Most of the time at RSBFS, we skip right over track bikes built by hanging a few sexy parts off of a late-model, mass-produced sport bike. And at first glance, that's what we have here, albeit with an abnormally thorough safety wire job and some odd-looking welds on the fuel tank.
That's because this isn't just any 2008 Yamaha R1 track bike, it's Ben Bostrom's 2008 Graves Yamaha R1 AMA Superbike. Ben and his brother Eric are royalty on the American road racing scene, and in 2008 the brothers were fully immersed in the AMA Superbike and Supersport Championships.
Most people have stronger memories of Eric Bostrom astride an R1, as he traded paint with the likes of Ben Spies and Mat Mladin on the way to fourth in the overall superbike championship.
Ben spent the year winning races on the Graves Yamaha R6 on his way to first overall in Supersport championship, but also had this fully-fledged R1 superbike at his disposal. This is Bostrom's number two bike, which went into his possession at the end of the season before it was sold to the current owner.
The VIN tag shows just five digits, "15502," indicating Bostrom's number and the frame's B-bike status. It looks like a race machine, meaning that it is in excellent but not perfect shape. It was reportedly tuned by Chuck Graves himself. The gas tank with the strange welds is one of two hand-made aluminum racing units that the seller says cost $7,000 a piece.
Ben's A bike was destroyed after the season, as was Eric's, and Eric's B bike was sold to Jay Leno. That makes this R1 the one of two of its kind, and the only one you are likely to see for sale, ever. It has recently been tuned and runs like it did in 2008.
The $17,000 asking price includes a signed photo of Bostrom riding the bike, a replica of his 2008 helmet and both gas tanks. Interested parties can contact Adam by email: adamnb938@icloud.com
The post Featured Listing: Real-deal AMA Superbike, Ben Bostrom’s 2008 Yamaha R1 appeared first on Rare SportBikes For Sale.