Claudio Castiglioni dies at 64: loss of father of 916, Monster, MV F4 "Shocking" says F3 designer

The president of MV Agusta Claudio Castiglioni died in Varese this morning at the age of 64. The motorcycling magnate and sire of iconic Italian bikes including the Ducati 916 and Monster, MV Agusta F4 and imminent F3, whose taste shaped the desires of millions of motorcyclists passed away in a clinic in Varese early this morning.

British designer Adrian Morton, who worked closely with Castiglioni on the new F3 told MCN: “There are so many bikes that wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Claudio. His passion for making beautiful bikes is what shaped everything we did, and his presence is always felt here. It’s shocking to think we won’t see him any more. He was heavily involved in all future product development right to the end in his characteristic ‘insistent’ manner. His passion for the bikes kept him going. It was a nightmare trying to keep him happy with the F3, but that’s what made it the bike it is. In an era when most people who run businesses wouldn’t care if it was motorcycles or washing machines their factories turned out, Claudio was the last of a breed. Hopefully the bikes we do in future reflect his insistence on special machines.”

Update: official MV Agusta release