and adjustable Sebac shocks at the rear. Triple Brembo disc brakes, dual up front and a single at the rear, provide stopping power worthy of the bike’s performance, with the system freshly flushed ahead of the sale.

The cockpit is a masterclass in period correctness. Chrome Tommaselli clip-ons sit low beneath the top triple clamp, flanked by Domino Lario grips and throttle, while modern replacement switches subtly improve usability without disrupting the original aesthetic. The dash pod houses MV-branded Smiths gauges, including a 150-mph speedometer and tachometer with an 8,500-rpm redline, flanked by a column of LED warning lights. The odometer shows just 8,600 miles, only a handful of which have been added under current ownership.

The heart of the 850SS is where the real story lies. When MV management decided to convert unsold 750S Americas into a final flagship model, it was racing legend Arturo Magni who oversaw the transformation. Larger 69mm pistons, thinner cylinder walls, revised camshafts, and four 28mm Dell’Orto VHB carburettors pushed displacement to 837cc and output to a factory-rated 85 horsepower, ten more than the 750. This example breathes fire via a black-finished Magni four-into-four exhaust, completing the mechanical lineage between MV’s road and race machines.

Power is delivered through a five-speed gearbox and multi-disc wet clutch, then sent to the rear wheel via MV’s distinctive enclosed driveshaft. It’s a configuration that speaks less to outright aggression and more to refined speed, exactly the brief MV envisioned for its American luxury sport bike. A recent service at Moto Borgotaro in November 2025 included carburettor cleaning, fresh fluids throughout, and a new battery, ensuring the bike is as ready to ride as it is to admire.

Perhaps most importantly, this 850SS comes with documentation that borders on exhaustive. Matching frame and engine numbers, a manufacturer’s statement of origin, Italian and US invoices, factory test tags, and original delivery paperwork all accompany the sale. For collectors, this level of completeness is almost as rare as the bike itself. In a world where many legendary machines survive only as approximations of their former selves, this MV Agusta 850SS stands as a final, defiant expression of an era when racing pedigree and road going luxury were inseparable.

View the live auction at Bring a trailer.