Before you start shouting ‘blasphemy!’ at the sight of this Ferrari motorcycle, we’re going to calm your nerves down and tell you that this bike wasn’t made by Ferrari, but is actually a custom-made bike made by David Kay and his people at Kay Engineering as a tribute to the father of the Prancing Horse, Enzo Ferrari.
Built in the mid-90’s after Kay received permission to put the Ferrari badge on the custom bike from Piero Ferrari, Enzo’s son, with a note including “the approval to place the Ferrari badge on your motorbike”.
After 3,000 man-hours of working on the bike, the final product is a beast that features a ’scratch built’ 900cc, transverse, double overhead camshaft, four cylinder, eight valve unit with magnesium and alloy casings, driven through a five speed gearbox. As for the body of the bike, Kay Engineering used hand-crafted aluminum while using magnesium black casings on the engine. The final product is a bike that produces 105 horsepower at 8,800 rpm with a dry weight of only 172 kg and an estimated top speed of 265 km/h.
"Ferrari" or not, it's an impressive vehicle. Power is provided by a unique 105hp 900cc DOHC 8v four-cylinder engine, mounted transversely and connected to a five-speed gearbox. The aluminum bodywork is fashioned to mimic the familiar Ferrari strakes, and a distinct exhaust note is ensured by the double-curvature, reverse-cone megaphone exhaust. Brembo brakes front and rear, hand-spun 17-inch Astralite wheels, Forcelle Italia upside-down front forks and WPS twin shocks at the rear round out the specifications.
The Ferrari 900 has been featured in many publications but has never been ridden to its full potential; this bike is more a work of engineering art than it is a performance vehicle. Perhaps that's why it failed to find a new owner at the recent Swiss auction. Better luck next time.
But hold your horses; this isn't an ultra-high performance machine - far from it. The 1995 in-line four 900cc motorcycle, produces 105bhp at 8,800rpm and has an optimistic claimed top speed of 165mph. It's expected to fetch £180,000 - £200,000 at Bonhams' annual motoring sale in Gstaad, Switzerland.
Built by David Kay Engineering as a tribute to Enzo Ferrari, the unique vehicle bears the famous prancing horse badge. In a letter dated Maranello, 23 May 1990, the highly reputed MV Agusta 'guru' David Kay received complete approval and good wishes for the project from Enzo's son Piero Ferrari.
The one-off 900cc engine, which is transverse, has a double overhead camshaft, four cylinder, eight-valve unit with magnesium and alloy casings, and is driven through a five speed gearbox.
Top sepc gear adorns the bike: Forcelle Italia upside down forks, massive twin piston Brembo disc brakes front and rear (six pot calipers to the front, four to the rear) and special 17-inch hand spun Astralite wheels. WP twin rear shock absorbers complete the basic specification.
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