A motorcycle inspired by Praga's 1928 original just debuted as a limited edition
There will be 28 examples of the Czech manufacturer's hand-built ZS 800, priced at $95,000 each.
Last year, Praga, a Czech manufacturer of limited-production high-performance vehicles, revealed the $1.28 million Bohema street-legal race car, for which Rich Report was among the first to get behind the wheel. It's just months later that it has released its second new model, but you might be surprised at what it is. A hand-built, retro-styled motorcycle priced at $90,000 will be the next exclusive road-going machine from Ferrari and Lamborghini, instead of diversifying into more practical, affordable sport cars or SUVs—as Ferrari and Lamborghini have done with their Purosangue and Urus, respectively. Due to only 28 examples being made, it will be even more limited than its hypercar counterpart.
In 1907, Praga was founded and produced automobiles, motorcycles, and aircraft that were regarded as of some renown before it was nationalized after World War II under communism. A young motorcycle and aviation designer—as well as motorcycle racer—created the beautiful BD 500 in 1928, which set a series of world records for speed and endurance, including one Koch set himself for riding from Rome to Prague.
Today, Jan Uri has joined the firm to design and fabricate titanium exhausts for the Bohema. While he was passionate about motocross, his true passion was two-wheeled racing. Prior to joining Praga, he had built his own motorbikes from scratch, and he began work on a new interpretation of the BD 500. Petr Ptacek, Praga's owner, saw its potential and put it into production (very limited) after seeing it as an after-hours passion project.
With its high-mount headlight, broad bars, and distinctive prewar saddle design, the ZS 800 is an amazingly accurate echo of the original 1928 model. A hand-welded, hard-tail cro-moly frame with a 773 cc, air-cooled parallel-twin engine also echos the original's look.
The rear isn't conventionally suspended: like the original, it's sprung by a spring and damper system from the Swedish manufacturer Öhlins. In order to preserve the vintage look, hydraulic finned drum brakes have been chosen instead of disc brakes.
However, the materials are modern despite the aesthetics from a bygone era. With titanium and carbon fiber extensively used, the dry weight is kept down to 313 pounds, which improves straight-line performance and handling. Hand-welded titanium exhausts are a given, but the multi-spoke carbon-fiber wheels are perhaps the most striking tech detail. Each strand is hand-woven, referencing the black steel spokes of the BD 500 while providing the strength and stiffness that modern sports bikes require.
A 773 cc, air-cooled parallel-twin engine is set within a hand-welded, hard-tail cro-moly frame.
The first ZS 800 and Bohema examples will be delivered to the same customer in Dubai in the summer. It may seem expensive for a 50 HP motorcycle without standard rear suspension, but when you see it in steel, you can't help but be convinced by its extraordinary styling and the craftsmanship with which it was built. Then when will you ever see another one since there are only 28 to be made?
