Ride Like Rossi

Ride Like Rossi

The motorcycling community is no stranger to charitable contributions. One of the most recognizable organizations worldwide is Riders for Health, which has for years successfully provided motorcycles to transport medicine and medical help to hard-to-reach locations in Africa, where those services are otherwise virtually impossible to obtain.

This one-of-a-kind 2009 Yamaha YZFR1, which sports Valentino Rossi’s “Five Continents” AGV helmet graphics, was the brainchild of 1972 Daytona 200 winner Don Emde. The concept was to build a special motorcycle that would generate the kind of attention needed to garner a high bid at an auction planned for early 2011 and thus create a significant donation to RFH.

“Getting Valentino’s blessing for the project was the trick, and then everyone else jumped on board,” said Emde.

Build contributors included Yamaha Motor Corporation USA, Roland Sands Designs, Ohlins, Akrapovic, AGV Helmets, Vortex, Saddlemen, Bridgestone, EK, EBC, Goodridge, K&N, Dynojet and lmagine-lt Graphics.

Arguably, the most important donor was designer Aldo Drudi at Drudi Performance in Italy, who adapted Rossi’s helmet graphics to the R1 ’s bodywork.

"That's probably, in my mind, the most amazing part of the bike," adds Emde. "Except for the painted dark-blue base color, the rest of the graphics (applied by Pole Position Racing Services) are a big decal made sDecificallv for this bike."

The winning bidder will take delivery of the Ri set up as a track-day bike, but the street-legal items will be included if the owner chooses to ride it on the street. For more information, visit wwwfriendsof riders. org. -Blake Conner