2002 MBK 'McLaren F1' Scooter

“ A very cool (& genuine) McLaren F1 Team paddock bike. ”
This might just be the easiest (and most affordable) way to enjoy something that was once the personal transport of legendary F1 World Champion Kimi Räikkönen.

Background
Established in 1923, Motobécane was, amongst other things, a French manufacturer of bicycles, mopeds and motorcycles.

In fact, for much of the 20th century, the firm was the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in France and their products enjoyed a fair amount of success in motorsports.

From the 1960s onwards, with cars becoming ever more affordable and the all-conquering Japanese motorcycle industry dominating the marketplace, Motobécane began a long, slow decline, culminating in bankruptcy in 1981.

Yamaha came to the rescue, buying the company and relaunching it as MBK in 1984.

The firm still makes scooters today, although the brand name itself has been subsumed within Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Europe S.A.S.

Overview
As all F1 fans out there will know, the fastest vehicles at any F1 circuit are the F1 cars, the safety car, and the nippy little scooters that F1 drivers use to zip around the pit lane and the paddock.

We’ve all seen them. They look like a lot of fun.

The vendor, who collects all sorts of classic and other automotive bits and pieces, has decided that this is a collector niche he’d like to explore – which is why he has a number of these fabulous little pit and paddock scooters.

The example we have for you today was bought new by McLaren and, as a quick glance at the scooter’s livery will tell you, it was the personal pit lane and paddock transport of none other than Kimi ‘The Iceman’ Räikkönen during his time at McLaren.

Badged as an MBK ‘Nitro’ machine, the scooter is mechanically indistinguishable from the Yamaha YQ50 machine with which it shares all components and a 49cc engine.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given its association with F1, the MBK ‘Nitro’ was noted for its lively turn of speed and sporty characteristics.

At the time of writing, we have been unable to start the bike, but we imagine that the cause is probably as simple as a fouled spark plug or something equally insignificant.

We know that the engine turns over and does run on easy-start.

Hopefully it will take the new owner an hour or two of dabbling to get it running in fine order again.

Estimate: £2,000 - £5,000

View The Current Bid price HERE