Originally based on the Moto Guzzi 1000 Le Mans, the Magni Sfida is a tuner-developed special nearly unheard of stateside. Post-war, Arturo Magni started at Gilera and then ran MV Agusta's race operations 1950-77, before he and his sons started a design and fabrication shop for low-volume sportbikes based on MV, BMW, Honda, and Guzzi powerplants.
2000 Magni Sfida 1100 ( Netherlands ) For Sale on eBay
The venerable 1064cc V-twin has two valves per cylinder with twin Dell-Orto's, and should be worth about 100 hp. Starting with their own downtube frame, Magni also developed a parallelogram rear suspension, which counteracts the shaft-drive's tendency to stand up on acceleration. The design challenge is to keep the wheelbase from getting too long and less nimble, which they achieved by keeping it shorter than a standard V11 Le Mans. Suspension is fully adjustable at both the upside-down fork and monoshock ends. Brembo brakes are standard and though the specs say they should be 290mm front disks, this bike may have the option floating brakes as they look more like the 320mm kit.
Pictured in an outdoor workshop on a standard North Sea day, this Sfida looks good with the aluminum tank and monoposto fairing, only apparent damage being to the carbon engine fairings. Though the auction states this is a 2000 model, it may be earlier since the lister offers to verify the year and by 2000 Magni was offering an injected model. From the eBay auction:
A very nice and beautiful rare MOTO GUZZI SFIDA 1100 MAGNI.This bike is from a collector and has only 6100 km (3800 miles)The bike is from its first owner and he has also the bill of sale from the bike.Bike has dutch plates and is maintained by a professional mechanicHas magnesium Marzocchi rims and parts from carbon. Is on the picturesa little bit modified but all the original parts are there...
For a Guzzi-sti and/or vintage racer, this might be a great import, almost certain to be the only Magni in the show. A stable, durable platform, the Magni tested as ready for vintage racing when brand new, at least until the law of gravity is repealed. No denying its beauty though, and making a racer from the Guzzi 1100 is a great engineering exercise. A compulsory inspection would be worth a side trip, an easy train ride from London or Paris...
-donn