Ivano Beggio
Straight-talking Italian motorcycle maker who turned Aprilia into world-beating racing marque
IVANO BEGGIO, who has died aged 73, transformed his family’s small bicycle business Aprilia into Europe’s secondlargest motorcycle manufacturer and a world-beating racing marque.
Beggio took the reins at the company in the late 1960s, when he was in his mid-twenties, following his father’s death. Though well-respected, Aprilia was then little more than a local maker of bikes with a handful of employees. Moreover, it was located not in the hotbed of Italian wheel-based sport, the hills of Romagna, but in flat landscape near Venice.
Ivano had always been obsessed by engines, however, and he built his first scooter at 16. In 1970, he designed the Scarabeo, a small off-road bike, and in 1975 a 125cc motocross racer. Two years later, this began to win races in the Italian championships and Beggio realised that success in motorsport was the best vehicle for raising the brand’s profile.
Aprilia would develop a reputation for innovation and Beggio one for straight talking and foresight. The business was also known for its open management structure, which encouraged the flow of new ideas.
Beggio grasped ahead of others that demand for off-road bikes would decline in the 1980s, and he greatly expanded the range of models offered, which came to span from 50cc to 600cc. From 1986 the engines were made by the Austrian firm Rotax, although Beggio always retained close control of the styling of the bikes. (Philippe Starck subsequently designed the Motò for Aprilia.)
Turnover leapt from 7 billion lire in 1982 to 970 billion 15 years later, with production rising commensurately from 50,000 machines in 1991 to 290,000 in 1997. Almost half of these were destined for export, with sales led by the Scarabeo high-wheel scooter – Beggio having reclaimed the name of his first design. It became synonymous in urban Italy with Aprilia.
On the track, Max Biaggi won consecutive 250cc world championships for Aprilia between 1994 and 1996, while in 1997 the teenage Valentino Rossi claimed his first title in the 125cc class. He took that in 250cc two years later. Other young racers given their start by Beggio included Loris Capirossi, Marco Simoncelli, Casey Stoner and Marco Melandri.
Beggio had shown no little courage and self-belief in taking on the might of the Japanese manufacturers, who then dominated racing. Indeed, he had ignored the advice of a leading economist who had told him to sell the business as there was no way that he could compete with their financial muscle.
As it was, Aprilia went on to win 25 individual and constructors’ world titles under him. It is now Europe’s most successful racing team in terms of Grand Prix victories. In 2004, however, Beggio was forced to sell the business to its great rival, Piaggio.
Several years earlier, soon after being awarded the equivalent of a knighthood, he had decided to rescue two historic but ailing Italian marques, Moto Guzzi and Moto Laverda.
The deals saddled Aprilia with debt just as a sudden downturn undermined its core market in scooter sales. This was prompted in part by a new law in Italy making it compulsory for riders to wear helmets, so reducing the carefree appeal of the motorini.
The firm’s creditors forced Beggio’s hand and, though he remained its honorary president for several years, he never really recovered his appetite for life.
Ivano Beggio was born at Rio San Martino, south-west of Treviso, on August 31 1944. His father Alberto founded Aprilia at Noale the following year.
After selling the business, Beggio divided his time between his villa at Asolo and his other home, Palazzo Barbaro in Venice.
With frescoes by Tiepolo, and overlooking the Grand Canal, the palazzo is where Henry James wrote The Aspern Papers. It was also used as Lord Marchmain’s Venetian residence for the television series Brideshead Revisited. Beggio had latterly celebrated his 70th birthday there in some style, although he had been in ill health in recent years.
He is survived by his wife Tina and their son Gianluca.
Ivano Beggio, born August 31 1944, died March 13 2018