In a recent interview with the Motociclismo magazine in Italy, Castiglioni says modern sportbikes are more than capable of traveling in perfect safety at that speed.
However, the MV Agusta boss says the speed limit increase should only be applied on the highways.
"A modern sports bike traveling at 130kph is a distraction; it is a speed limit which exists just to promote fines and speeding taxes. Today’s motorcycles are safe at 170, even 180kph in light traffic," Castiglioni was quoted as saying by the aforementioned source. "I would personally back a campaign to raise the limit to this level, alongside keeping the existing limits in urban areas - they should be sacrosant."
According to the Italian government, the change will only allow drivers of large cars to travel at the proposed higher speed, while small engined cars will still be restricted to 130 km/h. This will also apply to motorcycles as well, due to their small engine size.
Castiglioni is calling on Italian bikers to petition Berlusconi’s government to allow larger capacity motorcycles to travel at 180 km/h in clear, dry conditions. If the idea does become law, and a 1900cc engine capacity limit applies, this could lead to a rise in Triumph Rocket III sales across Italy in 2011.
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