One of the most popular motorcycle brands among riders worldwide is Italian. It results from their excellent performance, excellent design and early 20th-century history. Only a limited number of Italy’s approximately 60 motorcycle manufacturers are still in business today.
Even to people who don’t ride bikes, most of these brands are instantly recognizable. It is no wonder that many choose Italian motorcycles exclusively because they are in a class of their own in many ways. We will list the top Italian motorbike manufacturers for 2023 in this article.
Top Ten Best Italian Motorcycle Brands in 2023 – Top Rated
MV Agusta
Mechanica Verghera Agusta, the company’s original name, is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1945 by Domenico Agusta as a branch of the Agusta Aviation business. Because of Malik’s love of racing and his determination to build the best Grand Prix racing team in the world, the motorbike was founded primarily for this reason. “98” was the model number of the first motorcycle manufactured by MV Agusta in 1945.
The legend began when the company participated in the Italian Grand Prix three years later and promptly won. Ultimately, MV Agusta won 17 500cc world championships, and they dominated the industry by hiring the day’s top riders until the early 1970s.
Ducati
Beginning as a manufacturer of radio and electronic components in 1926, Ducati gradually evolved into producing some of the most prestigious and sophisticated motorcycles available today. Until World War II, the company operated well as a family enterprise, producing radio technology. After that, the Ducati family started making motorcycles. The company at that time made a respectable profit from its first bike, the Cucciolo. The Ducati 60, the company’s first fully-fledged motorcycle, was produced in 1949, giving Ducati a significant start as a motorcycle manufacturer. With the introduction of the Cucciolo model in 1951, Ducati entered the motorsports industry. After that, they started producing motorcycles specifically for racing. Its principal engineer, Fabio Taglioni, created the Gran Sport 100 variant, which eventually evolved into a popular racing motorcycle.
Aprilia
When Alberto Baggio first founded Aprilia, it was a manufacturer of bicycles. Later, it was expanded to include scooters and other small-capacity motorcycles. Alberto’s son Ivan took over the business in 1968 and after that, Aprilia began manufacturing 50cc motorcycles. The company gained notoriety thanks to its 1970 Scarabeo motocross model. In the 1970s, Aprilia started to export its products to other countries, with 20% of its total production going overseas. The company increased its annual output from 150 to 12,000 units then, and in 1977 it took home its first motorsports championship. Aprilia shifted its focus from motocross to road racing motorcycles during the motorcycle crisis that hit Europe in the early 1980s.
Piaggio
The business was originally a manufacturer of locomotives and railroad cars when it was founded in 1884 by Renaldo Piaggio. Piaggio moved into the military at the end of World War I and began building motorboats, airplanes, ships, etc. Eventually, the firm added trucks, trams, buses, and other items to its portfolio, but its manufacturing was destroyed after the WWII bombing. Plant, Piaggio turned to making motorcycles instead. In just ten years after its launch in 1946, the iconic Vespa model achieved over a million sales. Vespa became the most popular product in the company’s history and was sold throughout Europe and the rest of the world. After opening new production facilities in Brazil and India, the Vespa was soon produced in 13 different countries.
Moto Guzzi
Moto Guzzi is the oldest bike manufacturer in Europe. Giorgio Parodi and Carlo Guzzi, a pilot, and technician, founded it in 1921. Guzi Parodi, the initials of the original name, was dropped by the Parodi family due to significant financial contributions to the maritime sector. An 8 HP Normal model served as his first motorbike and was followed by the Guzzi G. T. in 1928 and the Airone 250 in 1939. The Airone 250 was the most popular mid-capacity motorcycle in Italy for the next fifteen years. Until he retired from motorsports in 1957, Moto Guzzi enjoyed considerable success in racing, winning 11 Tourist Trophies and 14 World GP Championship trophies.
Cagiva
In 1950, Kagiva opened a modest metal components plant. In 1978, he switched to manufacturing motorcycles. The company’s name, Castiglioni Giovanni Varese, is derived from this, founded by Giovanni Castiglioni in Varese. Cagiva has won numerous historical events, including the Dakar Rally and Grand Prix events. The business started manufacturing motorcycles in 1978 and a year later, they were producing 40,000 units annually. In the 1980s, Cagiva changed focus and began making off-road motorcycles, which were heavily promoted in North America. Their early models were racing motorcycles. In 1983, Cagiva began using Ducati engines, and in 1985, the company finally bought a Ducati.
Mondial
FB Mondial was founded in Milan in 1929 and is best known for its victories in the 1949 and 1957 Motorcycle World Championships. The company won five Riders’ and five Manufacturers’ World Championships, producing some of the most innovative and spectacular Grand Prix road racers of the era. The Bocelli brothers Carlo, Luigi, Ettore, and Ada founded Mondial with their famous pilot father Giuseppe, who also co-owned the GD motorcycle firm. He initially opened a modest business repairing and selling GD motorcycles but soon discovered a great need for reasonably priced, reliable motorcycles.
Bimota
Giuseppe Morri, Massimo Tamburini, and Valerio Bianchi founded Bimota in 1973. The company name, Bianchi Morri Tamburini, combines their last names. Bimota began as a specialized business that created high-end body components and paired them with engines that other manufacturers had already made. They have also collaborated with leading motorcycle manufacturers like Suzuki, Honda and Kawasaki. Jon Eckrold used a Bimota with a Yamaha engine to win the 350cc World Championship during the 1980s, his first international racing success. One of Bimota’s major sponsors disappeared during the 2000 World Superbike season while the firm still owed much money, forcing Bimota to declare bankruptcy. Thankfully, a new batch of investors arrived and boosted the business.
Energica Motor Company
Despite having a shorter history than other manufacturers in this article, this business is worth noting. Energica Motor Corporation was founded in 2014 with the primary objective of developing ultra-fast electric motorcycles. With the help of CRP Group, which launched the business, which specializes in numerical control and laser 3D printing, Energica was able to produce its first motorbike in just six months. Also, Energica has hired people with F1 experience to work for their business.
With their expertise in various fields, they have been able to design highly innovative, high-performance, fully electric motorcycles. So far, Energica Motor Company has manufactured three different motorcycle models. The Energica Ego, their most notable model, has 169 horsepower, weighs 260 kg, and has a wheelbase of 1465 mm.
Vyrus
Vyrus is a premier and an artisanal company that produces limited edition motorcycles with the latest technological and aesthetic advancements, unlike any other business mentioned in this article. It was founded back in 2001 in Coriano, Italy, and is staffed by experienced engineers who previously worked for Yamaha, Ducati, and other leading motorcycle producers.
Its most recent model, the Alien 988, boasts a futuristic design, a Ducati engine, and an astronomically high price tag. Moreover, this motorbike has 202 horsepower, a 1285 cm3 engine and a 1575 mm wheelbase.
Top Ten Best Italian Motorcycle Brands in 2023 – Top List
| Sr. # | Top Ten Best Italian Motorcycle Brands in 2023 |
|---|---|
| 1 | MV Agusta |
| 2 | Ducati |
| 3 | Aprilia |
| 4 | Piaggio |
| 5 | Moto Guzzi |
| 6 | Cagiva |
| 7 | Mondial |
| 8 | Bimota |
| 9 | Energica Motor Company |
| 10 | Vyrus |
Conclusion
So there you have it — in our opinion, these are the top 10 Italian motorbike brands for 2023. Italian motorcycles, whether you like them or not, deserve all the respect and admiration they get. This article can help you in your search for a new bike. Which Italian motorcycle manufacturer is your favorite, and do you agree with our list? Thank you for reading, and please share your thoughts in the comment box below.
