Ex-Broc Parkes, Paul Bird Motorsport, 2014 PBM-ART 1,000cc Grand Prix Racing Motorcycle

• Factory-built Aprilia RSV4 engine
• Australian, Broc Parkes' No. 1 bike
• Purchased directly from Paul Bird Motorsport
• Incomplete
• Display tyres (not for any other use)

"Aprilia had two teams employing their engine: Paul Bird with his British GPMS-built chassis, and Ioda using their whole bike. It was a big change from 2013. PBM's bikes occasionally got into the points, but it was clear that the power of their superbike-tuned engines was way below that needed to compete against the MotoGP-engined bikes." – Motocourse, 2014.

The machine offered here is part of MotoGP recent 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 the '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.

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.

Paul Bird's team initially ran a solitary Aprilia ART for James Ellison before expanding to a two-rider line-up with Michael Laverty and (to begin with) Yonny Hernandez, both riding bikes featuring the new chassis designed in collaboration with Barry Ward at GPMS. Hernandez had scored seven points by the time he left for Pramac Ducati, while Laverty had three points to his credit by the season's end.

For the 2014 season, PBM had four bikes available: two each for Broc Parkes and Michael Laverty; the one offered here is Parkes' No. 1 bike. The PBM bikes were usually the class of the CRT field; Parkes only failed to finish once and scored points in five rounds of the World Championship, the highlight being 11th place at Assen. He ended the season with nine points, the same as team-mate Laverty.

Collector, Phil Morris, bought this machine directly from Paul Bird Motorsport, but it was not until 2016 that he was able to purchase the bike's Magneti Marelli electronics (ECU, dashboard, inertia platform), which had been retained for reasons of commercial confidentiality (data sheets on file). PBM engineer Phil Borley then re-programmed the ECU with data from the end of the 2014 season. Other notable features include 16.5" wheels; carbon brake discs; thumb brake (rear); FGR fork yokes; Öhlins forks; Brembo brakes; and PBM's own exhaust and carbon-fibre bodywork.

It should be noted that the following parts are missing: left front brake calliper; rear brake calliper; cush-drive sprocket carrier; fly-by-wire throttle mechanism; and gearbox components. Phil advised us that the machine should run if these missing parts were sourced and fitted.

Sold at the 2021 Bonhams Autumn Sale (Lot 454), the current vendor has had it on display in his house and not done anything with it. Given the factories' current policy of retaining machines run by satellite teams, rather than selling them on, the chances of obtaining a former MotoGP racer are now slim indeed. As such, this PBM-ART represents an extremely rare opportunity to acquire a genuine MotoGP motorcycle possessing impeccable provenance.

It should be noted that this machine is fitted with Bridgestone display tyres, which are not for use either with starting rollers or on the road/track.
Offered without key