Only a few come close to Bandit9 when it comes to avant-garde custom motorcycle creations. We’ve seen some eye-popping designs from the Vietnam-based studio that lean into a sci-fi theme, with alien-inspired forms that stay within the desirable two-wheeler limits. This time around, the custom builder is back with a hand-built motorcycle crafted in collaboration with RED, an organization helping fight AIDS and other preventable diseases.

Dubbed the (RED)800, this bike is a sight to behold with its raw form fused into a modern aesthetic, as the hand-brushed aluminum fades gradually into the sparkly red form. Only 9 units of this bike will ever be made, so that puts it firmly in the ultra-limited-edition category. More importantly, every single penny earned from the sales will go to RED’s mission for life-saving healthcare programs to communities most in need.

Designer: Bandit9 and RED

According to the makers, the bike’s bodywork is sculpted from scratch, with the attention to detail that’s worthy of a sculpture. As RED puts it, the bike is “an unexpected meeting of color and raw metal, executed by hand. It’s this kind of unconventional thinking and meticulous execution that defines a Bandit9 motorcycle.” Underneath that drool-worthy bodywork is the Ducati 821cc Testastretta V-twin producing 110 bhp. That takes the handsome machine from 0–60 mph in 3.3 seconds, and capable of hitting top speed of 201 km/h.

Coming back to that magnetic bodywork shaped in one continuous form, the hand-painted gradient transitions from the Racing Red to the raw hand-brushed aluminum with no apparent separating lines. Each one of the bikes will be hand-painted, so they’ll have a unique personality of their own. The finish of the bodywork is the talking point here, as the raw metal is turned into something organic while still feeling modern.

The mechanical components of the bike are left exposed underneath the aluminum shell for that muscular feel. Especially on the rear of the monocoque body, the metal surfaces are left exposed – showing off the steel trellis frame. The red strip light running from the saddle, all the way down to the suspension joint, gives the bike a sci-fi character. To complement the unibody design, the (RED)800 rides on spoked wheels and low-profile tires. For an aerodynamic riding posture, the bike gets rear-set foot controls and low-slung handlebars.

Bandit9 (RED)800 carries a price tag of $49,000 (plus shipping), and each one is made to order, with shipping taking anywhere from eight months to a year. So, you’ll have to be ultra-patient to get hands on one, even if you are lucky enough to order one of the only nine units.

 

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Aston Martin has finally put its name on a road-ready motorcycle. Developed with Brough Superior, the AMB 002 Roadster is the first street-legal bike from the partnership, fusing Aston Martin’s sculptural design language and Brough Superior’s highly specialized approach into motorcycle engineering. Limited to just 300 individually built examples, it is intended for collectors and street riders alike.

Unlike the earlier AMB 001 and AMB 001 Pro bikes, which were created exclusively for track use, the AMB 002 has been developed from the ground up for road riding. Aston Martin’s design studio has given it a compact, forward-biased silhouette, with smooth carbon-fiber surfaces broken up by crescent-shaped cooling vents along the sides. The bodywork rises around the rider, while slim, stalk-like mirrors and an exposed mechanical structure keep the motorcycle visually light.

Designer: Aston Martin

There are also deliberate references to Aston Martin’s cars. The brand’s signature side-strake has been reinterpreted around the headlamp, while the twin oval exhausts feature ribbed heat sinks inspired by the exhaust finishers used on models including the Vanquish, DB12 S and DBX S. At the rear, thin light blades borrow their visual character from the Aston Martin Vulcan, Valkyrie and Valhalla. Even smaller details, including the backlit ignition button, keyless operation and hand-crafted saddle leather seat pads, reinforce the connection between the motorcycle and Aston Martin’s road cars.

Underneath that carefully shaped bodywork is an all-new 1,083cc water-cooled V-twin producing 130 hp and 110 Nm of torque. Rather than chasing an extreme peak-power figure, the engine has been tuned around strong low- and mid-range torque, giving the roadster a more usable character for winding roads. The engine is CNC-machined from billet and built in-house at Brough Superior’s Toulouse facility, where the motorcycle is also machined and assembled.

The engineering gets particularly interesting around the chassis. A titanium structural frame is milled from a solid billet and weighs only 5 kg. It forms the backbone of the motorcycle while helping achieve a 50:50 weight distribution. Carbon-fiber body panels and the fuel tank help keep the center of gravity low, contributing to a total weight of 190 kg. Up front, the AMB 002 uses Brough Superior’s Fior fork, a double-wishbone system evolved from the setup used on the AMB 001 Pro. By separating steering and braking forces, the arrangement is designed to maintain front-end geometry under hard braking while improving steering precision. Its anti-dive characteristics are particularly useful when braking while leaned into a corner.

The result is an unusually focused road motorcycle where materials and mechanical architecture are as important to the experience as outright performance. Brough Superior will build each AMB 002 by hand in Toulouse, with first deliveries scheduled for the third quarter of 2027. Orders are already being accepted, making this less a conventional new motorcycle launch and more a limited production exercise in Aston Martin’s design language beyond four wheels.

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