JAKARTA - A 1997 Honda NSR500V racing motorbike has just made history by breaking the auction price for a Japanese manufacturer's motorbike. This motorbike has just sold for US$267,000 or equivalent to Rp4.3 billion on the Iconic Motorbikes Auctions website.
With this fantastic figure, NSR500V became the most expensive Japanese motor ever sold at auction, beating the previous record held by Honda RC213V-S at a price of IDR 3.5 billion in 2021. However, this price is still far from the record Harley-Davidson "Strap Tank" 1908 which sold nearly US$1 million (equivalent to IDR 16.2 billion current exchange rate) in 2023.
1997 NSR500V Honda Uniqueness
Launching Forbes, Tuesday, January 14, this high price cannot be separated from the privilege of the motorbike. Honda only produces about 20 NSR500V units for racing, and this unit, which is the first framework with a third engine, has never been turned on or driven. Over the years, this bike has only been a display before it was finally sold to private owners who kept it in its original condition for more than two decades.
NSR500V is designed with a focus on light weight and high performance. This bike combines advanced materials such as carbon fiber, magnesium, titanium, and aluminum. Even the brake disk and its exhaust use carbon fibers to reduce weight. With a 499cc V-twin engine of two steps which produces 135 hp and weighs only 102 kg, this motor becomes one of the lightest racing motors of its time.
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The NSR500V debut at the 1996 Malaysian Grand Prix immediately stole the show. Racer Tadayuki Okada won pole position, defeating rivals who used a four-cylinder Honda NSR500 motorcycle. Although he did not finish the race, this motorbike continues to show impressive performance in the hands of other racers and became the target of collectors because the number is very limited.
The NSR500V is also a symbol of the end of the two-step motorcycle racing era. A few years after its production, MotoGP rules replace 500cc two-step motorcycles with a four-step 1,000cc engine that is more environmentally friendly. Since then, two-step motorcycles have become increasingly difficult to find, both on race track and on the streets.
The winner of this iconic motorcycle auction has not been revealed, but it is likely that this motorbike will still be stored as a valuable collection. However, whoever the new owner is, NSR500V will continue to witness Honda's history of glory in the world of motorcycle racing.
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