I doubt there are many people reading this who didn't have some dream, however big or small, of being a GP rider, much like myself. And I doubt any of us achieved it, unfortunately. But getting a GP experience isn't out of reach if you have hundreds of thousands of dollars to spare.
One of Honda's mid-1990s privateer Grand Prix bikes, the NSR500V, recently sold at an auction facilitated by Iconic Motorbikes for $267,607, making it the most expensive Japanese motorcycle ever sold at auction. The previous motorcycle to hold this accolade was also a Honda from the GP days—an RC213V-S that went for $215,660.
One of the many things that makes this particular model so cool is that private race teams and general motorcycle enthusiasts who had enough cash, unlike the NSR500 V4, which was leased to factory teams by Honda. The two-cylinder NSR500V made about 140 hp compared to the NSR500 V4's 190 hp but was still competitive with its more ferocious sibling around certain tracks.
Since the NSR500V was available over the counter to the general public, there are other examples you could see on a track if luck was on your side. In fact, a used NSR500V went for $120,727 in October 2024. But the example we're talking about today is in another league entirely.
Adding to what is already an iconic piece of machinery is the fact that this 1997 model is serial number 001 of 20 examples and has been in storage for an estimated 20 years, before being bought directly from HRC.
The question is, given the choice, would you rather have this crate-fresh Honda NSR500V or James Toseland's WSBK championship-winning CBR1000RR from 2007, which is currently up at auction for $190,000?
Actually, let's take the money out of the equation since most of us don't have that to spare anyway—Which of these two iconic Hondas would you want in your garage?
