Posts by tag: racebike

Ducati June 22, 2020 posted by Donn

Blue Light Special – 2007 Ducati-NCR New Blue 1100

Ducati’s stateside managers saw an opportunity for celebration in 2007, and commissioned NCR to re-imagine the Ducati 750SS which won the Daytona Superbike round in 1977. Number 4 in an edition of 50, this New Blue race bike is hand-built in a 21st century way, and shows just 45 miles.

2007 Ducati-NCR New Blue Racebike for sale on eBay

Named for – Old Blue –, a 750SS racer campaigned by Cook Neilsen ( at the time editor of Cycle magazine ), the New Blue is also air-cooled, but that and the paint color might be all they share. Based on Ducati’s Sport 1000S, the engine is massaged heavily by NCR to 1100cc displacement and 116 hp. Typically excellent components are supplied by Öhlins and Brembo, with an Apt slipper clutch, full titanium Zard exhaust, and BST carbon wheels. Since Poggipolini and NCR joined forces in 2002, the company has used projects like this to showcase their Ti and Al alloy fabrication skills, with rearsets, clutch cover, triple clamps and clip-ons shown here. The goal of weight reduction has been met with the scales showing only 319 lbs., a feather for a liter-plus thunderbike.

Shown with replaceable race fairings, later pictures show the factory nose and seat fairings with fawn suede seat, either way it’s a magnificent kit. Destined for show, but built for go. From the eBay auction:

Exclusive handmade bike , number 4 of only 50 built.

Developed jointly between NCR and Ducati North America, the “ready to race” New Blue is made in limited number and exclusively for the track

116HP driving 319lbs (116hp/145kg) the New Blue has 40% more power than its street base Ducati Sport 1000S

The NCR One Shot 1100cc powerplant and gearbox, Brembo monoblock brakes, full NCR electronics, full racing titanium 2-1-2 exhaust weighing only 8.8lbs made by Zard, Ohlins front and back tuned by NCR

Frame: tubular trellis in steel Ducati

Clutch System: NCR Corse by Apt custom slipper clutch system

Gearbox: 6 speed

Front Brake: 2 x 300mm Breaking WAVE disc – 4 -piston 2 pad Brembo Racing caliper from billet

Front Suspension: Ohlins 43 mm upside-down fork with Tin surface treatment, adjustable off-set

Rear Suspension: progressive linkage with fully adjustable Ohlins monoshock with length adjustment

Exhaust System: new custom all NCR titanium exhaust system 2-1-2 produced by Zara

Wheel Set: BST carbon fiber wheels set for NCR

Dashboard: AIM MXL

Electronic: NCR Corse wiring system with automatic Remapping System (ARS) by on-board CPU

Front Tyre: Metzeler Racetec Slick 120/70 R 17

Rear Tyre: Metzeler Racetec Slick 190/55 R 17

Bolt & Fasteners: completely produced in Titanium by Poggipolini Titanium

Seat: Leather seat by Schedoni

Special parts: NCR al7075/Titanium footrest kit; NCR Al7075/Titanium fuel cap; NCR Titanium clutch cover; NCR Titanium Al7075 clip on set; NCR triple clamps kit in aluminum from billet; NCR Corse bottom bracket in aluminum from billet; NCR camshaft and Magnesium NCR clutch and alternator case Poggipolini Group production

Cycle World and Neilsen debuted the New Blue at AHMRA’s Daytona meet in early 2007, with shoe Larry Pegram and CW editor Nick Ienatch aboard, article still available from CW archives – here –. The New Blue still appears on NCR’s website in road or racetrack form, which also states that whatever your wishes for your own Sport 1000S, NCR could help out. If more current racing is your interest, NCR’s Millona racebike ( also based on the air cooled Ducati twin ) has racked up Supertwins podiums around the world. But that would make this now-vintage New Blue look positively budget-conscious.

-donn

Blue Light Special – 2007 Ducati-NCR New Blue 1100

Ducati April 25, 2020 posted by Donn

Dust Never Sleeps – 2004 Ducati 749R Racebike

Sometimes a builder gets things looking so good, the will to ride the daylights out of their creation suffers. Not sure that’s what happened here, but this 749R has been beautifully prepped for the track and looks ready for a late start to the season.

2004 Ducati 749R ( Racebike ) for sale on eBay

Ducati’s 749 accompanied the 999 to the showroom, and the 749R was built in limited quantities for supersport racers to campaign. The 749R had a much more race-oriented engine than the base and -S models, much more oversquare with a 94mm bore and 54mm stroke. The architecture was backed up with exotic materials, with titanium con-rods and valves, and magnesium head covers conspiring for 121 hp at 10,250 rpm. 43mm Öhlins forks ride in an adjustable headstock, and the both-sided swingarm has a race-oriented non-progressive linkage to the monoshock. Even the typically excellent Brembo brakes are lightened for the track, with thinner 4.5 mm rotors.

This 749R had the cobwebs blown off in the owner’s Florida driveway, and looks like a fresh track day build. From the levers and pegs to the Alicé-derived livery, this build looks right. Harder to see is the flow smoothing, balancing, and updates internal to the engine. Too much to list from the eBay auction:

Peach Pit Custom Paint Job

Armour Bodies Bodywork

Vortex Upper stay

Engine Build….Ducati Race Kit Plus…. 20k in receits

Ported Heads, Cams, Intake Manifolds, Injectors, Etc

130HP on Pump with Dyno Sheet

Marchesini Forged Rims

Ohlins Front and Rear Suspension and Steering Damper

Corse Dynamics Ride Height Adjuster

Microtec ECU

Dynojet Quickshifter

EVR Slipper Clutch

BCM Clutch Cover

Termignoni Full 60mm System

Euro Racing Quick turn Throttle

Attack Offset Triple Trees

Woodcraft Clip-ons

BCM Rearsets

Vortex 520 Gearing

Shorai Battery

Accossoto Brake Master with CRG Levers

Speedmoto frame sliders

Lightened Rear Brake Rotor

The stacked headlight design was short-lived at Ducati, but improvements in the Testastretta kept coming. An AMA or World Supersport championship wasn’t in the cards, but privateers and club racers kept the marque on the front page. The auction appears to be without reserve, despite the big bucks sunk in this bike. As always, the purchase cost of a race machine is just the price of admission, but for a superfan this might be great track day bike.

-donn

Dust Never Sleeps – 2004 Ducati 749R Racebike

Ducati March 6, 2020 posted by Tad Diemer

Premium Trackday Toy: 2018 Pierobon X85R Superbike for Sale

If you’re thinking today’s Pierobon X85R is just some sort of Panigale in race bodywork with an aftermarket exhaust, you’re partly correct, but also missing an important detail. Hint: it’s red and is something you wouldn’t normally see on Ducati’s semi-monocoque superbike. A frame. Less obvious is the extended swingarm to improve the v-twin Pani’s somewhat unruly handling. All of it crafted to the highest standards from the best materials available, and the completed machine should be impossibly light: an X60R powered by Ducati’s two-valve engine weighs in at around 300lbs wet, depending on specification.

So why would you add a frame to a largely frameless bike? You’d have to ask Pierobon, although I’d suspect the frame has more flex to add a bit of feel to the somewhat feedback-challenged Panigale. But I’d trust them if I were you: located in Bologna near Ducati’s headquarters, they’ve been making frames, subframes, swingarms, and fuel tanks to their WSBK and MotoGP teams for over 50 years. As a sideline, they make a variety of trackday and racebike kits meant to accept Ducati’s two and four-valve engines. Be prepared for some sticker-shock though.

These are basically kits that include the frame, airbox, air duct, rear subframe, rearsets, and brackets for the electronics. To that base kit, you can add whichever suspension you want, using the original Panigale tank and swingarm. If you want, you can add beautifully-crafted, lightweight replacements from Pierobon, along with carbon bodywork that appears to be based on the Panigale. You’ll also need an exhaust, and other sundry bits. Boulder Motorsports, the folks selling this bike, have built a few of these in the past, and I’ve seen them at track days out here on the west coast. They’re minimalist and beautiful in the way that only pure racing machines can be. The seller includes the insane level of equipment that went into this one below.

From the original eBay listing: 2018 Pierobon X85R Superbike for Sale

2018 Pierobon X85R Superbike, Serial #1

This Pierobon X85R is a very unique and special trellis frame Panigale 1199R powered race/track bike and is frame number one built by Pierobon in Bologna Italy. The bike is light weight and was built by Boulder Motor Sports (US Pierobon importer) with the highest level components from Brembo, Ohlins, OZ, Magneti Marelli, etc.

Who is Pierobon you ask? Pierobon is located in Bologna Italy adjacent to Ducati’s headquarters and is a chassis and fabrication specialist company that supplies many racing teams in World Superbike and MotoGP with frames, subframes swingarms and fuel tanks as well as paddock equipment. Pierobon has built three versions of complete chassis kits known as the X60R (2-valve air cooled Ducati engine, X80R (4-Valve liquid cooled Ducati engine) and the X85R (4-valve Panigale liquid cooled engine). The X85R utilizes a lightweight trellis frame combined with a Pierobon built +30mm single sided swingarm and triple clamps that offers amazing feedback to the rider with precise engineering.

The following components where used to build this unique bike:

Pierobon X85R Chassis kit #1 (main frame, subframes, rear sets, handle bars, etc)

+30mm Pierobon WSBK single sided swingarm

Ducati 1199R SBK Engine (900km apx)

Ohlins RVP25 Forks

Ohlins RSP40 WSBK Shock

Ducati Corse WSBK Rear link and adjuster

Brembo Monobloc 2-pad GP front race calipers with Brembo Z04 pads

Brembo 16×18 Billet front brake pump

Brembo 16×19 Billet clutch pump

Brembo 84mm Bilett rear caliper

IMA adjustable thumb brake with optional rear foot brake control

336mm front racing brake rotors

Magneti Marelli SRT SBK ECU and electronics (Bike includes cable and software)

Custom race wiring loom, switch gear and components built by Bike Sport Developments UK

Electronics support traction, wheelie and launch control as well as closed loop engine braking

AIM SmrtyCam HD camera system with embeded data on screen for video playback

Termignoni WSBK/BSB Edition Force full racing exhaust

OZ “R” racing wheels

Febur full SBK radiator and oil cooler

Carbon bodywork

Race seat with seat extender

EK 3d chain with quick change sprockets

Titanium hardware throughout the entire bike

Bike will be sold with limited spare parts.

This bike was built by Boulder Motor Sports in 2018 and was ridden by Moto Rapido British Superbike rider Tommy Bridewell in the AHRMA Pro Challenge race during the Barber Vintage festival in 2018. The following year it was ridden at the same event by WSBK champion Scott Russell. The bike has been meticulously maintained and was built utilizing the highest level of components.

This is a great opportunity to purchase a collectible engineering masterpiece by one of the worlds best chassis designers, engineers and fabricators.

Sound like your dream bike? Only one problem, the $110,000 asking price. Which, believe it or not, is probably well south of the actual build cost. Is it worth it? Considering the quality components, rarity, and performance, probably it technically is, although the performance is far beyond what most of us could hope to fully exploit and it doesn’t really have any value to collectors. Basically it’s a very, very expensive toy. But I know if price was no object, I’d want one.

-tad

Premium Trackday Toy: 2018 Pierobon X85R Superbike for Sale

Yamaha July 25, 2019 posted by Tad Diemer

Purity of Purpose: 1998 Yamaha TZ250 for Sale

Laypeople often love cars and motorcycles with gratuitous stylistic frippery: air vents leading to nowhere, extraneous “engine beautification” panels to cover up the oily bits and wiring, unnecessary surface details to break up large panels. They don’t really understand the function of all those parts, or aerodynamic styling, so if it looks right, it is right. Purists also appreciate design, but often feel that good looks are a direct result of function, that that beauty is the natural result of effective engineering. Failing that, at least functional design has an aesthetic appeal all its own. Simplicity and lightness are especially important for racers, and sometimes the shapes that result look odd until you understand why they developed the way they did. In other cases, a pursuit of purity of purpose results in shape that just looks so right, like this Yamaha TZ250.

The TZ250 wasn’t simply a TZR250 with race plastics and the lights removed. It was a pure racing machine, something privateers could buy directly from Yamaha and use to compete in Grand Prix racing. Everything on the bike is designed to help the bike make power, cheat the wind, or simplify servicing. Every component is as light as possible, and these featherweight machines are the model of elegant simplicity. Early versions were powered by a parallel-twin engine, but Yamaha switched to a v-twin in 1991, a liquid-cooled unit was basically one-half of the YZR500’s V4 and included a counterbalancer that made the engine much smoother, backed by a cassette gearbox for fast gearing changes trackside to maximize the bike’s narrow powerband.

The package was updated significantly in 1992, with subsequent changes amounting to a gradual evolution, refining and tweaking the package. The engine was updated in 1997 to allow the bike to run on unleaded fuel, as required by FIM regulations, while the 1998 version seen here introduced a sealed airbox with ram-air and oval-slide carburetors, along with revised bodywork that included the famous tapered tail.

From the original eBay listing: 1998 Yamaha TZ250 for Sale

I have a very, very nice 1998 Yamaha TZ250 4TW available. I purchased this bike in 2015 from a Southern California racer. It had been raced recently. I have done absolutely nothing to the bike, so it is still in as-raced condition. Overall its in excellent shape. The tank is flawless save for a very small dimple (about 1/8″ across). The bodywork is very good, but has a few imperfections here and there such as chips and scuffs. Normal racetrack wear. It has been stored in a heated storage facility with very low humidity here in Montana.

It has 190 miles on the top end and MCE racing crank. 2003 bodywork and airbox conversion. Includes PitBull rear stand, but no spares.

You can send your shipper here to my home in Red Lodge, Montana or I can deliver to one of several freight forwarders in Billings, Montana for attachment to a pallet.

The $14,500 Buy It Now the seller is asking for this TZ250 is a pretty good price, from what I’ve seen. It unfortunately doesn’t include any spares, which presents a headache if you’d like to use it regularly for race or trackday riding. You’ll obviously want to go through it thoroughly before using it, as it has been sitting for a couple years, but these are designed to be easily torn down and rebuilt, with crankshaft removal possible with the engine still in the frame and gearing changes to the cassette box taking only a half hour or so. Many TZs are being actively raced in AHRMA and other series, so I believe obtaining parts to keep them running isn’t prohibitively expensive, but these are a dying breed and represent the end of an era.

-tad

Kawasaki July 10, 2019 posted by Tad Diemer

Privateer Superbike: 1995 Kawasaki ZX-7R for Sale

We don’t post too many racebikes here on RSBFS. Ex-racebikes are tricky to value. By their very nature, they evolve and change over time to remain competitive and, unless a bike is retired immediately after an historic race win, it’s not likely to be in anything like “original” condition. That very word contradicts what racing is about: if something doesn’t work, it’s discarded, if something better is introduced, it goes on the bike. They get crashed and blown up and rebuilt and raced again. But this particular Kawasaki ZX-7R had too many impressive names attached to it to pass up.

This Kawasaki is a bike from the glory days of World Superbike racing, when 750cc fours were pretty much the go-to configuration for everyone but Ducati. In stock form, the ZX-7R was a bit heavy at 450lbs dry, and the 748cc engine’s 105hp is decidedly underwhelming by today’s standards. But the bike made an excellent racing platform, and this version was kept in production for 7 years, a near eternity in terms of sportbike development and a testament to its sound design.

Of course, this isn’t anything like a stock motorcycle. The claimed 150+hp is impressive and the WSB-spec Öhlins forks and Brembo brakes that replace the stock Nissin six-pots are all very, very tasty, but it’s the frame that makes this particularly interesting: it was supposedly used in World Superbike racing by Anthony Gobert and obtained from famed tuner Rob Muzzy. The seller’s description goes into more detail below.

From the original eBay listing: 1995 Kawasaki ZX-7R Racebike for Sale

1995 Kawasaki ZX7R Superbike. Works frame (WSB Gobert frame, Purchased from Muzzy in ’99), 2 Superbike motors: 800cc (for ’03) and 750cc. Fully kitted, Ohlins WSB forks, brembo brakes, everything. Spare valve springs (2 sets), valves, rods, pistons. 800 has Carrillo rods. Hasn’t been run for 15 years. Gets turned over now a couple times a year.

This is probably the finest privateer 1995 Kawasaki ZX7R Superbike ever built. The works frame (purchased from Muzzy in December of ’99) was supposedly Gobert’s. It was a World Superbike frame; done in Japan by Kawasaki. It was black when we got it. A work of art, they added a oil catch tank in the frame and welded a frame around the frame. It turned the bike from a pile of crap nightmare that would wind up and launch you at any second (with the fully built 150+ hp superbike engine) to a dream that is predictable and smooth. Which is why they won. Unfortunately those weren’t available to any of us, and we were lucky to get it for the 2000 season. After we got the frame, that bike won every club race and set track records in 2000 (beating the 1000s) until we had a Brembo rotor explode and put me in the ICU… ending that season. I raced it a few times since and we built a 800cc motor that put out 170hp (on the juice, no ram air) that ran with the 1000s of ’03. Unfortunately the KLS shifter broke during that national and we DNF’d. Later, it had a “tip over” in a practice due to a leak in a front tire, and it never got repainted. I got bodywork for it and never fitted it or painted it. Unlike the “works” bike Chandler rode and got claimed in the F-USA in 1996 (was just for sale on bringatrailer.com), these engines do NOT have the “works” gear driven cams. Those are not serviceable for privateers. This bike makes a ton of power with the conventional chain driven cams, works oil pickup, etc. Further, we still have a couple sets of valve springs (and tons of spares) which are now unobtainable. These motors can be serviced and freshened up. This will be an AHRMA killer.

This is obviously a well-developed package and should be a blast to ride. It also includes extra engines and spares to keep them running, although at that $25,000 asking price, you’d hope it would. There are cheaper ways to get into vintage [?!] racing, but none quite as evocative…

-tad

Privateer Superbike: 1995 Kawasaki ZX-7R for Sale

Sport Bikes For Sale July 8, 2019 posted by Tad Diemer

Featured Listing: 2017 Suter MMX500 for Sale

Update 7.8.2019: We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Amatumoto Grand Prix Motorbikes for being a sponsor of RSBFS! From Amatumoto, “This 2017 Suter MMX500 at reduced price will not last long, so if there is someone out there that has been pining for a reliable 2-stroke GP500, they should act soon.” Contact Amatumoto today! -dc

So, I’m going to have to try not to gush uncontrollably here, because this is one of the coolest bikes we’ve featured recently. A real, live Suter MMX500, a “what if” race-replica from a parallel universe where MotoGP racing never made the switch from two-stroke to four-stroke power. A labor of love built by Eskil Suter of Suter Racing and a bunch of guys who never got over their addition to premix fumes.

Forget all of your shed-built Grand Prix homages with RZ500 engines stuffed into R6 chassis and painted up in Marlboro racing colors. No disrespect intended, but this is what you’re looking for, the ultimate paean to the snarling, lethal machines that carried Rainey and Schwantz and Mamola to greatness.

The looks may be stealth-fighter modern, especially in this example’s matte carbon finish, but the spirit of those older machines is still there, married to absolutely state-of-the-art racing technology. It’s powered by a compact, fuel-injected two-stroke V4 with a pair of counter-rotating cranks based on the Swissauto/MuZ500 raced by Suter in 1998 and 1999. Apparently Suter “had a few crankcases kicking around from the 500cc V4 design,” and frames are, obviously, their specialty.

I’m always fascinated by how two-strokes can be mounted in the frame: a lack of cams, cam-drives, or valve gear means they’re ludicrously compact, and often oriented in ways not at all intuitive for someone weaned on four-strokes. In this case, the engine is laid over on its side, rotated 90 degrees from what you’d expect, facing forward. So more like a >4 really, at least if you’re looking at it from the left-hand side…

The bike may be tagged as a 500, but it actually displaces 576cc, with an undersquare 56 x 58.5mm bore and stroke in an effort to deliver a bit more midrange and help the bike avoid racebike service intervals. Suter acknowledges that most of its customers are skilled enthusiasts, not win-or-crash racers, and the changes to the formula make for a more manageable ride that still captures the feeling of a two-stroke MotoGP machine, but is less likely to spit a rider off in an evil highside when they get in a bit over their head…

Modern electronics and fuel injection help there as well, while offering improved rideability and a better spread of power. Of course, the delivery is still two-stroke abrupt and, with 195hp at 13,000rpm pushing just 280lbs, power-to-weight is still fairly astonishing, so the two-stroke GP character is intact, just slightly more refined.

Head on over to the original listing for the bike, as there are plenty of additional photos for you to drool over.

From the Seller: 2017 Suter MMX500 for Sale

SUMMARY

Model: Suter MMX 500

Origin: Switzerland

Engine: Suter

Last Service: 490 km

Colour: Carbon

Suspension: Ohlins

Brakes: Brembo

OZ 17″ wheels

Availability: Immediately in our store of USA

MODEL INFORMATION
Bike in good condition and ready to race. Extra parts included with the bike: rear stand, pistons, rings, reeds gaskets, fiber+steel clutch plates, plugs + caps, filters, front stand, windscreen, seat, engine stand, service manual, owner manual, cover.

Spares list:

Pistons, rings, carbon reeds, gaskets, and o-rings; enough for 2 complete rebuilds

fiber/steel clutch plates

plugs & caps

Spare seat #5 of 99

Engine stand, front & rear service stands

Parts, service & dash manuals

bike cover

This is the very first Suter MMX500 I’ve seen for sale. With just 99 made, I’m assuming they were all snapped up before they were even finished by well-heeled track day and racing fans. If you’ve got ~~$115,000~~ $95,000 lying around and decide to buy this, please let me know what track days you’ll be attending, because I need to see an MMX500 in action. The craftsmanship and passion that went into its creation are impressive, as you can see from the images. Of course, the price is shocking, but this is a very rare opportunity to purchase one at any price, so refinance your home, sell that sailboat, or sell that kidney, and pounce before someone else does.

-tad

Featured Listing: 2017 Suter MMX500 for Sale

Bimota December 29, 2017 posted by Tad Diemer

Race History: Ex-Anthony Gobert Bimota SB8K for Sale

Both a flamboyant racer and a cautionary tale, Anthony Gobert was a hugely talented rider who fell from grace after a failed drug test. Several times, actually. Racing today is obviously a far cry from the wild days of the 60s and 70s, where playboy racers partied with stewardesses well into the night before getting up the following morning to risk life and limb while nursing a hangover. Today’s riders generally treat racing as the serious profession it has become, instead of as a way for daredevils to travel and booze it up on someone else’s dime. I’m sure Gobert’s missteps would have been laughed off in another era, but a failed test for marijuana, of all things, ended his MotoGP dreams in 1997, although he continued to race in Superbikes events in a variety of classes. Somewhere along Gobert’s slow downward spiral, he got a ride on this Bimota SB8K and managed to make an underfunded machine from a tiny manufacturer briefly competitive, a testament to his talent.

Bimota’s SB8 was really the TL1000R that Suzuki wasn’t able to build, and one of their most successful models. There’s no doubting the liquid-cooled, 996 v-twin engine’s prowess: it’s been used in various iterations by Suzuki since 1997 to power both sports and touring models. More importantly, both Cagiva and Bimota saw the potential for the engine to power some serious sporting hardware, and just needed to work around the layout challenges posed by the v-twin. As can be seen by the Ducati Panigale’s side-mounted rear shock, a transverse 90° v-twin is very long, making it difficult to package efficiently in a compact sportbike while simultaneously maximizing swingarm length. Suzuki used an innovative rotary damper with roots in Formula 1 to support the rear of their TL1000S and TL1000R. Unfortunately, while the concept was sound in theory, it didn’t work so well in practice, as the undersized unit tended to overheat and cause handling to go from “stable” to “exciting” without much warning.

Bimota took that throbbing, 138hp lump of an engine and put it into a machine that could much more fully exploit its obvious possibility. As with all Bimotas, the SB8’s real party trick was a state-of-the-art frame. While I’m a sucker for Ducati’s classic trellis unit, the SB8 used a wild composite design based around stiff, lightweight aluminum spars with carbon fiber side plates and a self-supporting carbon fiber tail section. You can see Bimota’s solution to that rear suspension issue, peeking out on the right side of the bike from behind the main frame spar. Ultimately, the SB8 weighed in at nearly 50lbs less than the TL-R, although the bike is uncharacteristically broad and bulky for a v-twin, ironic considering the amazingly slim design of the Ducati 996. It’s exotic for sure, but not especially pretty, and the carbon air tubes on the original SB8R also meant you’d better know where those hand controls are without looking, or you’d be craning your neck awkwardly trying to find the high-beam switch or cancel the turn signals. Best not to use them.

Of course, the locations of headlight and turn signal switches matter little in this particular case, since this is the updated SB8K version that did away with the massive carbon tubes in favor of a more conventional intake system. And this bike doesn’t have signals or lights anyway, since it’s the very World Superbike machine that Gobert used to win at Philip Island in 2000, reminding everyone of his talent, if not his self-control. Many who worked with him feel he could have been one of the all-time greats, and flashes of his brilliance can be seen in results he achieved on the SB8K.

From the original eBay listing: Ex-Anthony Gobert Bimota SB8K for Sale

ex-Anthony Gobert, winning in Philip Island April 2000.

VIN: 00071

This is a legendary bike in a WSBK history for who remembers the victory in april 2000 in Philip Island when Fogarty ended his career… also it is an ICON for the Italian racing motorcyles enthusiasts and the Bimota collectors.

Only 2 FACTORY bikes were built for the 2000 WSBK, frame #71 and frame #73. This is the only of the 2 fully preserved, complete (with telemetry) and owned by BIMOTA FACTORY from year 2000 to 2017. Full history know, fully untouched since the 2000 season ended.

The bike is fitted with SUZUKI FACTORY TL1000R magnesium/dry clutch engine but tuned then for Bimota by one of the TOP mechanics in the Italian motorcycling history, Franco Farne’… yes the Ducati legend! The bike comes with some spares: engine cases, 2 heads, spare rear wheel, box with bits and pieces.

Letter of verification by the FACTORY present.

Parade, race and collect!

Be sure to check out the photos in the gallery above. The shot of the injectors and one of the high-capacity radiator with the cutout for the front cylinder are especially cool. This is yet another ex-race machine being offered by the same seller as the YB4 racebike from a couple weeks back and, a bit of expected racing wear and tear and some significant discoloration on the swingarm, appears to be in very nice condition. There are several days left on the auction, and bidding is up to just under $9,000 with the Reserve Not Met.

-tad

Race History: Ex-Anthony Gobert Bimota SB8K for Sale

Suzuki August 28, 2017 posted by Tad Diemer

Classic Racer in a Box: Ex-Doug Polen Suzuki GSX-R750 for Sale

Looking for a fun weekend project to keep you busy for a while? Well look no further than this ex-Doug Polen Suzuki GSX-R750 racebike. It’s not exactly finished, but all of the really important parts appear to be there to get you started… Strangely enough, it seems like the AMA racebikes used many of the stock Suzuki components, even switching from the more exotic dry clutch to the standard wet unit, according to the seller. So that should help, right?

The introduction of the Suzuki GSX-R750 in 1985 was a seminal event in the history of motorcycling. It may not have been the first or only bike to use fully-enclosed, endurance-racer styling wrapped around a bulletproof, large-displacement inline four and monoshock aluminum frame, but it made that formula affordable and available to the masses, and led directly to the sportbikes we know and love. Later sportbikes would add liquid-cooling to the equation to help generate maximum power, but the Gixxer eschewed such frippery as too heavy for their pure speed machine: in spite of the visible cooling fins, it’s oil that does most of the work. The oil-cooled powerplant utilized their SACS or “Suzuki Advanced Cooling System” that used a double-chambered pump and oil jets directed at the underside of the pistons to keep temperatures under control. Other than oil cooling, it followed modern designs and used dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder.

Obviously, as a race-spec machine for the street, the GSX-R750 spent plenty of time competing in various classes both abroad and here in the US. This particular bike was used in AMA racing and was ridden by Doug Polen. Polen was a world-class rider who got his start in AMA racing but left to compete in the World Superbike Championship, where he won the title on the trot in 1991 and 1992. He continued to compete in both international and American roadracing with success, netted a win at the Suzuka 8 Hour endurance race, and even dabbled in MotoGP.

There’s additional information about the bike, its history, and the included photos over on eBay, so head over and take a look.

From the original eBay listing: Ex-Doug Polen Suzuki GSX-R750 AMA Superbike for Sale

I have researched the photo archives of Cycle World and Cycle magazines and obtained a number of unpublished photos from their records.  I’ve also bought photographs from freelance photographers that covered AMA racing in that year. Special thanks to Larry Lawrence, of The Rider Files website. I will provide these photos to the buyer with the proviso that they remain unpublished.

Each rider had two chassis.  The chassis and motors evolved constantly through the season and Doug probably got the good parts first, as he did better than Otter in the results, starting with the first race.  Their A bikes had all of the good parts at each race and the B bikes had more stock components.  You can clearly see in the photographs the progression of modifications during the season for all of the bikes and the lower spec of the B bikes.

The chassis is un-braced, with modified stock forks, Kosman Triple clamps, Kosman brake discs, AP calipers, a Fox shock and Marvic magnesium wheels.  The swingarm has been slotted, to allow for more variation in wheelbase.  Jim Lindemann worked with them on the shock valving, although he passed away a few years ago.  I have spoken to an ex-Fox engineer and he’d be happy to restore the shock but the records they had of those years were destroyed a few years ago.  Sandy Kosman now lives in Portland Oregon and the last time I talked to him, he was willing to get the discs reground on a Blanchard grinder, if desired.   One of the previous owners began the restoration years ago and the chassis, as pictured, is where he was when he sold the bike to the next owner.

The bodywork used was stock Suzuki plastic.  Early in the season it was raced in 1986 blue/white Suzuki colors; later in the season some of it was sporting the 1987 blue/white Suzuki stock colors.  A perforated metal filler panel was incorporated into the lower fairing V and the lower fairing panels had holes cut in them to allow for more ground clearance.

The motors were modified during the season and varied quite a bit.  They had Yoshimura (either kit Suzuki or Cosworth) pistons, different crank bearings, heads ported by Ron Scrima, Megacycle cams with Yosh retainers, a Tsubaki cam chain tensioner, and various carbs and exhausts.  At one point they obtained dry clutches and close ratio transmission gears but went back to running wet clutches and stock transmission ratios.  They may have run an ECU with a higher rev limit.  Ron Scrima passed away in 2011 but his company (Racing Engine Service) is still in business in Texas and the current owner was with Ron for about 25 years, so they might be my first choice for an engine refresh.  Another option would be Kelly Roberts, also in Texas. I have never disassembled the motor, so I do not know what internal components are present.

I am interested in selling this project to someone that has the necessary resources and desire to restore it to an as-raced condition and to preserve it for the future. It is a significant bike, as it was one of the highest placed privateer AMA superbike efforts of that era and was ridden by the rider that probably had more success in the USA racing the first generation Suzuki GSX-R than any other rider. I would be willing to discuss this bike in more detail, via telephone, with any serious prospective buyers. I am also willing to provide additional photos, a more complete listing of what components will come with the bike, and an approximate idea of what additional components will be needed to complete the restoration.

I have listed the mileage as 99999, as eBay requires that the mileage be listed for any vehicle sale. The true mileage is unknown, as it was never recorded, which is not unusual for a race bike.

It also looks like the bike went through several iterations, giving you a bit of flexibility in terms of the color scheme you choose. If it were complete and in as-raced condition, this would probably be a very valuable motorcycle. As it stands, it’s a valuable… basket case. How valuable? Well the But It Now price for this bit of American roadracing history is $4,950. This is going to need a lot of love, time, and money to finish, but I think this GSX-R deserves to be restored to its former functional glory.

-tad