Tamburini’s iconic F4
Not long after Italian motorcycle firm MV Agusta was bought by Harley-Davidson, the designer who created the Ducati 916 and MV Agusta F4 has decided to quit.
Massimo Tamburini says he’ll move on to "design interests outside the motorcycle field" when he leaves MV Agusta at the end of this year.
"I have dedicated a significant part of my career in motorcycle design to Cagiva and MV Agusta and am immensely proud of the beautiful and thrilling motorcycles we
have created," said the Italian company’s chief designer.
"While my decision to retire was extremely difficult to make, I am confident that the highly-talented designers and engineers in San Marino will continue the tradition of excellence that is the hallmark of MV Agusta."
Harley completed its purchase of MV Agusta in August. There is no indication that this has anything to do with Tamburini’s retirement from motorcycle design, but speculation is free. One might imagine the long-distance phone calls between him and Willy G …
Why would tamburini wish to be associated with a tractor company.
Of course he will go.
wouldn’t you?
Perhaps HD could pick up Pierre Terblanche, I never was much im pressed with his work other than the 888 and supermono. I agree that perhaps Massimo just didnt want to work for HD.
I’d expect that he saw it as a good time to step away from his designs before he saw them changed into something unrecognizable (and thus abhorrent). No designer with his credentials would want to be told the “what, how, or why” of design by a company HQ that relies on looking to the past to maintain its share of the cruiser market. And anyone who cries out “Buell” as some sort of talisman should take a look at how much control he’s really had of “his company” since H-D came along and what huge impact their backing had on his market share (i.e. not much).
But he could have had the chance to work hand-in-hand with Eric Buell ???
I think he quit cause he didn’t want to work for harley davidson. I probably would have quit too.