LOT 451
Ex-James Ellison, Yonny Hernández, Paul Bird Motorsport 2012 Aprilia ART 1,000cc Grand Prix Racing Motorcycle Registration no. not registered Frame no. PBM-ART-002 Engine no. Aprilia V4 *01787*
Sold for £29,900 inc. premium
Lot 451
Ex-James Ellison, Yonny Hernández, Paul Bird Motorsport, 2012 Aprilia ART 1,000cc Grand Prix Racing MotorcycleRegistration no. not registered Frame no. PBM-ART-002 Engine no. Aprilia V4 *01787*
The Autumn Sale - The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show, Stafford|9 October 2021, 12:00 BST|Stafford, Staffordshire County Showground
Ex-James Ellison, Yonny Hernández, Paul Bird Motorsport
2012 Aprilia ART 1,000cc Grand Prix Racing Motorcycle
Registration no. not registered
Frame no. PBM-ART-002
Engine no. Aprilia V4 *01787*
2012 Aprilia ART 1,000cc Grand Prix Racing Motorcycle
Registration no. not registered
Frame no. PBM-ART-002
Engine no. Aprilia V4 *01787*
• Purchased directly from Paul Bird Motorsport
• Fitted with an Aprilia RSV4 road bike engine
• Original factory-built Aprilia MotoGP engine, ECU, etc included
• Original 'Yonny Hernández' bodywork included
The machine offered here belongs to what can now be seen as a 'passing phase' of MotoGP history: the CRT era. Faced with escalating costs and dwindling participation (at the 2011 Australian GP there were only 14 starters and 10 finishers in the premier class) MotoGP series owners Dorna came up with a lower-cost 'Claiming Rule Teams' (CRT) category to run alongside the factory prototypes. The idea was that CRT teams would run production-based engines in prototype chassis, and that engines would be claimable by factory teams for a set fee of €25,000, though why a factory team would want to acquire a tuned road-bike engine was never explained. In the event, none ever did.
The introduction of CRT for the 2012 season coincided with the switch from 800cc to 1,000cc engines with a maximum permitted bore size of 81mm. Aprilia's offering in the CRT class was powered by the V4 engine of their RSV4 production superbike, which in MotoGP specification produced around 230bhp. Engines would be returned to the Aprilia factory when in need of rebuilding.
British multi-millionaire businessman Paul Bird had been involved with the British and World Superbike Championships in the past, and the (relatively) low-cost CRT formula gave him the opportunity to compete at the highest level of motorcycle sport: MotoGP. Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM) ran an Aprilia ART for James Ellison in 2012, and for 2013 had its own chassis available, designed in collaboration with Barry Ward at GPMS. The team expanded to a two-rider line-up for 2013 with Michael Laverty and (to begin with) Colombian Yonny Hernández, who used the two machines raced by James Ellison in 2012 (for details of the 2012 season see Lot 455).
Riding the Aprilia ART, Hernandez had scored seven points (with a best finish of 13th at Catalunya) by the time he left for Pramac Ducati after the Misano round, while Laverty had three points to his credit by the season's end. Australian Damian Cudlin had been drafted in for the last five races but failed to score any points. Which, if any, of Hernández's results were achieved on this particular machine is not known.
Phil Morris bought this machine directly from Paul Bird Motorsport, at which time it was carrying original bodywork in 'Yonny Hernández' livery. Since coming into Phil's collection it has been fitted with a stock 1,000cc Aprilia RSV4 road bike engine and its associated ECU and electronics by Aprilia UK's Ian Newton, making it much easier to run than with the expensive-to-maintain factory MotoGP engine installed. Its practicality has been further enhanced by fitting 17" wheels (shod with race tyres) and steel brake discs. The original factory engine, ECU, dashboard, wiring loom, and switches is included in the sale together with the original 16.5" wheels and carbon brake discs, enabling the machine to be returned to MotoGP specification should the next owner so desire. It also comes with a set of original 'Yonny Hernández' bodywork and a history file.
Given the factories' current policy of retaining machines run by satellite teams, rather than selling them on, the chances of obtaining a former MotoGP machine are now slim indeed. As such, this PBM-Aprilia ART represents a rare opportunity to acquire a genuine MotoGP motorcycle possessing impeccable provenance.
A selection of spares relating to this lot will be sold as part of our online sale in December. Further details to follow.
• Fitted with an Aprilia RSV4 road bike engine
• Original factory-built Aprilia MotoGP engine, ECU, etc included
• Original 'Yonny Hernández' bodywork included
The machine offered here belongs to what can now be seen as a 'passing phase' of MotoGP history: the CRT era. Faced with escalating costs and dwindling participation (at the 2011 Australian GP there were only 14 starters and 10 finishers in the premier class) MotoGP series owners Dorna came up with a lower-cost 'Claiming Rule Teams' (CRT) category to run alongside the factory prototypes. The idea was that CRT teams would run production-based engines in prototype chassis, and that engines would be claimable by factory teams for a set fee of €25,000, though why a factory team would want to acquire a tuned road-bike engine was never explained. In the event, none ever did.
The introduction of CRT for the 2012 season coincided with the switch from 800cc to 1,000cc engines with a maximum permitted bore size of 81mm. Aprilia's offering in the CRT class was powered by the V4 engine of their RSV4 production superbike, which in MotoGP specification produced around 230bhp. Engines would be returned to the Aprilia factory when in need of rebuilding.
British multi-millionaire businessman Paul Bird had been involved with the British and World Superbike Championships in the past, and the (relatively) low-cost CRT formula gave him the opportunity to compete at the highest level of motorcycle sport: MotoGP. Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM) ran an Aprilia ART for James Ellison in 2012, and for 2013 had its own chassis available, designed in collaboration with Barry Ward at GPMS. The team expanded to a two-rider line-up for 2013 with Michael Laverty and (to begin with) Colombian Yonny Hernández, who used the two machines raced by James Ellison in 2012 (for details of the 2012 season see Lot 455).
Riding the Aprilia ART, Hernandez had scored seven points (with a best finish of 13th at Catalunya) by the time he left for Pramac Ducati after the Misano round, while Laverty had three points to his credit by the season's end. Australian Damian Cudlin had been drafted in for the last five races but failed to score any points. Which, if any, of Hernández's results were achieved on this particular machine is not known.
Phil Morris bought this machine directly from Paul Bird Motorsport, at which time it was carrying original bodywork in 'Yonny Hernández' livery. Since coming into Phil's collection it has been fitted with a stock 1,000cc Aprilia RSV4 road bike engine and its associated ECU and electronics by Aprilia UK's Ian Newton, making it much easier to run than with the expensive-to-maintain factory MotoGP engine installed. Its practicality has been further enhanced by fitting 17" wheels (shod with race tyres) and steel brake discs. The original factory engine, ECU, dashboard, wiring loom, and switches is included in the sale together with the original 16.5" wheels and carbon brake discs, enabling the machine to be returned to MotoGP specification should the next owner so desire. It also comes with a set of original 'Yonny Hernández' bodywork and a history file.
Given the factories' current policy of retaining machines run by satellite teams, rather than selling them on, the chances of obtaining a former MotoGP machine are now slim indeed. As such, this PBM-Aprilia ART represents a rare opportunity to acquire a genuine MotoGP motorcycle possessing impeccable provenance.
A selection of spares relating to this lot will be sold as part of our online sale in December. Further details to follow.
Footnotes
As with all Lots in the Sale, this Lot is sold 'as is/where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness, and originality prior to bidding.
Additional information
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