2 May 2011 – San Francisco – Bonhams will be auctioning 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 2010 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 with no reserve at Bonhams’ third annual motorcycle auction at Quail Lodge on May 14th.
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. 100% of the proceeds from this sale will go to Riders For Health.
The Bonhams sale of “Collectors’ Motorcycles and Related Memorabilia” will take place on Saturday, May 14th at the Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley, California. To order a catalog and register to bid as a buyer – remotely or in person, please call 415-391-4000 or e-mail usacars@bonhams.com. For more information about the sale online, please visit http://www.bonhams.com/quailbikes. To learn more about the team behind this project, visit http://www.friendsofriders.org. For the Riders For Health website, go to http://www.riders.org.
