Motorcycles, like any vehicle, are depreciating assets. That is just the reality of the matter. In some cases, these assets depreciate even faster than one might expect. One look at the used market, and you might be shocked by just how much certain “luxury” models depreciate over the span of just five years.
Naturally, there are always exceptions to the rule. While scarcity and age do not guarantee value in the motorcycle world, a bike with a good story to tell certainly has a chance. If it happens to offer some unique engineering to go along with that story, then it will almost certainly be worth something one day. The bike in question is painfully rare, over 30 years old, has an incredible backstory, and is an engineering masterclass.
Current Record Holder
As it stands, the most valuable motorcycle in the world is a Cyclone board track racer. These SOHC V-twins were made in limited numbers between 1912 and 1917. A restored 1915 Cyclone recently sold for a scarcely believable $1.32 million. All is not equal in the world of auction sales, with certain models almost inexplicably selling for more than they are really worth, but something is only worth as much as somebody is willing to pay for it, and currently that figure stands at over a million dollars. It is the first motorcycle to sell for more than a million dollars, and won’t be the last. The bike in question has the potential to smash this record.
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The Britten V1000 Becomes More Valuable Over Time
Current Value: Over $300,000
Most bikes will depreciate over time, no matter what you do, even classic bikes fluctuate in value, so very little is guaranteed. But, the V1000 is currently worth at least $300k. This means it is now worth significantly more than anyone would have paid for a new bike back in the 90s. Back then, buyers would have paid around $100k for the privilege of owning one of these handmade race bikes. In today’s money, that equates to around $200k. This ultra-conservative estimate of $300k is what we would call a “between friends” kind of price. None of these bikes has gone to a public auction, and so far, they have only changed hands through private sales, and the sale prices have not been made public. If one were to eventually go to a public auction, there is a very strong possibility that it will break all sorts of records.
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The V1000 Has A One-Off V-Twin
Power: 166 Horsepower
Everything is built around the engine of the V1000. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, the centerpiece of the motorcycle. While some internals were outsourced, engine casings and several other components were all developed and built in-house by John Britten and his small team in New Zealand. The casings in particular needed to be developed in-house because of the bike’s chassis-less design.
While the V-twin configuration was pretty much a no-brainer for any smaller racing team developing a bike back in the ’90s, thanks to the “Ducati rule,” it also made sense in terms of packaging. With the engine acting as the chassis itself – or fully stressed member if you will – it needed to be compact. The design of the engine may have been unconventional, but the engine itself was a thoroughly modern lump that was able to produce 166 horsepower. Enough to make the V1000 a competitive race bike back in the ’90s.
The V1000 Laughed In The Face Of Convention
With no chassis, all the mounting points for the suspension are cast into the engine casings. A radical design that simply would not ever be possible for a manufacturer-backed team, especially when you start with a conventional motorcycle design. Without any conventional head stock to mount forks, the V1000 makes use of an elaborate double wishbone system that connects to a girder fork. Girder forks went the way of the dodo back in the ’60s and wouldn’t usually even come into the conversation when discussing racing suspension for a motorcycle. But, these girders were made of carbon composite. As was the marginally more conventional swingarm, and the wheels, which all “add lightness.”
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Where Art And Science Collide
All of these unconventional engineering decisions would be for nothing if they didn’t work on track, but it did. Using the engine as the chassis wouldn’t work if they didn’t build it in-house, the girder forks are infinitely adjustable and can be tailored to any track around the world. All the carbon fiber components kept the weight down to a minimum, and the final result was a bike that could take the fight to the established brands of the time thanks to its power-to-weight ratio. It also looked incredible, capped off by its crazy spaghetti-like headers.
Chassis, Suspension, And Weight Specifications
|
Chassis |
Fully stressed engine |
|
Front Suspension |
Double wishbones with girder, Öhlins shock |
|
Rear Suspension |
Swing arm with adjustable three-bar linkage, Öhlins shock |
|
Weight |
304 lbs |
Even by modern standards, this motorcycle is advanced; to think that it was built in the ’90s—a full decade before major manufacturers started experimenting with composite materials—is pretty hard to believe. This isn’t just any old racing motorcycle that was cast aside at the end of a racing season. The 10 bikes that were produced are all cherished by their owners, who all know exactly what they have. The V1000 is a piece of motorcycling history, physical proof that “David” can indeed take the fight to “Goliath,” even at the highest level of motor racing. The man behind the bike has become something of a legend within the motorcycle industry, but sadly passed away just as the bike was starting to win races. The story alone is worth $1 million, let alone the bike itself, something that is sure to become even more valuable as time marches on.
Source: Britten New Zealand