For gearheads and motorcycle enthusiasts, a carefully crafted and innovative engineered masterpiece is just as valuable as any other treasure in the world. For that matter, demand for some motorcycles is so high that prices of several limited-edition examples have appreciated exponentially in recent years.
Several factors add to a bike’s iconography but ultimately a legendary bike is a mechanical artwork that offers a perfect harmony of desire and exhilaration.
From limited-edition examples that are fit for an exclusive auction circuit to modern-day models that even managed to incite rivalry between Hollywood A-listers like Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, here are some of the most iconic sportbikes ever made.
10 Aprilia RSV4 RF Limited Edition
Aprilia might not be as popular a brand as its other Italian counterparts but over the years this motorcycle manufacturer has produced some of the greatest racing champions of all time. The Italian two-wheeler manufacturer uses a 65-degree, 1-liter V4 motor to power this thoroughbred sportbike and the result is 201 BHP of unadulterated power.
This engine has several racing accolades to its name including seven World Superbike Championship titles. This Limited Edition RSV4 RF was only limited to the North American market which makes it even rarer.
9 FGR Midalu 2500 V6
Juxtaposed to British carmaker Lotus’ philosophy of “Simplify, then add lightness”, Czech motorcycle company brought us the FGR Midalu 2500 V6. The bike manufacturer somehow managed to add hell-raising performance to a bike that weighs just 577 lbs (dry).
Midalu 2500 V6 is powered by a 2442cc, 90-degree V6 engine that produces 240 BHP.
Not only is Midalu 2500 V6 one of the most powerful bikes ever produced, but it is also one of the most expensive bikes in production. Prices for this motoring icon start well over the $130K.
8 Yamaha R7
One of the rarest special edition motorcycles to have ever existed, Yamaha R7 was the result of homologation. Only 500 units of this road-legal racing legend eventually went on sale as part of a limited volume production run.
The sportbike was powered by a 749cc, inline four-cylinder engine which produced 106 BHP of peak power output. The Japanese motorcycle company also offered racing kits for the Yamaha R7 and one such kit would allow the rider to retune the engine and turn the power up to 162 BHP
7 MV Brutale 1000 Serie Oro
MV Agusta’s Brutale 1000 Serie Oro is the most powerful naked sportbike that the legendary Italian bike manufacturer currently has to offer. According to the company, it is also the world’s fastest production naked bike.
The motorcycle is powered by a race-tuned 998cc inline-four engine which produces a peak power output of 200 BHP. The design of the bike is a futuristic take on the café racer silhouette that should age well over the years. Brutale 1000 Serie Oro shares its powertrain with the F4 RC sportbike.
6 Ducati Desmosedici RR
Over the years Ducati has built some of the most exciting bikes in the world and Desmosedici sticks to the tradition. Ducati Desmosedici RR is a superbike that proudly boasts of a celebrity clientele that includes Top Gun star Tom Cruise.
The motorcycle is powered by a 989 cc Desmodromic V4 that produces a peak power output of 197.3 BHP at 13,800 RPM. Ducati Desmosedici RR was designed as a road-legal version of the Desmosedici MotoGP racebike. The reproduction of the Italian racing legend flaunts a traditional supersport styling that draws cues from the original.
5 Norton V4 SS
Norton Motorcycles have some of the most adoring fans in the world. A proud Commando 850 MK II Roadster happens to be a part of Keanu Reeves’ motorcycle collection. The Norton V4 SS might not be poster bike for many motorcycle lovers with its love or hate styling, but what this ride lacks in design, it makes up for with its monstrous performance.
This road-going version of Norton’s TT racer is powered by the company’s very own V4 motor that puts out 200 horses and comes with all the mid-range torque any rider could ask for.
4 BMW HP4 Race
BMW’s history is one of the most fascinating in journeys in the automotive world and the company has come a long way since its first bike – the BMW R32. From steel to all-carbon chassis, only 750 examples of BMW HP4 Race were made as part of a limited production run back in 2017.
BMW Motorrad offered the HP4 race as a track-only version of the standard S1000RR HP4 variant. The motorcycle is powered by the German bike manufacturer's 999cc inline-four engine which revs up to 14,500 RPM and produces 215 BHP of peak power output.
3 The MV Agusta F4 Claudio
Using F4 Reparto Corse as its underpinnings, seven years after the passing of Italian entrepreneur Claudio Castiglioni, MV Agusta paid a tribute to the beloved businessman with this special edition 2019 F4 superbike.
The motorcycle uses a highly-tuned 998cc engine which delivers 205 BHP of peak power at 13450 RPM and 85 lb-ft of torque at just 9,300 RPM. MV Agusta F4 Claudio is a rare and beautifully crafted machine and worth every penny of its exorbitant price tag.
F4 Claudio’s tasteful styling almost makes up for the MV Agusta 600.
2 Honda RC213V-S
This 2016 model was all the rage when it was first introduced as a road-legal copy of Honda’s MotoGP champion. The bike’s performance wasn’t the only contributing element to its popularity as this example was priced at a whopping $184,000 at the time.
Since then Honda RC213V-S has become a coveted collector’s item. The motorcycle is powered by a four-cylinder, 1000 cc motor which produces 157 BHP of peak power in the standard layout. Honda also offers an optional sports kit that bumps the power up to 215 BHP.
1 Ronax 500
Ronax 500 happens to be one of the rarest motorcycles in existence. This motorcycle is powered by a two-stroke 500 cc motor that produces 160 BHP at 11500 RPM. Ronax 500 might not be as powerful as most of the other entries on the list but its limited production run of just 46 units makes it one of the rarest Grand Prix reproductions in existence.
Back in 2014 this bike went on sale with a $100K price tag and rest assured prices of these incredibly rare examples have only appreciated ever since.