Proceeds from this Yamaha superbike tribute to the late Fabrizio Pirovano was donated to charity.
A special Yamaha ‘Piro’ Replica R1 was recently commissioned by the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer and auctioned off for RM 135k, with the proceeds from this sale going to Fondazione Oncologia Niguarda Onlus, a cancer charity.
Built by Yamaha Motor Europe as a tribute to the late ‘King of Monza’ Fabrizio Pirovano, this ‘Piro’ Replica R1 is based off a 2020-spec Yamaha R1 superbike and sports the famous white, pink and blue colour scheme as was on the Italian motorcycle racer’s #5 Yamaha YZF 750 SP. A bike which incidentally that carried Piro to his 10th and final World SBK victory with Yamaha, back in 1993 at Estoril, Portugal.
It is also at Estoril where the ‘Piro’ Replica R1 was revealed earlier this month during the final round of the 2020 FIM Superbike World Championship, which was incidentally Yamaha’s most successful race weekends in recent memory. In attendance were Fabrizio’s former partner Silvia and his two daughters, Michela and Francesca, who all joined former Yamaha WorldSBK racer Alessandro Gramigni on the grid for the unveiling, before Gramigni went for a tribute lap around the circuit in this very special bike.
The bike was auctioned through eBay and garnered 24 bids during the 10 day bidding period which ended on the 1st of November. The winning bid for the ‘Piro’ Replica ended up to be £25,100 (RM 135,000).
Yamaha has stated that the winner has the option to have the bike delivered in full race trim exactly as it was set up during the Estoril tribute lap or have it in fully road legal trim instead, featuring ‘the Piro Replica bodywork, the Akrapovič race exhaust and the Pirelli slick shod wheels supplied as a separate kit’.
Thus far, the new owner has yet to make the decision official, but whichever option the new owner decides with his ‘Piro’ R1 replica, it is safe in the knowledge that the proceeds from this Yamaha superbike has gone to a good cause.
PRESS RELEASE: You could be the lucky owner of the unique ‘Piro’ Replica R1 with which Yamaha paid tribute to the late Fabrizio Pirovano at Estoril, the track at which the Italian secured his 10th and final WorldSBK victory in 1993. The bike is now up for auction to the highest bidder, with the proceeds from the sale to be donated to charity.
At the season-ending FIM Superbike World Championship round in Estoril, former Yamaha WorldSBK racer, Alessandro Gramigni, took the special ‘Piro’ Replica R1 for a tribute lap, in memory of Pirovano’s final WorldSBK victory with Yamaha the last time the championship visited the Portuguese circuit back in 1993. Fabrizio’s former partner Silvia and his two daughters, Michela and Francesca, were also in attendance as Yamaha’s guests and joined Gramigni on the grid ahead of the tribute.
“Fabrizio Pirovano has been a rider, but even more, a person who has left indelible and special memories in the WorldSBK and Yamaha families,” said Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Manager Andrea Dosoli. “Returning to Estoril 27 years after Fabrizio’s last WorldSBK victory with Yamaha has been a unique opportunity for all of us to remember him.
“It was a special celebration, shared with several friends and Fabrizio’s family, confirming how much loved he was. All of this, during the most successful race weekend for Yamaha in recent years, gave us the feeling that the ‘King of Monza’ was there at our side.”
Own the ‘Piro’ Replica Yamaha R1 Unveiled at WorldSBK in Estoril
Based on the 2020-spec Yamaha R1, and sporting the famous white, pink and blue colours of Pirovano’s #5 Yamaha YZF 750 SP, the special ‘Piro’ Replica R1 is a completely unique bike created by Yamaha Motor Europe. It is now available for auction here and will go to the highest bidder.
The auction will run until Sunday 1st November at 12:00 CET and the winner can decide whether they want the bike delivered in race trim, exactly as it was for the Estoril tribute lap, or in fully road legal trim with the Piro Replica bodywork, the Akrapovič race exhaust and the Pirelli slick shod wheels supplied as a separate kit.
“This special Yamaha R1, a replica of the YZF 750 SP raced to victory by Piro in 1993, was built by Yamaha Motor Europe. It was an emotional moment for Alessandro to bring the famous colours back to the site of their last victory with Fabrizio,” said Dosoli. “We’re glad to announce that this unique R1 could be yours, as we will now auction the bike with the proceeds donated to the cancer charity that Pirovano’s family supports, Fondazione Oncologia Niguarda Onlu.”
