For Sale: Rossi's 1996 Aprilia RS125R
R
M Sotheby's, the world's
largest auction house for
high-value collector cars and
motorcycles, is going to offer
Valentino Rossi's first-ever Grand
Prix motorcycle and the bike on
which he scored his first race
win on the GP stage. The 1996
Aprilia RS125R offered for sale
via RM Sotheby's Sealed plat-
form was ridden by Rossi to first
place in the 125cc class at the
1996 Czech Republic Grand Prix
as the maiden checkered flag of
his 115 Grand Prix victories.
The bike is presented in the
preserved livery it wore for Scu-
deria AGV Aprilia for every race
of the 1996 season and adorned
with Rossi's iconic race number
46. The bike was sold by the
Aprilia racing team to a private
owner in January 1997 and has
been retained by the current
owner since February 2013.
The historic machine is ac-
companied by factory team
sheets that verify each of this
bike's race entries for the 1996
season. The bike was ridden to
sixth place on Rossi's debut, and
he remained in points-scoring
positions for the next four races.
At Brno later in the year, Rossi
earned his first Grand Prix win.
This would be the first of Rossi's
115 victories across all three
first-class Grand Prix classes; a
record that still stands, making
"The Doctor" the most success-
ful rider in modern motorcycle
racing.
The bike is offered for sale
with team documents that verify
each of its race entries by Scu-
deria AGV Aprilia in 1996, along
with bills of sale that chart its
brief private ownership chain.
A note from the team man-
ager, Mauro Noccioli, is on file,
detailing his thoughts following
Rossi's first win. Furthermore,
the team sheets confirm that the
engine installed is the very unit
that propelled Rossi to his first
victory at Brno Circuit.
The Aprilia is estimated at
$117,700-$176,177 USD and is
offered without reserve. Bidding
opens on Wednesday, May 13,
2026. Visit rmsothebys.com for
bidding information.
CN
WIND
IN THE
P52
Valentino Rossi's first-ever Grand Prix
motorcycle and the bike on which he
scored his first race win on the GP
stage will be up for auction.
PHOTO: PAOLO
CARLINI/COURTESY OF RM SOTHEBY'S
