The Only Ferrari Motorcycle Ever Made

A rare Ferrari-approved motorcycle built over 3,000 hours in the 1990s stands as the only two-wheeled tribute ever endorsed by the Ferrari family.

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Ferrari’s legacy has always belonged to four wheels. From Maranello’s Formula One dominance to some of the world’s most coveted supercars, the prancing horse has never officially ventured into motorcycle production. Yet against all odds, a Ferrari motorcycle does exist, and it carries the rarest endorsement imaginable: written approval from the Ferrari family itself.

The story begins in the early 1990s, when MV Agusta specialist David Kay set out to create something no one had attempted before. His ambition went far beyond placing a famous badge on a fuel tank. Kay wanted to build a motorcycle that genuinely reflected Ferrari’s design philosophy, performance ethos and craftsmanship, one that could stand as a true tribute rather than a novelty.

Crucially, Kay sought legitimacy before turning a single spanner. He approached the Ferrari family directly and received written consent from Piero Ferrari, granting permission to use the iconic prancing horse. That single letter elevated the project into uncharted territory, making the machine arguably the only motorcycle ever authorised by the Ferrari family.

What followed was a painstaking four-year build that demanded more than 3,000 hours of work. The result was the Ferrari 900, a motorcycle that looked and felt as though it could have rolled out of Maranello itself.

At the heart of the bike sat a completely bespoke powerplant. Kay designed and built an air-cooled 900cc DOHC inline-four from scratch, featuring magnesium and alloy casings. Producing around 105 horsepower, the engine delivered performance figures that were extraordinary for a one-off custom machine, including a claimed top speed of 165 mph.

The rest of the motorcycle received the same uncompromising treatment. Kay fabricated the steel frame himself, while the bodywork was shaped by Terry Hall. Ferrari’s design cues appeared throughout the bike, not as imitation but interpretation. The swept-back front fairing echoed Ferrari’s aerodynamic language, while the side vents recalled the unmistakable Testarossa profile. Even the fuel tank carried proportions that felt unmistakably Ferrari.

The finished motorcycle didn’t just look the part. It delivered the sound, presence and speed expected of anything bearing the prancing horse. Unlike many tribute builds, the Ferrari 900 functioned as a complete, cohesive machine rather than a static display piece.

Today, the Ferrari 900 occupies a unique place in automotive history. Ferrari has never produced a motorcycle before or since, and no other project has received comparable family approval. As collectors increasingly value rarity and provenance, the bike’s significance continues to grow. By 2025, its value is widely expected to exceed US$100,000, though for enthusiasts, its true worth lies in the fact that it exists at all.

In a world where brand collaborations are commonplace, the Ferrari 900 remains a singular achievement: a motorcycle born not from a factory, but from obsession, craftsmanship and an extraordinary nod of approval from one of motoring’s most famous families.