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If you think motorcycles are getting more and more expensive and more inaccessible for us mere mortals who don’t own a business and don’t trade stocks, then the rise of the track-only toy on the track carries the consequences. things to a new level.
Indeed, not only are these sharp special weapons the specialists of the special, you can’t even bring them home.
But that’s the point… they’re bikes that showcase a manufacturer’s innovation and instinct without having to worry about those emissions regulations and pesky mirrors.
The latest track bike to come out is the KTM RC 8C, a special 800cc sports bike from the Austrian manufacturer which honors its success in Moto2 and MotoGP. Only 100 were available and they were snapped up in less than five minutes …
In short, there is clearly a market for ultra-exclusive toys for those who can afford / justify it. Here we take a look at 10 examples of motorcycles that make no sense in everyday life in the best possible way.
* price like new
1993 Ducati Supermono [$30,000]
Much, of course, has been made of Ducati’s 916 V-twin, but less well-known is its track-based single-cylinder little brother, the 550cc single-cylinder Supermono.
Built only as a racer intended for the then popular Supermono / Sound of Singles series of the same name, it featured many innovations that featured on the 916 but was also ultra-light thanks to the heavy use of carbon fiber (as in the box air, body, subframe and even fuel tank).
With 65 hp available from a desmo four-valve single that was actually half of an 888 racing V-twin, the Supermono was fitted with the best cycle parts (Ohlins suspension, Marchesini wheels, Brembo brakes, etc. .) and is considered by many to be the purest Ducati ‘desmo’ ever built.
Unfortunately, it’s also very rare – only 67 built until 1995 – and expensive. At the time, it was $ 30,000 new. Today they typically cost over £ 70,000
2006 Harley-Davidson VRXSE V-Rod ‘Destroyer’ [$19,995]
Here’s one you probably didn’t know about. Created for the drag strip rather than the race track, the Harley-Davidson VRXSE was arguably the fastest production HD ever built.
A production drag racer (the US has a huge drag racing scene) based on the late V-Rod, the VRXSE was developed by Harley’s Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) with Screamin ‘Eagle (hence the bit “SE”)
It produced a decent 165 hp, could hit 144 mph, and cost $ 19,995.
Originally only 150 were to be built, but this turned out to be so popular that 600 were eventually made.
2015 Honda RC213V-S [£137,000]
Arguably the most famous and desirable production MotoGP replica of all, the Honda RC213V-S was actually sold in a street-legal version, but was necessarily emasculated at 159bhp.
However, it also came with a track-only sport kit that included a racing hose that boosted the horsepower (and noise) of the MotoGP-derived V4 to a whopping 215bhp which, with its dry weight of 170kg, made it ultra-sized. -compact and its racing specifications. suspension, brakes and wheels, really gives the closest MotoGP bike experience that mere mortals can buy.
As long as you had the requisite £ 137,000 and weren’t too put off by the harmless styling, that’s …
2015 Kawasaki H2R [£41,000]
Arguably one of the most extreme and amazing motorcycles of recent years, Kawasaki’s supercharged H2 family has been nothing short of stunning.
First launched in 2015, two models have been made available: the £ 22,000, road legal, 210bhp H2 and this one the ‘track only’ (although we still don’t know which type of track Kawasaki had in mind), completely unrestricted. , 310 hp, £ 41,000 H2R.
Not only more powerful than the road H2, the H2R is also lighter, sprinkled with carbon fiber, better equipped (with Ohlins suspension, etc.) and, unsurprisingly, faster too, capable of exceeding 200 mph.
It might not really be a racer, but as a track-only missile, few motorcycles are faster or more thrilling.
2017 BMW HP4 Race [£68,000]
Forget this year’s top-of-the-line M1000RR, the track-only HP4 Race 2017 is the ultimate S1000RR – albeit now based on the old version.
A £ 68,000 limited edition, track-only version of the RR of the day, the HP4 got the best of everything including the carbon fiber frame and bodywork, alloy tank, 2D dashboard racing, suspension and brakes fully meet WorldSBK specs, upgraded electronics and engine tuned to be, quite literally, the best S1000RR of its time.
The result was 215 hp, an ultralight weight of 171 kg and the best components. Of course only 750 were made, it was designed just to give BMW an edge in racing and it’s incredibly expensive, but if you want the closest experience you can buy to a full WorldSBK machine, this is ‘is all.
2019 MV Agusta F3 XX [If you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it…]
Italian legends of exoticism MV Agusta built their legacy on the path to success, so it’s no surprise to see him here.
The MV Agusta F3 XX is a complete and track-only version of the triple F3 800 developed by MV’s racing department, “Reparto Corse” (which literally translates to “Racing Department”).
Unsurprisingly, it is dripping carbon fiber, has a racing AiM dashboard, a special SC-Project 3: 1 pipe, a tuned engine producing a claimed 160HP, an upgraded Marzocchi fork with an Ohlins cartridge and an Ohlins TTX shock absorber. at the rear, higher- Brembo brakes and Marchesini wheels, you get the idea.
In fact, the only thing they didn’t brag about was the price, which only came to light with serious investigation. It can’t be cheap so …
2019 Aprilia RSV4 X [€39,950]
You might assume that the most extreme Italian, track-only superbikes are from Ducati or MV Agusta – but think again.
The Aprilia RSV4X was launched in 2019 as the ultimate track version of its already formidable RSV4 superbike and, with a total output of 225hp from its race-tuned 1100cc V4, a dry weight of just 165kg due the amount of carbon and the lack of road equipment. , improved electronics (they were some of the best in the first place) and the best of cycle parts, that was definitely it.
It was also ultra rare – only 10 (hence the X) were built, each available at € 39,950, but then if you want the best …
After the success of this bike, Aprilia followed it with an equally exotic and track-only version of its Tuono V4 – the Tuono V4X.
2021 Ducati Superleggara V4 [€86,000]
If you thought Ducati’s “everyday” lineup was already at the more extreme end, then the Ducati Superleggara V4 is amps up to eleven.
Technically, this is not a track-only model and those who can afford the surprisingly expensive asking price of € 86,000 will no doubt want to scroll through any rides they can find, but that’s only the track where their hypersportbike deserves to spend. his days.
Perhaps the closest thing to a MotoGP machine that you can buy without actually participating in it, the Ducati Superleggara is ultralight at 159kg, offers 234bhp skin peeling, and is packed with all kinds of tech and technology. ‘sculpted wings to keep you in the sun.
It’s not entirely uncompromising down the road, although you’ll need all the patience in the world not to be tempted to break a few laws with so many raw grunts at your fingertips.
It is up to the trail because only then can you get every penny of this huge prize.
Racing Yamaha R6 2021 [£12,099]
Here’s one that became ‘track only’ more by accident than the design – but still a tempting option for track junkies.
The Yamaha R6 has always been the fastest, most agile and arguably the best on track of any Japanese 600 super sports car and remains the machine of choice in both WSS and TT.
The latest, redesigned and improved version debuted in 2017, but slightly disappointed the road trim being necessarily limited to 116 hp, although well over 120 hp is possible with a track pipe.
For 2021, however, it has proven unable to economically reconfigure it to meet the new Euro5 regulations and has therefore been retained, in a slightly modified form (no indicators, mirrors, etc.) of some of the alternatives here. , makes it one of the most affordable “track only†bikes of all.
2021 KTM RC 8C [£31,000]
Which updates us and where we started, ie with the enticing new RC 8C from KTM. It’s based on the powerful 890 Duke R twin-cylinder engine with a bespoke frame with an adjustable head and cycle parts that inevitably include the best WP suspension and Brembo brakes.
The “meat and potatoes†of all that is 126 hp and just 140 kg, making it crisp performance by anyone’s definition.
While, with just 100 products for £ 31,000, that means they’ll still be quite exclusive.
But then, if you are looking for a runner that is mind-melted, crowd-pulling, right?
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