1978 MV Agusta 500 S

1978 MV Agusta 500 S occupies an odd spot in the lineup, a 500cc twin built for riders who wanted the marque's road racing pedigree without stepping up to the fours that made the brand famous on track. This is a bike for someone who values mechanical character over outright speed, a machine that rewards a rider willing to work the gearbox and keep revs up rather than lug along on torque. It handles with the kind of nervous precision typical of Italian twins from this era, and the riding position puts you in a committed, forward-leaning stance suited to back roads rather than commuting. The 1978 model carried over without significant mechanical changes from the prior year, buyers comparing it to a 1977 example should focus on mileage, service history, and condition rather than spec differences. This isn't a bike that draws serious investment attention the way MV's four-cylinder models do, so buyers tend to be twin-cylinder specialists and MV loyalists who want a usable, mechanically interesting bike rather than a trailer queen. Parts and documentation can be scarce, so prior ownership experience with Italian iron helps considerably.