Once a factory WSBK team has had its way with what was once a production bike, that race-ready monster is worth around $250,000-300,000. So what makes The Bike Specialists in Sheffield, England, think it can put this WSBK Ten Kate CBR1000RR from 2007 up for $190,000?
Well, it happens to have done something very special.
This is the Fireblade that James Toseland piloted to win the WSBK Championship in 2007. It's a legitimate piece of history, and someone went to a lot of effort to keep it looking that way.
Toesland is the man to thank for keeping the iconic Fireblade in top nick, as it was part of his stable of bikes for the past 17 years. It looks exactly as it would have back when he raced it and even features a piece of duct tape on the top yoke with some instructions.
Speaking about the bike, Toesland said, “It holds some of my most cherished memories of my racing career. It gave me the double victory at Brands Hatch on that memorable weekend where 126,000 fans cheered the bike across the line to win both races. It was able to beat a factory Ducati with the great Troy Bayliss on board at Phillip Island. It was able to beat Max Biaggi at Brno. Two of my greatest victories in my career aboard this incredible motorcycle.”
For a shade less than $200,000, the new owner will personally get the bike handed to them by Toseland and get it signed by him, too, if they wish. Unfortunately, it's unlikely that Toesland will head stateside, should anyone in the US be interested in buying it.
The question is, would you get Toesland to sign it and keep it in the same condition pristine condition that it's in or would you do what everyone would want you to and use this 230 hp monster as the track weapon it was designed to be?
