Cagiva Mito
| Company type | Motorcycle manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motorcycle manufacturing |
| Founded | 1950 in Italy |
| Founder | Giovanni Castiglioni (founder of MV Agusta, parent company) |
| Headquarters | Varese , Italy |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Giovanni Castiglioni (CEO of MV Agusta) |
| Products | Motorcycles, including Cagiva Mito sport bike series |
| Owner | MV Agusta Motor S.p.A. |
| Website | www |
The Cagiva Mito (English: Myth) is a compact displacement Cagiva Sport bike powered by a 125 cubic centimetres (7.6 cu in) two-stroke single-cylinder engine.
History and development
The Cagiva Mito holds significance as the inaugural motorcycle ridden by Valentino Rossi, who later became a nine-time MotoGP world champion. Back in 1994, Rossi received a factory-prepared Mito from Cagiva team manager Claudio Lusuardi, which led him to secure the Italian championship.
Throughout the 1990s, the Mito was positioned as the primary competitor to Aprilia's AF1 125 Futura and subsequently the Aprilia RS125, both being two-stroke 125 cc race replica motorcycles.
Manufacturing of new Mito units ceased in 2012, attributed to tightening environmental emission regulations and a strategic shift focusing on the development of the MV Agusta F3 series. The final batch of Mito SP525 models were finished in white and personally autographed by MV Agusta's CEO Giovanni Castiglioni.
Mk I/II and SP
The Mito made its debut in 1989 as the Mk I model. The subsequent Mk II introduced slight modifications, including inverted forks and a redesigned front mudguard. The SP variants were equipped with Marchesini wheels and enhanced suspension components.
Additionally, the SP editions incorporated distinct engine and ignition elements.
Evolution I and II
In 1994, the motorcycle underwent a redesign by Massimo Tamburini, whose work also included the then-new Ducati 916. The updated styling shared notable similarities, especially in the front and rear fairings.
The Evolution I model is recognized by its three-spoke wheels, a seven-speed transmission, grey lower body panels, and solid-colored tail section.
In contrast, the Evolution II features six-spoke wheels, a six-speed gearbox, solid-colored lower panels, and a white section on the tail.
In February 2007, Malaysian firm MOFAZ announced plans to assemble the final batch of Mito 125 Evolution motorcycles locally for the Malaysian market. This limited run of 300 units was branded as the Momos Cagiva Mito 125 Fauzy's Edition.[1]
By late 2009, Cagiva discontinued the Evolution series, leaving only the Mito SP525 and Raptor 125 models available.
SP525
At the 2005 EICMA motorcycle exhibition, Cagiva unveiled a limited-edition competition-tuned version of the Mito named the SP525. This model paid tribute to the Cagiva GP500 (C594) racing machine. Modifications included redesigned front and rear fairings reminiscent of the C594, eight-spoke forged aluminum wheels, and removal of speedometer, lights, and mirrors to reduce weight. The engine delivers over 39 hp at the crankshaft but is not homologated for street use.[2]
In 2008, Cagiva introduced a street-legal version of the Mito SP525 alongside the Evolution II. This road-going model adopted styling cues from the racing SP525, particularly in its front and rear fairings.
Mechanically, it retained much of the Evo chassis architecture and continued to use a 125 cc two-stroke engine. However, it featured several updates including a new Electronic Carburetion System developed with Dell'Orto, which controls fuel-air mixture, oil injection, and ignition timing to meet stricter Euro 3 regulations.[3]
Mito 500
At the 2006 EICMA event in November, Cagiva introduced the Mito 500 prototype. This model replaced the original two-stroke 125 cc engine with a fuel-injected, four-stroke 500 cubic centimetres (31 cu in) DOHC single-cylinder motor derived from the Husqvarna TE510, delivering 60 hp.[4] The traditional two-stroke's expansion chamber exhaust was substituted with a compact, seemingly unbaffled exhaust system, its outlet subtly positioned at the rear underside of the fairing. Featuring forged alloy wheels, this bike’s dry weight stands at 133 kilograms (293 lb), merely 4 kilograms (8.8 lb) heavier than the Mito 125.[5]
Naked variants
Planet
In 1998, Cagiva launched a naked counterpart to the Mito Evo called the Planet, which exhibits design cues reminiscent of the Ducati Monster. Unlike the Aprilia Tuono, the Planet features entirely redesigned bodywork including a fuel tank that tilts upward, providing storage space suitable for an open-face helmet.
Raptor 125
The Planet was discontinued in 2003 and rebranded in 2004 as the Raptor 125. This model retained much of the original's mechanics but incorporated visual updates.
Performance
- Peak Power Output:
Notes and references
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ “2006 Cagiva Mito SP 525”, www.topspeed.com, retrieved on January 13, 2024.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ "Cagiva Mito 500 And 1988 Honda Hawk GT - Up To Speed", www.motorcyclistonline.com, retrieved on September 23, 2025.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 “Cagiva's Bargain”, MCN, retrieved on November 22, 2006.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
External links
- Pages with script errors
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- Articles containing explicitly cited English-language text
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- Commons category link is defined as the pagename
- Cagiva motorcycles
- Sport bikes
- Motorcycles introduced in 1989
- Motorcycles designed by Massimo Tamburini
- Two-stroke motorcycles
- Single-cylinder motorcycles