Maybe one of the most lurid motorcycles ever to grace the pages of Asphalt & Rubber, the Vyrus 986 M2 Moto2 race bike is just as much art as it is engineering innovation. A hub-center steering front-end, self-supporting carbon fiber body pieces, and a bevy of GP-level electronics adorn this futuristic looking motorcycle from Italy.
The goal from Vyrus was to have a Moto2-class legal racing machine that was ready for competition, though we doubt many owners see it that way. What few bikes that actually leave their owner’s garage, we imagine only a handful will see any track time, but that’s sometimes just the way it goes.
Originally priced at €55,000 for the race bike (a pretty cheap price for a Moto2 machine), a street version was supposed to debut at €25,000, while a Vyrus 986 M2 kit was to be made available at €16,900 (one must supply their own Honda CB600RR motor to use the kit option).
After currency exchange rates, the Vyrus 986 M2 kit sounded like a fairly affordable and hands-on way to own such a unique machine. Well, now that Vyrus is actually able to make good on its do-it-yourself option, things have changed a little…by say €10,000 or so.
Now priced at €27,930, the Vyrus 986 M2 kit is just shy of $40,000 and then there is still the small matter of buying a motor. To its credit though, Vyrus must have been listening to its customers, as in addition to the Honda CBR600RR lump, there are 986 M2 kit variants that will fit Ducati motors from the 1100 air-cooled series, 999 series, and 1198 series.
If you have the coin, Vyrus is happy to sell you upgrades to virtually every component on the Vyrus 986 M2 kit, and the costs go up rapidly when you do so. Options include full GP electronics, top of the line wheels, suspension, and brakes, and of course there is a bevy of composite choices to make (we personally like the idea of a self-supporting front and rear body sections made out of carbon fiber, a €7,200 option).
All this of course means that our hopes of building a somewhat affordable, yet dead-to-rights sexy, motorcycle may have been dashed, but considering the usual fare that comes with the Vyrus name, the 986 model is still relatively cheap, as it is without the six-figure sticker shock factor.
If you have the means, what is stopping you from buying one? As for us, we will just have to be content with admiring from afar.
Photos of the Vyrus 986 M2 Moto2 Race Bike at the 2011 Verona Motor Bike Expo:
Source: Vyrus
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