Call that special?

How do you define a ‘special’ motorcycle? Is it by volume? Price tag? Spec? Maybe it’s about all of those things, plus a few more factors. Ultimately, any bike can be special – but only very few models slot into that ‘unicorn’ status... motorcycles so rare and mouth-watering that you’d seriously think about selling the better half’s jewellery collection if it gave you half a chance of owning such a bike, or even just having a blast on one. In my 17 years of writing about motorcycles I’ve been beyond lucky to sample some ludicrous examples; trying out for size the kind of bikes no amount of money or begging would make the rightful owners part with their treasures. I’ll never forget the first time I rode a MotoGP bike, a World Superbike or Grand Prix 500 two-stroke that tried its best to kill me over a handful of laps. Bikes like those have an aura that tell you they’re special without needing to glance at the spec sheet, quite often brought to life by their unique sounds and smells. But it’s not just pure race bikes that slot into that most special of special categories. There’s a plethora of road-going examples out there with the common theme of being produced to just homologation approval, or to showcase to the world how competent a manufacturer is in its engineering department. Bikes such as MV Agusta’s F4 Claudio, Ducati’s Desmosedici and the same marque’s Superleggera V4 rank among the most special machines I’ve ever had the pleasure to tootle around on. I’ll never own any of them but I’m grateful they were made, happy to know they’re out there and hopeful that maybe one day some kind person will let me have another blast. There is one other bike high on my list, and Johnny masterminded its test this issue. Of course, I’m talking about the Petronas FP1 he rocked up with out of thin air. As if the bike isn’t fascinating enough on its own, the story of its existence and consequent disappearance is equally tantalising. And to ensure no stones were unturned during his tenure, he even got

Chris Walker to swing a leg over the thing. It’s a great read – enjoy it, along with the rest of the mag.