The world’s most powerful – and, at £107,000, the most expensive – production road bike will be ridden up the hill at next month’s Goodwood Festival of Speed by Barry Sheene’s son, Freddie.

The Icon Sheene, launched in March, was designed and developed over a five-year period as a tribute to the motorcycling legend who became so associated with the Goodwood events in the final years of his life. No doubt he would have enjoyed the handcrafted bike’s 250bhp, and the turbocharged 1400cc four-cylinder engine capable of propelling it to an incredible 200mph.

British designed and built, production of the Icon Sheene is limited to just 52, one for each year of Barry’s life. Each is decorated with a different playing card, held by a 1940s-style pin-up, hand-painted by Mike Fairholme – the man responsible for the artistry on Barry’s helmets.

Stephanie Sheene, Barry’s widow, has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Icon Sheene throughout its development. “To have a motorcycle designed, built and dedicated to the memory of Barry is the ultimate accolade,” says Stephanie. “I know he would have had fun being involved with this project whilst at the same time putting his own special stamp of approval on the detail.”

Also supporting the project is Steve Parrish, who raced alongside Sheene and later became his best friend: “Barry’s last words to me were: ‘Stavros, at least we are not going to die wondering.’ Which meant that if you ever wondered what something was like, you ought to experience it for yourself. That was our philosophy and we lived by it.”

The 52 individuals lucky enough to own an Icon Sheene will no doubt experience something fairly outstanding.

See www.iconsheene.com.

Icon Sheene Technical Specification

* All-aluminium hand-built Spondon frame complemented by a 1400cc turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering 250bhp at the wheel in lowest boost mode and 133lb ft of torque
* Carello con-rods
* Wiseco pistons
* Fabrication Techniques handcrafted swinging-arm with novel integral polished hugger and unique axle lifting system
* Six-piston billet-machined lightweight calipers and floating discs by ISR (Sweden)
* State-of-the-art Bitubo front forks
* Carbonfibre race wheels
* Bitubo fully adjustable race-spec rear shock
* Hand-crafted rear footrests
* Hand-laid carbonfibre bodywork with stainless steel louvres
* Handmade aluminium fuel tank with aircraft quick-release fittings and alloy race filler cap
* Paintwork and logo design by Mike Fairholme
* Handcrafted top and bottom yokes with solid silver ‘Sheene Duck’ logo by leading Swiss watchmaker. Yokes hand-engraved with Barry Sheene signature
* Digital instrumentation in polished alloy casing
* Motech F1 cable system with datalogging and bespoke mapping
* Fully adjustable aluminium brake and clutch with bespoke reservoirs from ISR
* Twin hand-crafted aluminium oil coolers
* Super-lightweight high-power lithium battery
* HID headlamp with main and dip beam and LED halo surround
* Unique ‘keyless’ ignition with electronic safety override and remote start facility
* Alcantara racing seat with Sheene ‘7’ logo

Text - Charis Whitcombe
Photos - Icon Sheene