James May's 2013 Repsol Honda Fireblade heads to auction
Television presenter James May is selling his low-mileage 2013 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade through Collecting Cars.
James May is selling his 2013 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade through Collecting Cars auction. The Top Gear and The Grand Tour star has owned the Repsol-liveried motorcycle for seven years, and it has covered just 5,844 miles from new.
Celebrity motorcycle specialist James May is selling his 2013 Repsol-liveried Honda Fireblade through Collecting Cars auction. The bike, first registered in July 2013, features the iconic orange, black, red, and white racing paint scheme. Images for the listing were supplied by both the auction house and Honda.
Full service history and documentation
The motorcycle retains complete service records, original documentation and minor maintenance throughout seven years of ownership. James May reports the bike has been kept in dry storage.
A detailed service history is included. This features an oil and filter change and new tires fitted in July 2017 at 2,672 miles. A subsequent service was carried out by Read’s Motorcycles in July 2019 at 5,550 miles. The bike is offered with its service book, owner’s handbook, and the UK V5C registration document. It also includes paddock-stand bobbins for rear-wheel maintenance.
Technical specifications and lineage
The 2013 model is part of the Fireblade lineage that evolved from an 893cc to a 998cc machine, with fuel injection introduced in 2000. Honda’s Fireblade began in 1992 with the CBR900RR, developed under engineer Tadao Baba. The capital B in 'FireBlade' was retired in 2002 in honor of Baba after his departure.
This 2013 Repsol Edition was launched during Marc Marquez's dominant run of six MotoGP titles between 2013 and 2019. The 2004 CBR1000RR drew heavily on Honda’s RC211V MotoGP machine, winning the Suzuka 8 Hours in 2004 and the 2007 World Superbike title. The modern evolution, the 2020 CBR1000RR-R, produces a claimed 215 bhp.
The bike for sale features a 998cc inline-four engine paired with a six-speed transmission. Its chassis and running gear are comprehensive.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Engine | 998cc inline-four |
| Transmission | 6-speed |
| Front Suspension | Adjustable Showa forks |
| Rear Suspension | Monoshock with aluminium swingarm |
| Brakes | Tokico |
| Display | LCD instrument panel |
| Fairings | Full aerodynamic bodywork |
| Additional Features | Sculpted fuel tank, compact tail section, passenger seat with pillion footrests |
Auction details and bidding activity
Bidding is currently at £8,755. The auction concludes in just over four days. Hirofumi Fukunaga, a senior engineer on the original Fireblade project, once explained the bike's enduring appeal simply. He said: "Just because it’s really cool."
The sale includes a two-person seat and pillion footrests. The auction ends in four days with current bidding at £8,755.
