First Vyrus 987 bought by heir to Prada millions

Hub-centre-steered superbike builder Vyrus has delivered the first of its brand new 987s to the heir to the Prada fashion empire.     

Lorenzo Bertelli, 20, son of Prada boss Miuccia Prada, was personally delivered the first 987 off the ‘production line’ at his Milan home on Christmas Eve, by Vyrus boss Ascanio Rodorigo. Rodorigo told MCN: “We met at Mugello late in the summer. He tried my bike and after only a few laps agreed to buy one. I promised him I would have it ready for him to put under the tree. We just made it!”

The boutique Italian firm put the handbuilt Ducati 1198R-engined bike together in a “record’ 97 days”. “Normally it takes much longer to build a Vyrus” says Rodorigo. “We are trying to speed up our production process”.

The delivery also marks the finalisation of the 987’s spec – confirming it will have the normally-aspirated 184bhp 1198R engine, not the supercharged version that had been tested. The bike also features shocks specially-made by Ohlins for the bike. Bertelli’s bike has “everything on it” says Rodorigo, commenting on the price only to say it was “more than 85,000 Euros [£76,000]”.

Vyrus says it has orders for seven more 987s, which will keep it busy well into the year. Confidentiality agreements prevent it from saying whether previous Vyrus buyer Tom Cruise has bought one.

Rodorigo hopes to borrow Bertelli’s bike back to present at the Verona Bike Expo next week. “We didn’t even have time to take any photographs of it before it left the factory” he laments.