Post Sale Update: This Cagiva sold for the opening bid of $2,000 on eBay in Brooklyn, New York.
12-19-19 Update: Kudos to the seller, who has converted this from what I previously called a “Rare Project” into a runner! These are very rare, which is why I’m impressed that he or she was able to make this Cagiva (VIN: zcgccxax6gv005021) a runner again. The seller notes that he threw in a Polini 162cc cylinder, but it’s otherwise stock. The turn signals are cracked and have been repaired, and special note is made that the dash and lights work as well. Find this rare Italian for sale in Brooklyn, New York with bidding up to $2,000 here on eBay.
In 1985, you could have won a few bets with the knowledge that after the big four Japanese firms, the largest producer of motorcycles in the world was Cagiva. That spring they introduced a new model called the Aletta Oro (which roughly translates to “little Gold Wing”), and Cycle World called it “the most eagerly anticipated motorcycle in Italy. A second generation (S2) was released the next year, and that was it. The production run was small and very few examples made it to the US, which makes this quite a rare find.
The Aletta Oro utilized a previous-gen 125cc 2-stroke Cagiva MX motor that produced 25 horsepower, and the S2 got upgrades like an electric starter and a revised cylinder design. One cute feature is the flap on the right fairing – it looks like a fuel filler door on a car but this is actually to give access to the radiator cap!
The seller acquired this example as a project, and he replaced some gaskets and rebuilt the carb to see if he could get it to fire…though all he says about his success level is that the “bike pops a few times.” The intake boot is dry rotted and will need to be replaced, and you’ll need to flush the tank of old gas, but there’s no guarantee that the work stops there. The seller simply says that he’s looking to change up projects because he is “short on cash and dreams” – I think we’ve all been there ourselves.
Find this rare Cagiva for sale in Nashua, New Hampshire for $1,500 here on Craigslist.