MV Agusta Hosts Inaugural Ride for International Women’s Day

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MV Agusta held its first International Women’s Day Ride and has plans of reaching more female riders through marketing and activations. (@sstaceyfilms and @Gp_r1m/)

International Women’s Day (IWD) is devoted to celebrating the achievements of women and the continued pursuit of gender equality across the globe. This simple day of activism was founded over a century ago in 1911, and thanks to social media its awareness has grown to massive proportions. The motorcycle industry has taken notice, and this year MV Agusta launched its inaugural ride to mark the occasion.

For MV Agusta, this is an unexpected and welcome departure from its previous depictions and attitudes toward women in its marketing campaigns. In the not-so-distant past, MV Agusta produced a risque commercial for the Superveloce 800 that inflamed women riders for what many called flagrant sexism and objectification.

What has inspired this new approach to women riders for the boutique Italian marque? How can a brand best known for its exclusivity reinvent itself for a more inclusive future?

MV Agusta was center stage in the main lobby of Pierer Mobility USA for International Women’s Day. (@sstaceyfilms and @Gp_r1m/)

New Management and New Beginnings

In November of 2022, KTM AG (a subsidiary of Pierer Mobility AG) inked a deal with MV Agusta for North American distribution and a 25.1 percent stake in the company. Fast-forward a year later and KTM AG took over supply chain and purchasing along with distribution rights for MV Agusta worldwide in 2023. In March of 2024, KTM AG has sped up the timetable and exercised its right to acquire a majority stake in MV Agusta. Pierer Mobility AG’s press release states that “This means that KTM AG will take over the majority and also the industrial management of MV Agusta Motor S.p.A. In the medium term, an annual production volume of more than 10,000 MV Agusta premium motorcycles is planned at the site in Varese.” Furthermore, former CEO Timur Sardarov will be stepping down to vice chairman and replaced by Hubert Trunkenpolz, member of the executive board of Pierer Mobility AG. A corporate cultural shift more aligned with that of Pierer Mobility AG is inevitable, and happening fast.

The North American arm of MV Agusta is also shifting gears and making big changes in how the company operates and markets itself. When asked why host an International Woman’s Day Ride, MV Agusta replied that it “aims to achieve greater inclusion within the riding community, especially with women. The initiative with our International Women’s Day Ride is just the beginning to us growing our female motorcycle community. Moreover, we want to continue to develop motorcycles with designs that emphasize beauty and craftsmanship coupled with ergonomics that cater to a wide range of riders especially to the average female rider.”

Related: International Female Ride Day

The 2024 Dragster RR America edition stands out from its counterparts on the showroom floor. (@sstaceyfilms and @Gp_r1m/)

The day started with a tour of the Pierer Mobility USA headquarters in Murrieta, California—a newly finished modernist facility embodying the very essence of the Austrian powerhouse, angular and spotless. MV Agusta’s presence here is sparse, but the organic artful forms of the machines that are there make for an interesting juxtaposition in the museumlike space. It is an interesting visual that defines the new relationship between the two brands: KTM providing structure and organization, and MV Agusta focusing on art and the emotion of the brand.

The women of Pierer Mobility USA gather for a group photo to celebrate International Women’s Day. (@sstaceyfilms and @Gp_r1m/)

After the tour, Pierer Mobility USA brought all the women of the company together for a luncheon. There are close to 30 women working at the HQ across all departments, and it is heartening to see this show of force at a motorcycle company. Furthermore, a sizable bunch of them also geared up to join the afternoon ride around Temecula Valley wine country on the MV Agusta press fleet.

Riding Motorcycle Art With a Pack of Women

It is undeniable that MV Agusta makes beautiful machines. The model lineup twinkled in the bright afternoon sunlight like red and silver Swarovski crystals. Due to time constraints, I was only afforded two bikes to try on the roughly two-hour-long demo route.

Which would you choose from these Italian beauties? (@sstaceyfilms and @Gp_r1m/)

My first choice was the Superveloce S, the main character (or perhaps more accurately, the supporting character) of the commercial that had rankled so much ire in 2019. As MV Agusta had extended the olive branch to participate in its IWD ride to kick off a new era, it only seemed fitting to ride this forsaken bike into that future.

It is perhaps difficult to fault MV for wanting to convey that the Superveloce is “sex on wheels.” It has curb appeal of course, but it also carries that design sophistication into the rider’s view from the saddle. The premium leather seat, gas tank leather strap detail, and clean cockpit are all indications of an elevated attention to detail. Thumbs-up from strangers in cars along the ride was also proof that the Superveloce has presence wherever it goes (or perhaps a pack of ponytails waving in the breeze is a crowd-pleaser too).

The Superveloce S is a breathtaking machine, both in looks and performance. (@sstaceyfilms and @Gp_r1m/)

The riding experience is visceral. The sound of the three-cylinder 800cc engine is intoxicating, and led to plenty of “look-at-me” revs at stoplights egged on by my compatriots. The powerband is much higher in the rev range than the suburban afternoon traffic would afford, however, and the Superveloce felt tense with pent-up frustration as it grumbled along at a crawling pace. This is a bike that wants to be WFO (wide flippin’ open) on long sweepers or at the racetrack, but I still enjoyed it for the short parade on the street.

I hopped on the Dragster RC SCS for the second half of the ride. I may have enjoyed flossing on the super-sporty Superveloce, but the upright-wide-grip riding position of the Dragster was a welcome reprieve for my shoulders and wrists.

The Dragster is a surprisingly nimble and easy-to-maneuver motorcycle. (@sstaceyfilms and @Gp_r1m/)

The “Smart Clutch System” piqued my curiosity. Many bikes considered to be “automatic” get a bad rep for being lifeless or, worse, terrible at shifting on their own. The Dragster however still keeps all the fun of shifting the motorcycle with the foot selector but saves the rider from a tired clutch hand, something I appreciated in the rush-hour commute back to the office at the end of our ride. The Dragster was toggled into its sportiest riding mode, and the responsiveness of the throttle at low range was cracking.

My little time on the MV Agusta Superveloce and Dragster taught me this: These bikes will awaken all your senses. They are not docile commuting appliances. They live up to the credo of “Motorcycle Art” in both form and function.

Rebirth of an Icon

Our day concluded with dinner at Doffo Winery, famous for its collection of vintage Italian motorbikes and bold red wines. The food and libations were outstanding, but it was the conversation with both Olivia Goheen (MV Agusta marketing manager) and Luca Dovesi (head of MV Agusta North America) that was the most satiating.

They described a future of MV where its previous pain points (a weak dealer network, scarcity of parts, and little brand awareness) are remedied by the new partnership with KTM. When it comes to the transformation of the brand in terms of marketing ethos, Dovesi summed it up best with his quote that “Diversity inspires innovation, and we want more of that.”

Photographic proof that women also enjoy the Superveloce S fully clothed and geared up. (@sstaceyfilms and @Gp_r1m/)

I asked if they had any statement to make on that infamous Superveloce commercial, and they provided the following: “We respect women, we love women, and we believe women have the freedom to do what they want with their bodies. Art is subjective and that advertisement can be taken as such. The company direction is to enable women to get closer to the brand making them feel respected and included at 360 degrees, our actions will reflect this direction. One thing that’s for sure, MV Agusta will continue to create and think outside the box to reach minds and hearts of all people in the right way.”

I followed up asking for some insights on what might come next from MV Agusta North America and Dovesi was happy to talk about it. “With MV Agusta under new management, female riders can expect exciting developments in the future. We have plans for marketing activations throughout North America, highlighting the brand’s dedication to engaging with riding communities. In addition, we will establish our own motorcycle clubs across North America, and we are also enthusiastic about increasing representation of women in our brand’s assets, videos, and overall portfolio.”

This first year consisted of an intimate group of six motojournalists on the ride, but MV Agusta looks to grow this event for future years to come. (@sstaceyfilms and @Gp_r1m/)

Like any holiday celebrating a movement, accusations of virtue signaling are thrown around during International Women’s Day. The best way to quiet that negativity is not with more words, but action. If MV Agusta truly delivers on its promises for the future, and its inclusion of women riders, then perhaps the misgivings of their female portrayals in the past can be laid to rest. This inaugural group ride is a good start. Now it is time for the real work to begin.

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