Vyrus 986 Moto2 gets road legal makeover
11/05/2012
It’s probably been the lowest-key bike launch in years, but then that would be in the nature of motorcycle maker Vyrus.
The tiny Italian firm has unveiled its Moto2 986 bike in street legal guise. OK, so it was meant to appear last September, but who’s really that bothered?
Essentially, Vyrus has fitted indicators and lights to the racing machine to make it good to go on the road. Pictures of the updated bike can be seen on the firm’s Facebook page.
Vyrus, basically a one-man band by the name of Ascanio Rodrigo, did not find any teams willing to use the 986 this year, so has decided to make a few tweaks to the M2 bike to sell it to individuals.
For anyone who has been under a rock for the last few years and has not heard of Vyrus, Ascanio helped develop the original Bimota Tesi and is as much part of the Rimini motorcycle establishment as anyone.
The 986 costs around £25,000 and is powered by a 600cc Honda CBR600RR engine, which will pack plenty of punch on the road and on the track.
There have been changes the hub-centre steering design now has a direct steering column to the rider, which should improve rider feedback. The frame is an upside-down Omega type and the rear shock is mounted laterally, F1 style. Other features include Brembo brakes and the Zard ‘4 into 2 into 1’ exhaust system.
For established riders who have grown up on bikes with a conventional fork front-end, there is a bit of relearning to be done, but that is not something to shy away from.
The company also makes the 984 C3 2V, which uses a Ducati-sourced air-cooled engine and the 985 C3 4V, which again utilises a Ducati engine. In 2010, the company came up with the 987, the world’s most powerful production bike at the time.
Vyrus does not make bikes like anyone else, and the latest road-legal 986 is not like anything else you’ll find for sale.
Speaking to Motorcyclist back in 2009, Ascanio explained his philosophy: It’s our objective to try to persuade people to take a fresh look at two-wheeled chassis design – this is my challenge.
That what’s you get with a Vyrus something unique as well as a real joy to ride. If you’re looking for something to turn heads and set fast lap times on track days, this seems to be the solution. It might not be as stunning to look at the original 986 (pictured), but the new road version is still a beauty, though admittedly it does come with a hefty price tag.
As Asphalt and Rubber points out: The street-going Vyrus 986 M2 might be one of the most expensive supersport-class motorcycles on the market, but honestly, wouldn’t you want to own one these. instead of a comparably-priced liter-bike? We know we would.
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