Author Archives: Phil

Ducati December 9, 2010 posted by Phil

Ex-Chili Ducati 916 WSBK race winning bike!

Ex-Frankie Chili Ducati 916 WSBK race winning works bike for sale!

Ducati 916 WSBK
1996 World Superbike Championship
Team Gattolone (Andrea Merloni)
Rider PierFrancesco Chili

Winning in Monza and Brands Hatch see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYPphw-SNH8

Technical manager was Piero Giannesin, GPM Racing see: http://www.gpm-racing.it/risultati.php
Original bike with certification.

This bike is VERY important in the WSBK history because it was the first one to pass the 300km/h, over 12 km/h faster than factory Ducati bikes.

We have bought it directly from Team Gattolone in year 1997 and always kept in our collection. I have decided to sell most of my bikes so this one must go. Good original conditions as in photo, genuine and straight.

It is THE REAL THING, it is NOT cheap so don’t waste my time asking stupid things, be prepared to pay the price. NO DREAMERS.A good investment. Car [I think he means bike] is currently located in Italy, Padova but i can deliver no problem to UK.

Any question please ring to my mobile +39 347 2656235 or email to gianluca@stileitaliano.com

Ducati’s 916 is definitely one of the icons (if not THE icon) of modern day sports bike, and a works racer (one that beat factory bikes at that!) with history and race wins is definitely worth a whole lot more. Bidding price is up to 40,500 British pounds (approx. $64,000) with 4 days to go – my guess is that it will sell for over $80,000 by the end of the auction. What do you guys think?

Here’s the video of the 1996 WSBK Monza race where Chili won by just a hair on this very bike (just to get the blood pumping):

Sport Bikes For Sale December 7, 2010 posted by Phil

Now this is what I call rare – the only Ferrari motorcycle in the world, and it’s up for sale!

1990 Ferrari DOHC motorcycle – the only one in the world and it’s for sale for 249,991 UK pounds (approximately US$395,000)!

I bet most of you didn’t even know that Ferrari made motorcycles! Well, actually, they don’t, but they did officially allow a David Kay (of MV Agusta fame) to use the prancing horse emblem on a motorcycle that he created:

It all started when David Kay wrote to Enzo Ferrari’s son Piero, requesting to build a one-off motorcycle sporting the famous prancing horse badge in tribute to his late father. In a letter dated maranello, 23rd May 1990 and signed by P Ferrari himself (included in the comprehensive press and information file on this lot) Kay receives: ‘ the approval to place the Ferrari badge on your motorbike’ and is wished good luck with his project. When highly reputed MV Agusta ‘guru’ David Kay set about building this unique piece of engineering from scratch, he looked towards both the future and the past, as he thought of what may have been if Ferrari would have decided to produce a GT or endurance racing machine. Kay was inspired by the fact that Enzo had started his racing on a Scott two-stroke machine and so a project representing over 3,000 man-hours of work was launched.

The engine is a ‘scratch built’ 900cc, transverse, double overhead camshaft, four cylinder, eight valve unit with magnesium and alloy casings, driven through a five speed gearbox. The tubular chassis is made of Reynolds 531 tube, engineering on the motorcycle is irreproachable and the detail is quite astounding. The attention to this is quite incredible, with the master cylinder built into the obviously one off digital instrument panel and is again portrayed with the exquisite steering damper. Terry Hall, who also produced the double curvature reverse cone megaphones, made the entire bodywork out of aluminium. In Kay’s own words these are too beautiful to merely funnel exhaust gases from engine to atmosphere; ‘the noise is like a Messerschmitt chasing a Spitfire’.

The front end is very contemporary in conception with Forcelle Italia upside down forks, massive twin piston Brembo disc brakes front and rear (6 pot calipers to the front, 4 to the rear) and special 17 inch hand spun Astralite wheels. WPS twin rear shock absorbers complete the basic specification.

Four years after starting on the project, although tested but never to its full capacity, the ‘Ferrari 900’ has an estimated top speed of 265 km/h producing 105bhp at 8,800rpm with a dry weight of a mere 172kg.

The bike has been featured with acclaim in worldwide publications ranging from ‘Scuderia’ in Japan, ‘Themen & Trends’ in Germany, ‘Motociclismo’ in Italy, ‘SM30’ in Spain and obviously ‘Motor Cycle News’ in the UK; not forgetting a full half page colour spread in the ‘Daily Telegraph’! With a long article in Mike Walker’s recognised work ‘The MV Story’, it has also been the star of several TV programs and exhibited at the Coventry Classic Bike show to mention just a few occasions.

Having spent most of its life in the vendor’s drawing room and rightly regarded as a work of art, he has now decided that the time has come for this masterpiece to find a new custodian. In today’s world of mass production, the chance to purchase this officially acknowledged one off tribute to Enzo Ferrari, may never arise again.

There’s not too much additional info on the web other than what’s listed, but I did find out that the last time this bike was on the market was back in December 2008 in one of Bonham’s auctions. It didn’t sell at the expected price of $300,000 (perhaps the fact that it looks like the bastard child of a Ferrari Testarossa, a Suzuki RF900 and an early 90s Suzuki GSX-R has something to do with it?) back then, so what do you think the odds are this time around at a price of $395,000? But hey, at least it’s a better deal than the pair of Ducati MH900e’s at close to a million dollars!

Better yet, you can get a MINT 2009 Bimota DB7 AND an extremely lust-worthy 2004 Ducati 749R homologation special and still have $356,500 left! However, if you still think that the Ferrari bike at $395,000 is a better deal and that you MUST have it in your collection, then get your credit card ready and .

I mean, just check out that Swiss cheese machining work on the steering damper knob. That alone has to be worth $50,000 right? 😉

Ducati December 5, 2010 posted by Phil

The most expensive Ducatis ever? A pair (yes, a PAIR) of MH900e for $995,000!

A PAIR of zero miles 2002 Ducati MH900e Mike Hailwood Evoluziones for sale at $995,000!

We love Ducati’s MH900e here at RSBFS, but that’s not the reason we posted these – rather it’s because they have got to be the most expensive Ducati’s ever at $497,500 EACH! Let us see why:

2x Rare and Vintage Ducati motorcycles for sale..

Twins…

Redheads. Two examples of the finest contemporary design Ducati has given us in this 21st century.
They are inseparable – for sale as a pair.. #’s 1588 & 1740. They are the two lowest mileage specimens in the US, possibly the world [hmm…possibly, but very unlikely]. With zero and three miles respectively, these two motorcycles are as collectible as can be.

Let me be perfectly clear: This auction is for TWO MOTORCYCLES. They are the two lowest mileage examples of the MH900E to be found in the US, possibly the world.

Half of the proceeds of this auction: at least $497,500 – will be donated to charity – I prefer Habitat for Humanity or Feed the Children, but if you have a strong preference, I’ll consider it. [so what happens to the other half of the proceeds from the auction?]

From Wikipedia: Wikipedia: The Art of the Motorcycle

“The Art of the Motorcycle was an exhibition that presented 114 motorcycles chosen for their historic importance or design excellence in a display designed by Frank Gehry in the curved rotunda of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, running for three months in late 1998.

The exhibition attracted the largest crowds ever at that museum.”

The bike that Ducati called the Mike Hailwood Evoluzione is possibly one of the most beautiful motorcycles to be launched in the 21st century.

That this motorcycle was launched and sold out completely on the very first day of the new century, the new millennium, was remarkable.

In a stroke of marketing genius, Ducati offers the motorcycle for one day – January 1st, 2000, to celebrate the new millennium. The entire production run sells out in one day – gone

The MH 900e is not just unmistakably a Ducati, with the silencers underneath the tailpiece, it’s what Ducati makes when they intend to create a machine as art. Form does not follow function on this machine. Form is everything…

We have two MH900e’s for auction here…

Sisters, if you will. One has 3 miles, the other, zero. It’s a dry bike – uncrated and stored. They are for sale, but only together, as sisters. I will not separate them. [oh, that’s rich…]

That is what makes this auction unique. Two.. Delivered… by Christmas morning…

The shape is neo-classicical. You can’t tell if it’s a prototype of a bike they might build in two years, or a machine from the 80’s. The L-twin engine is exposed to view and the curvalicious minimal front fairing is the most beautiful front end we’ve seen in years.

We offer both of our Pierre Terblanche designed Ducati MH900e’s to add to your collection.

These are a museum quality pieces, they are both completely stock, and certain to take center stage amongst any collection. We imagine them flanking the the Christmas tree…, or arranged in a V at the bottom of the stairs..

We at AteliersVelocette cater to A-list clients. Delivery is discreet and bonded. Delivery anywhere in the world, by Christmas morning, included in the final price. All paperwork, keys, stands, T-shirts, etc. included.

Half the proceeds of this sale go to Habitat for Humanity, New Orleans, Doctors without Borders, Haiti, or Feed the Children, at your direction.

(This award of 50% of the proceeds will most likely take place in a publicized event after the auction completes, on the Today Show, Good Morning America, Oprah or Ellen by AteliersVelocette’s founder.)

There you have it, but it still leaves me scratching my head why I would want to pay close to a million dollars for two Ducati MH900e’s. Just in case you’re wondering what the market price is on the MH900e, click here to see previous listings.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not slagging charitable donations by any means, but by my logic it seems that the buyer (if there will be one) will be paying $497,500 for two MH900e’s and the other $497,500 to appear “in a publicized event…on the Today Show, Good Morning America, Oprah or Ellen…”

What baffles me is that a.) I can think of much cheaper ways to get a pair of low mileage Mike Hailwood replicas (might not be ‘sisters’ though – heh) b.) there are other (or cheaper) ways to appear in a publicized event c.) if I have that kind of money to donate to charity, I probably wouldn’t need to do it through an ebay auction!

But hey, any ebay seller by the name of “worldsbestguy” must surely know more than I do! So if you’re looking to buy a pair of zero miles (well, one with 3 miles) Ducati MH900e’s, have $995,000 burning a hole in your pocket that you want to donate to charity AND appear in a publicized event, .

Bimota December 4, 2010 posted by Phil

Brand new 2008 Bimota 3D Carbonio down under

Brand new 0 miles 2008 Bimota 3D Carbonio for sale in Australia.

I guess we have to stop calling these “rare” as this is the 4th Bimota Tesi 3D that we have listed in a month! Thanks to our reader Leigh for pointing us to this brand new Tesi 3D Carbonio that will be auctioned off in Australia:

This is a “regular” production (as opposed to the limited edition first production series) Tesi 3D in all black “carbonio” or naked carbon colour (if it’s ‘naked’ would it still be called a colour?). I have written extensively about the Tesi 3D before, so you can read all about it by checking out previous Tesi 3D listings.

There is no additional info provided on this specific Tesi 3D other than model year and mileage, but if you are interested, I would suggest getting in touch with the auction house to find out how to place a bid. Click HERE to jump to the listing.

Bimota November 25, 2010 posted by Phil

Viva Italia! 2009 Bimota DB5R for sale in Seattle

2007 Bimota DB5R with only 2000 miles for sale in Seattle.

This motorcycle is being offered to discriminating buyers who appreciate fine Italian craftmenship. This outstanding example is a 2007 Bimota DB5S [looks more like a DB5R to me – ph] with only 2000 total miles. These motorcycles are very rare and if you are looking for something exotic and out of the ordinary, than you need to at least give this example consideration. Some of the key features are items like: Full carbon fiber bodywork, Ohlins front and rear suspension, Ducati 1000cc dual spark engine, Frame and steering components hand crafted from billet aluminum, OZ Forged Racing Rims, Weighs in at only 368 lbs. Retirement forces sale and price is not negotiable (this price represents $11,000 dollars off the original MSRP).

The Bimota DB5 was the first “new” Bimota after the successful and accomplished Italian entrepreneur Roberto Commini took over the then bankrupt Bimota and revived the brand. It was designed by Sergio Robbiano who, in a bit of irony, also penned the beautiful but engine wise flawed V Due that bankrupted Bimota in the first place. The DB5 also won the Sergio the MDA’s (Motorcycle Design Association) Design Award and other prestigious titles when it was launched.

Based on the DB5, the DB5R features the following upgrades:

full carbon fiber fairing
light weight forged OZ wheels
Zard titanium silencers (although not on this specific bike it seems)
tricolore paint scheme

Here’s some more info on the DB5 and DB5R.

The DB5, while not the most powerful bike in the world with the Ducati 1000DS air-cooled engine, is renowned for its superb ride and handling. Combined with those sexy lines (some say the best of the ‘new’ Bimotas) and tricolour paint scheme, who can resist? The only turn-off may be the $19,900 asking price…

Like most Bimotas, this one has been rarely ridden with 2000 miles (what’s the matter with Bimota owners?!) and has most likely been pampered more than my baby daughter has. DB5 don’t come up for sale often – we’ve only had two previous DB5 listings – so if this bike is speaking to your heart (why else would you buy an Italian bike?) and you are still standing after reading the $19,900 asking price, click here to check out the ad.

Bimota November 23, 2010 posted by Phil

Apocalypse now! Bimota Tesi 3D LE (#23 of 29) for sale w/876 miles!

2008 Bimota Tesi 3D Limited Edition – #23 of 29 – w/876 miles for sale with a bargain Buy It Now price of $25,000!

What the heck is going on? This is the 3rd Bimota Tesi 3D that we’ve listed (not counting serial #00 listed back in July) for sale in the span of less than a month! First it was LE #06, then it was #28, and now it’s #23 – the world must be coming to an end!

Up for sale is a Bimota Tesi 3D Limited Edition number 23 of 29 produced worldwide.

This bike was carefully broken in and is fully sorted. The 600 mile service was performed by Ken Zeller of Evoluzione Cyclesports. This bike is completely stock and in “as new” condition, no disappointments. Retail price was over $40K.

From the Bimota website:

Bimota have now sold the 29 limited edition version of last years Tesi 3D. In 2008 Bimota are offering a more “standard” version of the Tesi 3D. There is no such thing as a standard Bimota, but the new Tesi 3D will cost 3,000 Euro less featuring less carbon fibre and Bimota’s own CNC machined brake and clutch levers. Bimota themselves think these are just as good as the Accossato items on the pricier limited edition. The fluid reservoirs are now standard items rather than CNC machined units. The powertrain is the Ducati air-cooled 1100cc L-twin. Choose between an all blacked out carbon version or the white and red. All at around 26,000 Euro.

This bike is one of the more desirable Limited Editions with the extra carbon fiber, CNC reservoirs and wet clutch.

The bike is located in Thousand Oaks, California.

Regular readers of RSBFS will need no further introduction to the Tesi 3D, but to those untrained in the art of hub center steering, here’s a very brief intro to why there’s a swingarm hanging out in front instead of a pair of telescopic forks: regular forks are inherently flawed in their design in that they have to handle braking, suspension, and steering forces all at the same time, resulting in issues such as fork compression (and hence reduced suspension travel) during braking, causing a change in steering geometry and affecting stability of the bike during cornering.

Hub center steering designs separates braking, suspension, and steering functions, all but eliminating brake dive (or front suspension compression) and geometry change during braking, allowing the front suspension to remain “active” during braking and cornering, greatly increasing stability.

The Tesi 3D is the 3rd hub center steered bike from Bimota (after the 1990 Tesi 1D and the 2004 Tesi 2D), with the punchy Ducati air-cooled 1100DS engine pushing a welterweight 370 lb. It won’t trouble any supersports on the track, but in the real world riding on the roads, it should be plenty fast enough. Here’s a previous article on The Kneeslider on the Tesi 3D with some great pics.

So all that technical info sounds great, but what’s it like to ride? Two words: confidence inspiring. But don’t take my word for it – read what these magazine guys have to say about the handling of the Tesi 3D: Cycle World, Motorcycle.com, and Motociclismo.

Now we’ve addressed the technical / logical side of things – but what about the emotion side? We all know that purchasing a motorcycle is as much a technical exercise as it is an emotional one, and the Italians – and more specifically Bimota – are the absolute masters at pushing the right buttons – just look at that CNC machined “omega” frame; the machined billet reservoirs sitting oh so pretty on top of the triple clamps; the carbon fiber tie roads and bodywork; even the saddle is exquisitely finished with the words “Tesi 3D” embossed on it. You could park the Tesi 3D in your living room, pour yourself a glass of red wine, and sit there and admire it all day – it’s that much of an eye candy.

Just to get your pulse running, here’s a great video of a Tesi 3D being flogged around the Tsukuba circuit in Japan:

And here’s a Tesi 3D race bike being started (note the roar of those open Zard exhaust @ 0:48):

With the world coming to an end sometime in 2012 according to the Mayan calender, I would not walk, !

MV Agusta November 22, 2010 posted by Phil

2005 MV Agusta F4 AGO (as in Agostini) limited edition #35 of 300

2005 MV Agusta F4 AGO limited, #35 of 300, with 6214 miles.

The MV Agusta F4 has been touted as one of the most beautiful bikes ever (and I tend to agree), but my beef with MV is that there are simply way too many different versions of essentially the same bike: the Serie Oro, the Nieman Marcus Edition, the Senna edition (since when did Senna raced motorcycles?), the SPR / SP…etc.

Of course, there are versions with significant mechanical differences, such as the F4 Tamburini, the F4 CC (for Claudio Castiglioni), and the F4 Veltro. But of the various editions with mostly cosmetic differences, my pick would be the F4 AGO because a.) it’s the first of the 1000cc F4’s and b.) it makes the sense because AGO (Giacomo Agostini) won many of his victories on an MV.

2005 MV AGUSTA F4 1000 AGO LIMITED EDITION 35/300 ,6214 MILES ,CARBON FIBER PARTS,GOOD OVERALL CONDITION,NEW TIRES,RACING BRAKES,RACING CHAIN,COMES WITH ALL THE KEYS,BOOKS AND ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE.PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME VIA E BAY FOR ANY QUESTION.PRE PRUCHASE INSPECTION ARE WELCOME.

Most MVs have been pampered, and so has this one, but to a lesser extent than ones that have we have listed previously here on RSBFS. Considering previous samples – which seem to have been much well taken care of and with much more detail and documentation – this one seems pricey at $14,990. Also, all photos that I have seen of the F4 AGO come with 10 spoke wheels, so this one with the star wheels look a bit suspect.

If you are interested, I’d make an offer. Who knows, maybe some lucky buyer can pick up a nice and rare MV F4 AGO for close to $10,000 (one can dream)? .

Ducati November 22, 2010 posted by Phil

Déjà vu – 2004 Ducati 749R

AMA spec 2004 Ducati 749R for sale in San Francisco, CA.

I was mesmerized by the beautiful Ducati 749R that was in our featured listing earlier, and if you missed the chance to snag that one, here’s another 749R up for grabs:

You are bidding one 2004 Ducati 749R AMA Spec Super bike. Engine has 848cc kit, Engine has only two track days since rebuild. Ducati carbon fairing kit, Full Termignoni exhaust system, Offset triple clamps, Over size radiator. Body work is in very good condition. One small scratch on left side of fairing. Have manufacturers cert of origin.

Just to rehash what Doug wrote about the 749R:

“In 2004 Ducati produced a road going pure bred race bike and called it the 749R. In typical Ducati fashion they made it a LE and liberally sprinkled it with high quality upgrades over the standard and S versions that were also offered the same year.

The 749R came standard with Ohlins 43mm, ti-nitride coated forks and radial mounted Brembos up front that complimented the fully adjustable Ohlins shock out back. Of course the HP was raised on the Testastretta V-Twin R version to 116 which is 13 more than the standard 749. Ducati put all of that power to the rear wheel via a race spec slipper clutch that was designed to handle the added HP and the demands of Super Bike racing.”

Now I won’t go as far to say this one has had a hard life, but it IS a track bike after all, so it’s definitely not pampered like the one sold earlier. However, this one is, as claimed, to “AMA spec” (so does that mean it’s been raced?) with 848cc kit and some tasty high performance upgrades such as the full Termignoni exhaust.

If you’re in the market for a track bike and red-headed Italian V twins are your thing, then this one’s right up your alley.

For me personally, this one with a starting bid of $11,000 is exactly $11,000 over my budget for a track bike.