Cagiva is established in 1978, in the city of Varese in northen Italy. The name is an acronym of Castiglione Giovanni and Varese. It all started as a metal pressing company which bought Aermacchi-HD.

Through time the Cagiva groupe has been the owner of different more or less known motorcycle brands, Aermacchi (witch they bought from Harley Davidson), Ducati, Husquvarna, Moto Morini, CZ and not least MV Agusta.

Through the years Cagiva participated in both off-road races (as Paris-Dakar) and road race in different classes. If you want to know a little more, try the race link in top menu.

In the latest years the company has been searching for money different places. The use of money on development and marketing of MV Agusta, that practicaly no bikes has left the factory in Varese in the last two years. The search for money has let to negotiation with Piaggio and Deutsche Bank and to an american invest group, but now it looks like they found a solution with Banca Intesa under "amministrazione controllata", meening that in 2003 they can produce 24.000 motorbikes, of witch 4.900 is with Cagiva badge on the tank.

Well to take things chronology, we better start with Aermacchi witch they bought in 1978, this was the fundamental reason for motorcycle production.
In 1983 the Castiglione brothers started to use Ducati motorer for Cagiva (in 1984 it was 6.000 engines and in ´85 10.000), in 1985 Cagiva took control over Ducati. After they brought Ducati back on it´s feet and not least raised the markedshare, among other reasons -because of the succes in superbike. Cagiva sold Ducati to Texas Pacific Group (TPG) in 1996, to raise capital to the rest of the groupe.

The designer Tamburini came to Cagiva in 1985 (where he among other things designed Ducati 916), he came from a job at Bimota.

1986 was the year Cagiva invested in Husquvarna (motorcycles), witch was close to bankruptcy. Cagiva forgot to secure a pair of the Swedish engineers. They started what today is known as "Husky".

In 1987 Cagiva bought Moto Morini, but after a few years they closed down the Bolonga factory in 1991. Morinis chef designer, Franco Lambertini escaped to Piaggio. The name Moto Morini was sold as a part of Ducati in 1996. TPG sold the name further on in 1999 to "Motori Franco Morini".

In 1990 the production rights for "Mini Moke" was bought. It´s a smal "off road" car, made since 1964 in different parts of the world. The production witch went on in Portugal stopped in 1993.

1991 Cagiva made a deal with CZ concerning production of CZ and Jawa motorcycles and not at least production of some Cagiva models in the Czech republik (Roaster 521 / 125ccm). The collaboration ended in 1997 because of finacial problems at Cagiva in Italy. This was the end of CZ motorcycles, today the factory produces gearboxes for Skoda.
At the privatisation in the former eastblock Zbrojovka Breznice (shockabsorber factory)became part of CZ-Cagiva in 1992, it war sold again in march 2000 to Body International Ltd. (CZ/Jawa has started a production again).

After the adventur with CZ/Jawa the eyes turned towards India, where a deal is made in 1999 concerning a cooperation with Bajaj Auto Ltd. Mainly the deal involve fourstroke motorcycles and scooters. The factory in Chakhan are expected only to produce vehicles with tecnologi from Cagiva and Tokyo R&D. Bajaj Auto Ltd. altso cooperate with Kawazaki on similar projects. Some of the models has a clear line with CZ/Jawa, but some new design sneak in.

In 1995 Cagiva buy the rights to the name MV Agusta. A lot of efforts are laied in the proces of making a successor for those topmodels witch were in the group when they still owed Ducati. The result -until now-is MV Agusta F4 og Brutale.

1997 was the year to make a join venture deal with Fast by Ferracci, conerning distributionen of Cagiva, Husquvarna and MV Agusta in USA.

In march 1997 Cagiva buy further 30% of "International Vehicle Company" in Thailand, meaning they now own 50% of the shares, to strengthen there "join venture" with"KPN Groupe"

Within the latest years there has been a change in name from "Cagiva group" to "MV Agusta Group".

In the years 2002 and 2003 the company almost went to a complete halt, the economy is in shreds and a search for money continues. There is found a solution in co-operation with "Banca Intesa". Meening that the wheels start to turn again. At the end of 2003 the delivery of bikes starts again.

In 2004 it is running once again, money is still a problem, but as you can see in the pressrelease (october 2004) the malaisian car manufactor Proton brougth a helping hand.

In the spring of 2006 MV Agusta Motor SpA came back on italian hands, when the investcompany GEVI SpA from Genua bought Proton´s shares and at the time rised the net capital with about 15 mill. Euro.

October 2007 MV Agusta sells Husquarna to BMW, who will contiue it under the Husquarna brand.

July 2008, MV Agusta sales the entire company to american HD, so we are back where it all started, they want to continue with the plant in Verese where MV and a few Cagiva models are produced.

November 2009, HD put MV Agusta on the market once more - so now what?

August 2010 The Castiglioni broders get MV Agusta back on italian hands.