This Ferrari Motorcycle Is Almost Forgotten

Today, everyone knows Ferrari as one of the giants of the four-wheel vehicle world. However, brands such as Aston Martin and Lamborghini have also entered the motorcycle world, introducing products such as the AMB002 and the Ducati Panigale V4 Lamborghini.

Today, everyone knows Ferrari as one of the giants in the world of four-wheeled vehicles.

However, brands like Aston Martin and Lamborghini have ventured into the world of motorcycles, introducing products like the AMB002 and the Ducati Panigale V4 Lamborghini, but Ferrari has kept its main focus on cars. However, there is a Ferrari-badged motorcycle that even Piero Ferrari, Enzo Ferrari's son, has confirmed. But what is the story of this particular motorcycle?

Ferrari has always been more than just road cars

Since its founding in 1939 and the production of its first car in 1947, Ferrari has always been more than just a luxury car manufacturer. This brand is associated with Italian passion, technical performance and originality of automotive engineering and has created lasting works in fields such as road cars, Formula One and Grand Tourer cars. From the legendary 250 GTO to the F40 and the more recent SF90 Stradale, Ferrari has built some of the most beautiful cars ever. However, the company's focus on four-wheeled vehicles does not mean it has no history in the world of motorcycles.

Enzo Ferrari, the founder of this company, used to ride motorcycles for fun when he was young. Before launching one of the world's most famous automotive brands, he also ran a motorcycle racing team. The team only ran between 1932 and 1934, but Scuderia Ferrari won more than 40 victories and three Italian national championships using British Rouge race-prepared motorcycles.

As the Great Depression and technological changes approached, the motorcycling program gave way to automotive pursuits, and Ferrari's presence in the motorcycle world ceased for a long time. This situation continued until the motorcycle industry entered a new era and manufacturers had more freedom to design different models and experiment with new technologies.

1990s; The era of special and different motorcycles

In the 1990s, unusual and advanced motorcycles became popular. Big companies like Honda pushed the boundaries of superbike design with models like the NR750. This motorcycle uses oval pistons and a body made of carbon fiber, and for this reason, it was placed in the category of special and expensive products. Bimota company also took a different path with the introduction of Tesi 1D and instead of the usual front fork, it used a steering system centered on the wheel hub.

The Britten V1000 motorcycle was another prominent example of that era. This model was built in very limited numbers in New Zealand by engineer John Britten. Almost all its parts were designed with a different approach to provide better speed and handling.

These motorcycles showed that independent manufacturers and small companies can also make an impact in the motorcycle industry and test ideas that the big companies usually avoid implementing. Such an atmosphere provided the perfect opportunity for David Kay, a British engineer and specialist in MV Agusta motorcycles, to start an ambitious personal project; A project that combined his passion for Italian motorcycles with one of the most famous brands in the country and finally led to the creation of a completely unique product.

Ferrari 900; One-off motorcycle with official Ferrari approval

Seeing the proportions of the body and the technical structure of an Italian superbike, you probably think that the Ferrari 900 is a product of Ducati or even MV Agusta. But this notion is not true; Because this motorcycle really is known as a Ferrari, albeit with one important difference. The Ferrari 900 has the famous dancing horse logo on its red body, but it is neither a failed concept nor an ordinary motorcycle built in a workshop. This product is the result of the efforts of David Kay and the Ferrari badge is also installed on it with the approval of Piero Ferrari, Enzo's son.

In the technical department, the Ferrari 900 uses a 900 cc inline four-cylinder engine with air cooling, two overhead camshafts and a five-speed gearbox. David Kay designed and produced this engine from scratch and used magnesium and metal alloys to make its shells. The output of the engine was about 105 horsepower and according to the manufacturer, it allowed to reach a speed of nearly 266 km/h.

Low weight was also one of the important features of this motorcycle. Its chassis was made of Reynolds 531 tubes; A material that is more famous for use in bicycles. The aluminum body was also formed by hand and brought the dry weight of the motorcycle to about 172 kg. The Brembo braking system was responsible for slowing down and stopping this particular car.

The exterior design of the Ferrari 900 had a completely Italian vibe and many signs of the Ferrari design style could be seen in it. The red body color and dancing horse logo were the most obvious references to the brand, but there were other details as well. The vents and grooves under the saddle were reminiscent of the Ferrari Testarossa, and the rear lights were integrated into the body; A style that was also seen in some old Ferraris. The front and back flaps were also designed to evoke a continuous and flowing line; Just like the body of a Ferrari sports car. This motorcycle was the result of careful planning and great attention to detail, although it was not an easy task to build.

According to reports, the Ferrari 900 project was completed in five years and with about three thousand hours of work. It takes a lot longer than it usually takes to build a mass-produced vehicle. Considering that this motorcycle was built independently and without the direct participation of Ferrari, the question arises as to how it was allowed to have the official emblem of this brand on the body.

The answer to this question comes back to David Kay himself. He designed this motorcycle as a tribute to Enzo Ferrari and on his own initiative, with no involvement from Ferrari headquarters in Maranello. Kay intended to honor the racing legacy and achievements of the man who founded the brand. For this reason, he sent a letter to Piero Ferrari, Enzo's son, asking for his approval. In response, Pirou sent a handwritten letter to Kay and expressed his satisfaction. In this way, the project was approved by the Farari family. Although this motorcycle was never a Ferrari factory product, the Ferrari 900 became the only motorcycle to officially and with valid license use the dancing horse badge.

The Ferrari 900 looked impressive, but how did it perform?

The Ferrari 900 looks quite worthy of its name, but there are no details on its actual performance. The main reason for this is that the motorcycle was built more for tribute and show purposes, not for constant use on the road or racetrack. Given its extreme rarity and the time-consuming and expensive manufacturing process, it's understandable that owners would be reluctant to stress the motorcycle out on the track.

Although the Ferrari 900 wasn't seriously tested in driving conditions, its specs offer some clues about its potential capabilities. The 900 cc engine, the power of about 105 horsepower and the dry weight of 172 kg, puts it in the range of motorcycles such as BMW F 900 GS, Yamaha MT-09 and KTM 890 Duke R; Models that are known for speed, driving excitement and high popularity.

Compared to the motorcycles of the same period, we can mention the Honda CBR900RR Fireblade, which had more power, but was heavier. Accordingly, the Ferrari 900 was probably considered a powerful and relatively difficult motorcycle to control. David Kay compared the sound of its engine to the sound of a Messerschmidt plane chasing a Spitfire; A description that adds to the charm of this particular motorcycle's story and raises curiosity about its true capabilities.

The legacy of the Ferrari 900 goes beyond the number of examples produced

Despite the incredible rarity and unique story of the Ferrari 900, this motorcycle did not reach the expected price in the first attempts to sell it. At the 2008 auction, bids failed to cover the initial estimate of $238,140 and the motorcycle did not sell. After that, its sale ad on eBay with a price of 330 thousand and 725 dollars also remained without a buyer. However, in 2012, it was finally sold for $112,438 and entered a private collection; Where this rare specimen was supposed to be kept, not used regularly.

The Ferrari 900 never went into mass production, but it wasn't designed with that in mind either. This motorcycle was an honest, accurate and loyal tribute to a man who had a great contribution to the formation of the modern automotive industry. Just as the Enzo Ferrari has a unique place in the history of automobiles, this motorcycle was only made in one version and there is no other example of it.

Piero Ferrari understood the value of this work and considered David Kay's work as a fitting tribute to his father; That was years before the introduction of Ferrari Enzo, a car that was later named in honor of the founder of this brand. The true legacy of the Ferrari 900 lies in this: a one-off motorcycle that, despite not being built at the Ferrari factory, managed to gain the approval of the company's founding family and find a special place in the history of this legendary brand.