Author Archives: Tad Diemer

Aprilia December 14, 2018 posted by Tad Diemer

Affordable, Practical Italian: 2000 Aprilia RSV Mille R for Sale

Update: it looks like the listing for this bike was pulled early. Not sure why the seller took it down or if the bike sold, but this post was already scheduled so I let it stand. Interestingly, this month's Fast Bikes has a feature on the Aprilia RSV Mille, and they describe the bike as a sort of middle-ground between the Ducati 996 and one of the four-cylinder Japanese sportbikes of the period, with v-twin character and Japanese handling that was far more agile, compared to the very stable Ducati. Likely this was due to the unusual 60° layout of the Rotax-developed eight-valve v-twin that allowed a shorter wheelbase and longer swingarm that mirrors an inline-four.

Before the era of balance shafts, the best way to get your v-twin to rev was with a 90° layout for perfect primary balance and relative smoothness. No mater what, you feel those big power pulses, but the effect is more soothing than numbing. The unfortunate side effect is packaging issues, since a longitudinal v-twin like Moto Guzzi's isn't very aerodynamic and has ergonomic conflicts between the rider's knees and the cylinder heads, while a transversely-mounted unit results in a long wheelbase like the Ducati, or leaves little space for rear suspension, as seen on the Suzuki TL1000R.

So the narrow-angle Aprilia unit is shorter front-to-back than the Ducati "L-twin", while a pair of balance shafts let it rev smoothly. The result is an engine with the distinctive character of an Italian v-twin, but with very uncharacteristic reliability, and handling qualities familiar to anyone used to Japanese sportbikes. A bike designed to appeal to a much broader group of riders than might normally consider an Italian superbike.

Unfortunately, the styling was less universally appealing and it's hard to describe the Mille as "pretty," although there is a method to the madness and the bulbous plastic is very functional, and the intentionally anti-Ducati lines offer surprisingly comfortable ergonomics for a v-twin superbike. I've never been a huge fan of the styling of the RSV, or of any Aprilia really, other than the RS250. The frame on the Mille was supposedly based on the RS250, so I wonder if that bike's sleeker bodywork can be persuaded to fit...

The seller does mention what was apparently a common issue for the RSV Mille and later RSV1000R: minor crashes can ding the swingarm if the exhaust or rearsets is bent in a crash, and that appears to have happened here. That's obviously going to result in a salvage title if you report it to insurance, but it wouldn't bother me much if I was looking for a solid bike to ride or track.

From the original eBay listing: 2000 Aprilia Mille RSV for Sale

Here is your chance to own one of the famous Italian Sport-Bikes in a great condition and with low miles.

The RSV-Mille R is a lighter, higher spec version of the standard Mille which was introduced in 1999. It features Öhlins suspension, an Öhlins steering damper, forged aluminum wheels, carbon fiber front fender and a shorter subframe for single seating only.

The motor was produced by Rotax for Aprilia.

998cc, 60-degree V-Twin, 2-cylinder, liquid-cooled DOHC 8-valve 6-speed

Bore x Stroke 97x67.5mm Compression 11.4:1 110HP 92Nm at the rear wheel,

This Mille RSV-R starts right up and runs great. It is not 100% stock and has a few aftermarket items.

It will need to have the fluids changed and looked over before you take it on the road, because it was parked as part of a collection for a while.

It was used on the track once and had a minor mishap where it low-sided. The exhaust was pushed against the swingarm and scratched it up. The brake pedal was pushed against the engine cover and marred it a little. The exhaust was replaced.

Look at all pictures

This is not a rare or collectible bike but will make a great street performer or really nice bike for track days.

Swingarm damage aside, the bike does have a clear title, very low miles, and the R-spec components like the Öhlins fork and shock, making this is a very useable example of Aprilia's first foray into the superbike market. These are great bikes to ride, but will anyone wax poetic about them in the future? I expect some will, but to me, these are bikes to ride the hell out of, not admire in your living room.

-tad

Affordable, Practical Italian: 2000 Aprilia RSV Mille R for Sale

Ducati December 12, 2018 posted by Tad Diemer

#becauseracebike: 2006 Ducati Paul Smart Race Bike for Sale

Ducati's two-valve engine variants have long been seen as the affordable, low-performance option for novice or "mature" riders and bikes far from the leading edge of performance. Which makes the choice of an air and oil-cooled Ducati Sport Classic as the foundation for a high-performance racing machine like this highly-developed example pretty surprising.

When the liquid-cooled, four-valve Desmoquattro engine was introduced, it instantly relegated the original Pantah engine and its descendants to second-tier status. But in the early 1980s, the oil and air-cooled two-valve v-twin, newly updated with toothed rubber belts to drive the single overhead cams instead of the classic tower shafts and bevel gears, it was their only engine and, as such, it was developed with competition in mind. The main point here being that you shouldn't dismiss it as a racing powerplant simply because its been surpassed in terms of outright performance.

The Ducati's Sport Classic line might not have offered up Superbike power-to-weight ratios, but the engine's durability and the frame's inherent rightness mean that you can build a pretty competitive machine out of one, assuming you find the right class in which to participate.

The 992cc original engine might be torque-rich and involving, but in order to be competitive, this one has been punched out to a little over 1200cc with a raft of NCR components. The result is a claimed 140hp at the rear wheel, up from 92 in the original.

If you're not interested in competing on the bleeding edge, either because of the exorbitant costs involved, or simply lack the talent possessed by only a handful of riders worldwide able to to compete at the highest levels and win , this might provide you with a more budget-friendly option, although it's still pretty far from cheap, at $54,000.

From the original eBay listing: 2006 Ducati Paul Smart Race Bike for Sale

Ducati NCR Paul Smart Road Race Bike

Used in Excellent Condition

Perfect for CCS/ASRA, WERA, AHRMA Racing

140 RWHP

This is a well known national championship winning Ducati NCR Road Race bike created by Chris Boy of Motocorse Performance, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. It was a no expense spared build with all the best internals from NCR; fresh rebuild of the motor in 2017 with 80 km on the clock since; Engine with top performance parts, fully revised and ready to race; Ducati 1100 evo built to 1215cc ; 140 RWHP ; NCR engine, custom MCP throttle bodies, NCR custom heads, NCR lightweight gears, NCR carbon valve covers, NCR oil cooler, Nemesis traction control, fairings in carbon and many other special parts; This is a rare occasion to purchase fresh well sorted championship winning bike;

auction includes pit bull front and rear track stands & battery charger

Goodies List: Carbon Fiber Front Fairing, Seat, Belly Pan, Front/Rear Fenders, Fuel Cell Carbon/Kevlar; NCR Front Fairing Bracket, NCR Adjustable Triple Clamps , Ohlins Steering Damper, Brembo GP Master, Quick Turn Throttle Kit Electric Brake Fade Lever Adjuster, Woodcraft Rear Sets w/ MCP Lowering kit, Ohlins Road and Track Forks with 30mm Kit; Brembo HP Rotors, Brembo Radial Monoblock Calipers, Aluminum Front Axe Kit, BST Carbon Fiber Wheels, NCR Titanium Bolt Kit, MCP Titanium Rear brake Rotor, Ohlins Rear Shock, Quick Change Rear Axle, Titanium front sprocket, EVR3 Chain, PitBull Front/Rear Stand, AIM MXL Dash with GPS, Full Telemetry, LCU, and Smarty Cam (mounted through front fairing), Nemesis Traction Control, SP Quick Shifter, Hard Wired MyLaps X2 Transponder; 24 volt starter, 2 Lithium batteries, billet Kill Switch, Custom Engine Build by MCP with NCR 1215 Kit, Custom MCP Throttle Bodies Velocity Stack KN Filters, MCP Stage 7 Heads, Lightweight Gears, NCR Carbon Valve Covers, Zullo Racing Custom Lightweight Wire Harness, Nichols Motor Mount Bolts, NCR Oil Cooler – Oversized, Oversized crank Case Breather Box, Custom Titanium exhaust; MRX-02 Fuel Mapping 140+RWHP SuperFlo Dyno

Extensive spares package is available for addition charge.

VIN number listed is arbitrary; VIN number area has been painted over; sale is without title; eBay requires listing title information otherwise unable to post sale; there is no title offered with this race bike, just bill of sale.

Should you be also interested in the sister bike listed in my other auction, a "race team" deal with spares package can be arranged.

I can arrange free pickup to regional CCS/ASRA, WERA and AHRMA events on the East Coast; I will assist with shipping domestic and foreign.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions, adjustments in the auction, etc. I pride myself in telling it like it is. If for any reason my description of this item isn't correct, I will gladly refund your money. Having a perfect feedback rating is very important to me and I plan on keeping it, so I don't play games.

Looking at that list of go-fast goodies, it's pretty clear that no expense was spared in building this thundering v-twin racebike. 140 rwhp is nothing to scoff at, especially given the bike's probable weight: a new Paul Smart weighed in at around 414lbs dry so this one should be a good chunk less without all the lighting and other road gear. And that's before you even get into lightweight parts that decorate this machine. It's all top-shelf, and a ridiculous amount of money to throw at an obsolete v-twin sportbike, but if I were a rich guy, it's exactly the kind of track day toy I'd want in my garage. Liquid-cooled Ducatis might be faster, but I still think that the air-cooled two-valve engines sound much better, and the punchy midrange, here amplified to epic levels, should provide plenty of entertainment for experienced track day riders and racers alike.

-tad

#becauseracebike: 2006 Ducati Paul Smart Race Bike for Sale

Ducati December 10, 2018 posted by Tad Diemer

New In Box: Zero Mile 2004 Ducati 998S FE for Sale

Examples of the Ducati 998S with zero miles have been popping up recently. No surprise that a few folks mothballed them in their original shipping crates, since Ducati kind of telegraphed their intent to discontinue the Tamburini-designed superbike with the whole "Final Edition" thing... I sometimes wonder just how long they could have continued to sell the bike without significant stylistic updates: it had certainly become familiar by the time the 998 was replaced in 2003 by the Terblanche-styled 999, but it's not like it's ever really looked all that dated. It's one of those few designs that skipped right from "cutting-edge" to "classic."

Under the wild new skin and ergonomic changes that made it almost luxurious by Italian superbike standards, the 999 that followed was more evolutionary than revolutionary. Aside from being pretty uncomfortable, there really wasn't anything inherently wrong with the 998, and most of the 999's performance improvements could have been applied to the earlier bike. Powered by the updated narrow-head "Testastretta" v-twin, the 998S produced a claimed 136hp, which sounds pretty tame by today's standards, but this was a very serious sportbike in the early 2000s. Keep in mind that traction-control on roadbikes wouldn't arrive even in its crudest form until the 2009 1098R.

The seller [famed Southern California Ducati dealer ProItalia] refers to it "considered to be the best of the bike that started with the 916" and that's an awkwardly-phrased, but accurate statement. The 916 was the original, but a gradual evolution meant that the 998 was the Ducati Superbike in its most powerful, most highly-developed form, and it's generally considered to be the best of the bunch from a rider's standpoint. Which makes this one's zero miles kind of tragic, really.

From the original eBay listing: 2004 Ducati 998S FE for Sale

2004 Ducati 998S Final Edition. New. On MSO, never registered or prepped. Never has never had gasoline in the tank or a battery installed. Purchased originally by a collector in 2005 from Motobella in Coopersburg PA. It was left in the crate until last year when it was purchased by the Indy Car driver Graham Rahal as part of his changing collection.

Factory Ohlins forks, steering damper, and rear shock. Considered the best of the bike that started with the 916 in 1994.

Comes with MSO, keys, tool kit, 2004 parts catalog. Unique. Came out of the crate only a year ago. We'll assist with shipping to your door. Trades welcomed. If buyer wants the motorcycle prepped for road use, our certified Ducati tech will make it happen.

Pro Italia has been serving Italian motorcycle enthusiasts since 1987 and has a reputation of honesty and transparency with our customers.

Okay, so I'll admit my headline is a bit clickbait-y: this 998S is no longer New In Box, since it was recently removed from the shipping crate, but has never seen the road. Still, $25,000 is pretty huge money for any 916 variant, so anyone considering this had better either really want a box-fresh example of the breed or have a long-view of its investment potential. Sure, values will eventually get there, but it may be a while until the new owner can actually turn around and sell it for a profit...

-tad

New In Box: Zero Mile 2004 Ducati 998S FE for Sale

Yamaha December 5, 2018 posted by Tad Diemer

Museum Quality: 1991 Yamaha TZR250 SP for Sale

Let's get this out of the way up front: the seller is asking $16,000 for this bike, and that's a big number for a Yamaha TZR250. But obviously, a thing is worth what someone will pay for it, and I'm not sure that the seller won't get what they're asking here, since prices have been increasing steadily on all two-strokes for the past few years. If you're a collector for whom a couple grand one way or the other really doesn't matter, and want the very best example for your collection, this TZR250 SP might just be what you're looking for. Sure, $16k is a lot to pay right now for a TZR, but that might seem like a bargain in just a few years.

There are three generations of Yamaha's two-stroke sportbike: the early parallel-twin 1KT/2MA, the reverse-cylinder 3MA, and the v-twin 3XV seen here. Personally, I love the style and general weirdness of the 3MA, especially that version of the gorgeous Deltabox frame, but the 3XV seems to be the most highly sought-after version of the bunch. There were a variety of different specification levels for the 3XV version, designated by the usual alpha-numeric gibberish: R, RS, RSP, SP, SPR. Wet and dry clutches were available, ignition and powervalves had different performance characteristics, and fairings were not always interchangeable between models. Ferreting out detail differences in these Japanese market bikes can be tricky, so experts are welcome to chime in in the comments.

The seller claims you can get 90hp from an unrestricted example which, from what I know, is theoretically possible, but at the expense of any pretense of durability. That's pretty much race-spec, a smoky grenade you should ride with your left hand covering the clutch. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 60hp is more reasonable for a highly-tuned streetbike, and doesn't really change the seller's point at all, that an unrestricted bike would be much more powerful.

From the original eBay listing: 1991 Yamaha TZR250 SP for Sale

This bike is fantastic. It has 1800km (1100 miles) it is a Japanese Domestic bike which I imported personally. There is no bond or restriction from Customs you can get it on the road virtually anywhere if you wanted to street ride it. As you prolly know the SP bikes were about halfway between a standard TZR and a customer-racing 250. Restricted it's 50hp and less than 300 lbs. It's a weapon - even after 28yrs!! I have been told that derestricted with basic mods you can get 90HP from these which is just insane, of course. Thanks for looking!

From the photos and description, this thing is just about perfect, in very original condition. And that's maybe the only issue here: in stock, restricted form, the whole gang of quarter-liter two-strokes made a government-mandated 45hp. But it really depends on what you're looking for: a wicked weekend ripper or a perfectly preserved museum piece. And I get the feeling that a dead-stock example is the way to gamble if you're looking at investment potential.

-tad

Museum Quality: 1991 Yamaha TZR250 SP for Sale

MV Agusta December 1, 2018 posted by Tad Diemer

Classic Italian Superbike: 1975 MV Agusta 750S America for Sale

I'm sure everyone who bought F4s, back when seemingly every version of that bike was a limited edition of one kind or another, was hoping to capture a bit of what the MV Agusta 750S America offered: exclusivity, collectiblity, and ever-increasing values. It didn't necessarily offer class leading performance because, while MV was famous for its racetrack successes, their roadbike was relatively tame: power was average and the bike was fairly heavy, with performance-sapping shaft-drive.

Shaft-drive was a viable, and far more reliable alternative to chain-and-sprocket setups back in the 1970s, and both the Moto Guzzi LeMans and BMW R90S managed to be competitive machines in spite of the performance handicap of shaft drive. But MV supposedly included shaft-drive on their roadbike specifically to limit performance, so privateers couldn't simply buy a 750S and compete against MV's factory efforts. The new bike really embodied a shift in the motorcycle market, away from the practical, small-displacement machines MV was producing for road use in the 1950s and towards more powerful, expensive four-cylinder machines exemplified by the Honda CB750 and Kawasaki Z1.

The complete 750S was relatively heavy and engine was designed to be durable, to suit the bike's more grand touring mission statement. But its racing heritage shone through and the powerplant was pretty narrow, with gear-driven cams, exotic-looking sand-cast engine cases, and a complete lack of any filtration for the quartet of Dellorto carburetors. The original version displaced 742cc, made 69hp, and had drum brakes to haul the 560lbs wet machine down from the 130mph top speed. That sounds pretty unimpressive now, but was par for the course at the time among four-cylinder superbikes.

The 750S America that followed, known as the 800 Super America in parts of Europe, increased displacement to 787cc for a bump in horsepower and torque. It also moved the gearshift to the left-hand side in an effort to appeal to the US buyers, which makes sense considering it was marketed as the "America." This later version was still burdened with that heavy driveshaft, but Arturo Magni, who worked with MV Agusta's racing team during their heyday, manufactured a chain-drive conversion for the 750S. Magni is still in business, and maybe they can be persuaded to whip up another one for you, if you're so inclined.

From the original eBay listing: 1975 MV Agusta 750S America

Most of you know the history of MV Agusta, with their 37 world championships with the likes of Read, Surtees and Agostini. The story of this bike is that it was conceived by the U.S. importer, Chris Garville, as a limited-edition (200 for the 1975 model year) sport bike for the American market based on the existing 750 Sport; that bike became known as the 750S America.

This 1975 750S America was one of the earliest models imported into the US, with engine number 221012 and frame number 221009.

First of only two owners was the importer, Garville Corporation, where it was used in displays, shows and magazine tests: as featured in Cycle, Big Bike and Motor Cycle World to name a few. Ownership was then transferred to Peter Garville (brother of importer Chris) in where it stayed in his possession until 1990.

Included with the motorcycle is a large collection of: Factory correspondence to support its provenance, magazine articles specific to this particular motorcycle, period brochures, and spare parts.

For further information please see the recently featured May/June 2018 edition of the American magazine Motorcycle Classics -

https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-italian-motorcycles/classic-mv-agusta-motorcycles/1975-mv-agusta-750s-america-zmwz18mjzhur

As second owner, I acquired the bike from Garville in 1990 by way of famed restorer Perry Bushong (one of the first MV Agusta dealers in the US). Perry and I have had a life long friendship and working relationship. When he heard that this bike was coming up for sale he knew that this bike was for me. When I heard the sound of the 4 into 4 exhaust I was hooked and that is when it became mine. In 1994 I had the opportunity to meet John Surtees at Daytona and he was kind enough to autograph the fuel tank. After that the bike was ridden sporadically, mostly at bike events, rallys and shows until 2014 when I took it back to Perry to ask him to do the restoration, which was completed in the Fall of 2016. We added the curved racing exhaust built by Dave Kay in England, something I had always wanted to do as it looks fantastic and sounds like no other motorcycle on the road!

Sadly in 2017 both Perry and Mr. Surtees passed away within one week of each other.

The 750S was $6,500 when new, the equivalent of around $40,000 in today's dollars. The starting bid for this one is $75,000 with no bids as yet, but plenty of time left on the auction. Fortunately, this machine has gracefully curved four-into-four exhaust pipes instead of the straight megaphones seen on earlier bikes that look good and sound better. There's a reason Yamaha's cross-plane crank has made such a big splash in recent years: traditional flat-plane crank inline fours are powerful, but can be a bit bland. But if you're expecting the sanitary rustle of a modern four here, you'll be shocked by the 750S America's shrieking exhaust note and the bike has thoroughbred handling to match, in spite of the weight.

-tad

Classic Italian Superbike: 1975 MV Agusta 750S America for Sale

Featured Listing November 23, 2018 posted by Tad Diemer

Featured Listing: 2006 Moto Guzzi MGS-01 Corsa for Sale

Much as Moto Guzzi's purchase by the Piaggio Group saved the company from possible [likely?] extinction, it also doomed any chance that a new superbike to compete with Ducati or Aprilia would see the light of day. And one did reach the prototype stage, with a narrower-angle, longitudinally-mounted [I will die on that hill] v-twin that improved cornering clearance, with liquid-cooling, four valves, and a chain final-drive. So for the foreseeable future, today's Featured Listing Moto Guzzi MGS-01 is the closest we will get to a true sportbike from Mandello del Lario.

With no headlight or signals and just a mesh screen covering the air scoop that led to an oil cooler, it's pretty obvious that the original MGS-01 Corsa is a track-only machine. A roadgoing "Strada" version was supposed to follow, but unfortunately never materialized. In spite of a design that dates back to the early 2000s, the lack of bodywork and unnecessary stylistic flourishes mean it's aged well and the bike looks very spartan and purposeful.

It's quite obviously based around the standard Moto Guzzi Daytona powertrain that uses the air-cooled, four-valve "high cam" engine, the V11 Sport's six-speed box, and shaft drive. But beyond that, it's had a raft of high-performance parts thrown at it and is stripped to the bare minimum to save precious pounds, and lacks any sort of road-legal lighting. New internals took displacement out to 1225cc and the updated mill was good for 122hp and a staggering 82 lb-ft of torque.

Period reviews of the Corsa were very flattering, with the usual caveat that it wasn't really light or powerful enough to compete directly with the likes of something like a Ducati 999 in Superbike racing when it was new. So, aside from a couple of race series that catered to big, air-cooled twins, it was really just a very expensive track-day toy. These days, it does fit within the rules for several AHRMA classes, so well-heeled contrarian racers can fly the flag for Moto Guzzi and mix it up with other unconventional sportbikes, as the owner of this example appears to have done.

From the Seller: 2006 Moto Guzzi MGS-01 Corsa for Sale

One of approximately 120 produced between 2004 and 2006. The model was an absolute show stopper at Intermot 2002.Unfortunately, the model only saw a short production run prior to the takeover of Moto Guzzi by Piaggio and was ended soon after. This example was originally delivered in Italy where it saw about 750km of track use and was imported to the US in 2014 by its current owner under a racing exclusion with the EPA which is a bit of a process. The MGS-01 Corsa model was produced for racing use only cannot be legally registered for street use in the US under any circumstances with a hefty penalty if it ever gets the VIN run through. The characteristics of the bike are those of a Hot Rod fused with a race bike. It’s obvious weight number of 420 lbs. disappears once it is rolling and is amazingly nimble. Thanks to the tireless development of the racing program for many years including that by Dr. John Wittner, the disadvantages of having a shaft drive vs a chain drive was virtually eliminated by design of the rear of the bike. The handling is that of a proper racing machine in all aspects. Power is linear from near idle to 8000 RPM’s with torque that lets you pick a gear to suit, showing that a lack of ability to make gearing choices is not an issue. If one chooses to race the bike as its current owner has on occasion, it is a perfect fit for the “Battle of the Twins” class in AHRMA where air-cooled bikes only compete. It also fits in the AHRMA “Sound of Thunder 2” competing with the likes of Ducati 848’s triumph 675’s etc. For the collector only for display, please be aware that the bike as it has a couple of flaws from being used, but is still brilliant and original in it’s overall condition. It has never been down or off track or in the rain, just a mark on the tank cover and a small tear in the seat foam as shown from being bumped off the stand and hitting a toolbox. It also has a small crack at the base of the windscreen which is concealed by the Moto Guzzi decal in the photo. It currently has a Trans Logic servo push button shift unit as the current owner has trouble shifting the bike due to limited foot movement, which is why he is reluctantly selling it. The unit will be removed and no wiring has been cut or modified. Everything is in perfect working order and comes with Michelin EVO Slicks that were fresh at Barber in October 2018 with one practice day on them. The current owner has logged another 750km since 2014. Delivery within a reasonable distance of Southeastern PA can be arranged.

Specifications:

VIN# ZGULRRA006M10078

1225cc Air cooled V Twin

100mm bore x 78mm Stroke

Cosworth Pistons

Four Nymonic Valves per Cylinder

11.0:1 compression ratio

121 HP @ 8000 RPM

83 lb./ft of torque

6 Speed Gearbox

Forged OZ wheels

320mm Brembo Floating Rotors (Upgraded)

4 Piston 4 pad Brembo calipers with Performance Friction race pads

Ohlins 43mm Forks

Ohlins rear shock

Dry weight: 192 KG/ 423 lbs.

Wheelbase 1428mm/ 56.2

Comprehensive Service Manual in PDF form

Asking price is USD $ 43,500.00.
Contact bobr@inter-techsupplies.com
001-610-217-9926

Considering Guzzi's current status as a "heritage brand" for the Piaggio Group, it's amazing that these attract so much attention when they come up for sale. Unusually, this one has been modified to suit the owner and has seen some actual racing, which means it's not completely pristine, but Guzzis are famously durable and a bit of patina adds character. It also means the bike will spared the fate of so many collectible sportbikes, doomed to sit and slowly decay. As the seller mentions, very few bikes were produced, with as few as 50 originally sent to the US to compete in the AMA's Battle of the Twins series that allowed larger air-cooled twins to compete or, more commonly, to be used as track-day toys or the aforementioned display pieces.

-tad