A rare Bimota race bike ridden by the legendary Anthony Gobert in the World Superbike championship will be auctioned off next month during the London Motorcycle Show. This is the same machine that took Gobert to victory in a memorable race at Phillip Island.
Anthony “The Go Show” Gobert, who passed away a year ago, left an indelible mark on the world of motorcycle racing. Known as much for his incredible speed as for his rebellious behavior, Gobert surprised the world in 2000 by winning as a wildcard at the Phillip Island round of the World Superbike. Riding the Bimota SB8K, considered an uncompetitive bike at the time, he beat big names like Carl Fogarty and Scott Russell.
The bike that led to this historic victory is now in the Iconic Auctioneers catalog for the London Motorcycle Show auction. Kept in its original, unrestored condition, the Bimota shows all the signs of an intense racing life, including corrosion on the magnesium swingarm.
Although race bikes used in the world championship occasionally appear at auctions, few have the same connection to such iconic riders as Gobert. This fact, combined with the recent death of the Australian rider, has raised the estimated value of this bike to between £80,000 and £100,000 [94,500 to 118,000 euros].
The auction will take place on Sunday, February 16th. More information about this bike is available here.
Source: visordown / Images: iconicauctioneers.com