RM Sotheby’s is excited to offer Valentino Rossi’s first-ever Grand Prix motorcycle and the bike on which he scored his first race-winning bike on the GP stage. The 1996 Aprilia RS125R offered for sale via RM Sotheby’s Sealed platform was ridden by Rossi to 1st place in the 125-cc class at the 1996 Czech Republic Grand Prix as the maiden chequered flag of his 115 Grand Prix victories.
This remakable piece of Rossi’s career is presented in the preserved livery it wore for Scuderia AGV Aprilia for every race of the 1996 season and adorned with Rossi’s iconic race number “46”. The bike was sold by the Aprilia racing team to a private owner in January 1997 and has been retained by the current owner since February 2013.
This historic machine is accompanied by fascinating factory team sheets that verify each of this bike’s race entries to the 1996 season. The bike was ridden to a respectable 6th place on Rossi’s debut and the Italian rider continued in points-scoring positions for the next four race outings. Rossi raced this particular bike for the rest of the season, continuing with 11th place in the second round at Sentul, 11th place at Suzuka, 4th place in Jerez, and 4th again at Mugello. Forced retirements came at Circuit Paul Ricard and in Assen, followed by taking 5th place on this bike at the Nürburgring, then having to step off the bike at the next race at Donington. 
At the 10th round of the season in Austria, Rossi finished in 3rd place and stepped onto a Grand Prix podium for the first time. At Brno, Rossi’s promising form kicked into gear with the first Grand Prix race win of a long and distinguished career. This would be the first of Rossi’s 115 victories across all three first-class Grand Prix classes; a record that still standsm making “The Doctor” the most successful rider in modern motorcycle racing.
Now comes the opportunity to acquire this special bike, offered for sale with team documents that verify each of its race entries by Scuderia AGV Aprilia in 1996 and bills of sale to chart its short private ownership chain. A note from the team manager, Mauro Noccioli, is on file which details his thoughts following Rossi’s first win. Furthermore, the team sheets verify that the engine fitted is the very unit which propelled Rossi to his first victory at Brno Circuit in 1996.
For fans of motorcycle racing in any capacity—and particularly those who fondly recall the halcyon era of future champions cutting their teeth on two-stroke bikes—the opportunity to own the bike on which Valentino Rossi made his debut and claimed his first-ever Grand Prix victory, complete with its preserved 1996 season livery, is one that simply cannot be missed.
The Aprilia is estimated at €100,000 - €150,000 EUR and is offered without reserve. Bidding opens on Wednesday, 13 May 2026.
Photo ©Paolo Carlini 2026 Courtesy RM Sotheby's