For Sale

Honda Firestorm VTR1000 1999

£2995

1999 Honda Firestorm, the previous owner has looked after this bike excellently since 2000. 12 Months MOT included.

The VTR1000 Firestorm owes its existence to one simple fact: Honda’s 750cc V4 RC45 was finding it increasingly difficult to beat Ducati’s 1,000cc v-twins in the World Superbike Championship and the Japanese manufacturer had had enough. Ducati’s racetrack success was reflected in sales and so, swallowing its pride, Honda followed the Italians’ lead, introducing the Firestorm in 1997. The latter was built along Ducati lines, featuring a 90-degree, 8-valve, v-twin engine of 996cc, with the swinging arm pivoting directly in the gearbox casing, just like the 916/996/998 family. Only its aluminium alloy beam frame and side-mounted radiators set the Honda apart. Although a competent sports roadster, the Firestorm was in fact no WSB racer, that role being filled by the very different SP-1 and (later) SP-2 derivatives. With around 105bhp available at the back wheel, straight-line performance was almost identical to that of the Ducati 916, the Firestorm’s top speed being a little over 150mph.

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