We love a unique one-of-a-kind find in the classifieds, even better if it happens to have MotoGP DNA coursing through its oily bits and - as of writing - is boasting a rather bargainous price tag.
This here is the Suter MMXI, a prototype frame designed to the specification of MotoGP regulations, equipped with the engine of the first generation BMW S1000RR. More than that though, this is the MMXI #001, the first model the Swiss company built to lead its move into MotoGP racing for the 2012 season.
So first, a quick refresher for you: The Suter-BMW was among the first entries to be built to the new Claiming Rules Teams (CRT, later branded ‘Open’) class that served to boost grid numbers by loosening the regulations to allow production 1000cc engines to be used in non-production bodies.
The format wasn’t terribly long lived but it proved a successful stop-gap towards the thriving and competitive series MotoGP is today with its six manufacturers and associated satellite offshoots.
This particular Suter-BMW MMXI never turned a racing wheel in anger, but it is responsible for those that did as the first-off-the-line version used solely for development and pounding the track, multiplying the miles under the steer of Alex de Angelis and Dominique Aegerter.
Suter supplied its race machine to the NGM Forward Racing, who charged double WorldSBK champion Colin Edwards with the task of turning it into a success.
Alas, it wasn’t the fastest CRT machine of the year, with that honour resting with the Aprilia RSV4 based ART GP12, though it did have the measure of the Gresini-Honda and Avintia-Kawasaki with a best finish of 11th place.
“Finally, #001 completed her life as a race bike helping the development of the engine control system,” the ad reads.
“It was set up with lots of instrumentation for Bosch Motorsport and was ridden by more riders, like Alex De Angelis and Dominik Aegerter to complete the development and calibration of the vehicle control strategies required by the MotoGP class.”
It is currently up for auction at ‘Iconic Motorbikes’ where with three days to go the top bid is a mere $12,600, which seems remarkably cheap for a working MotoGP-spec machine developed under the guidance of notorious racer Eskil Suter, whose other credits include Moto2 World Championship titles.
If you have a bit of spare cash for a unique and authentic track day project (and you think you can improve on a crack MotoGP team) get a bid in quickly and expect the usual dramatics in the final minutes!
