One of South Yorkshire’s most successful motorsport stars has put his World Championship-winning superbike up for sale. Doncaster-born James Toseland has put his Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade on the market. The prestigious bike, which won him his second World Superbike title, was made available to purchase for the princely sum of £149,999.
It is the exact bike which Toseland rode to victory in the World Superbike Championship. It includes the intricate Arrow exhaust beneath its rear fairing, whilst still bearing the branding of Toseland’s sponsor for the 2007 season.
That year was Toseland’s most successful season in the World Superbike Championship, landing eight race victories. Toseland managed no more than three race wins in any other World Superbike season.
Learning more about Toseland’s historic Honda
For motorsport buffs, the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade features WP front and rear suspension, with Nissin calipers utilised for its braking system. The next lucky owner of this superbike will be presented with it by Toseland personally.Toseland listed the bike with The Bike Specialists, which is an online marketplace for purchasing rare motorbikes. Toseland conducted a video with the platform for YouTube, during which he discussed the meaning of the bike to him. It was the bike that helped him win both races at Brands Hatch in 2007 and outdo factor Ducatis with the likes of Troy Bayliss on board. To any Super Bike fanatic, it’s an incredibly powerful piece of motorsport history.
Toseland raced for seven seasons in the Super Bike World Championship, before retiring in 2011 due to a troublesome wrist injury. He’s since remained heavily involved in the world of motorbike racing. Toseland became part of the Phil Burgan Race Academy, providing one-to-one mentoring for up-and-coming racers like Sylvain Barrier and Danny Kent.
Life outside of motorsport
Toseland was married to singer, Katie Melua, for the best part of eight years. The pair were engaged in January 2012 and married in September of that year in Kew’s Royal Botanic Gardens, London. Toseland, whose first love before motorbikes was playing music, had plenty in common with Melua. However, the pair announced their separation in 2020.
In an interview discussing the break-up, Melua described themselves as “perfectionists” and wanted to ensure the split was dealt with in the best way possible. Given that Toseland and Melua were both hugely successful professionals, divorce lawyers will have been necessary to deal with their personal wealth.
The pair lived in the capital, so they will have had to lean on the expertise of divorce lawyers in London or based just outside the city to achieve the best possible outcome for all parties. The emergence of the “no-fault” divorce legislation in 2022 means there’s no longer a need for one person to blame the other for the breakdown of their relationship. The mutual break-up between Melua and Toseland was likely more amicable thanks to this ruling.
Although it’s possible for both parties to part ways without a divorce settlement, it’s by no means advisable. In fact, most lawyers would recommend a financial agreement which clearly states the division of assets and enacting any pre or post-nuptial agreements.
Speaking of Melua’s music career, Toseland has returned to music after retiring from motorbike racing. He formed and fronted a new band called ‘Toseland’, with their debut single released in April 2013, followed by two studio albums.
Last year, Toseland went on tour for a very different purpose, hosting evenings of ‘Music and Conversation’ at ten venues across the UK. This included an evening hosted by Greg Haines at Sheffield’s iconic Leadmill on 1st November.
For more information on James Toseland’s band, be sure to check out:
- The official Toseland website, featuring news, gigs and an online shop.
- Thinking of buying a motorbike? Check out the 5 things no-one tells you about buying a motorcycle.
