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| Don Emde, Valentino Rossi, Bob Starr |
Think you're hot stuff because you got Valentino Rossi to autograph your T-shirt at Laguna? Here's the ultimate piece of Rossi kit: a custom R1 track-day bike.
(from a press release dated 28 July 2010)
Bonhams is very proud to have been selected to represent a truly one-of-a-kind motorcycle offered in collaboration with the most successful motorcycle racer of his era, Valentino Rossi.
As written about in the April issues of both Cycle World and Motorcyclist, a highly upgraded and customized 2009 Yamaha YZF-R1 1000cc – the civilian version of the MotoGP bike campaigned by World Champion Rossi – will be offered for sale at Bonhams’ annual Classic California auction this coming November.
Sporting Rossi’s personal “Five Continents” AGV helmet design, this amazing and very specialized motorcycle was the brainchild of former racing champion and AMA Hall of Famer Don Emde. Emde founded the non-profit Friends of Riders For Health to further the cause in America of Riders For Health, a charitable organization that brings life-saving medicines to people in remote areas of Africa by way of motorcycles. As a way to generate funds for Riders For Health, Emde conceived of this project and then invited the “who’s who” of the motorcycling world to participate.
“Once we got Rossi’s blessing, everyone jumped aboard,” says Emde. Yamaha Motor Corp. USA donated the brand new stock machine, Aldo Drudi translated the graphics from Rossi’s helmet to the R1’s special bodywork imported from Italy, Roland Sands donated Ronin wheels, Bridgestone added BT-003 tires, Öhlins gave suspension, Akrapovic provided exhaust, EBC did brakes, and the list goes on – Vortex, Goodridge, Dynojet, etc. Just with improvements the bike’s value is nearly $30,000, and that’s without the significance of the project and Rossi’s involvement.
This incredible team effort R1, personally autographed by Rossi, will be presented in “track day” trim but it is fully street legal and will be offered with all the necessary accessories and California title. On top of that, Yamaha will donate a day at the Yamaha Champions Riding School for the winning bidder.
The Bonhams Classic California Auction will be held at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles on Saturday, November 13th. Parties interested in bidding on this extraordinary machine – in person or remotely – may register to bid and order a sales catalog at bonhams.com/petersen.
Sellers interested in consigning a unique collector car or motorcycle to this anticipated sale may call 415-391-4000 or e-mail one of the following Bonhams specialists:
· Mark Osborne, San Francisco, mark.osborne@bonhams.com
To learn more about the team behind this project, visit FriendsOfRiders.org. For the Riders For Health website, go to Riders.org. For press inquiries and photos, please contact press@dravcarn.com.
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| It's the same with doctors everywhere. Can't read their handwriting. |
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