VOR, which stands for Vertemati Offroad Racing, is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer mostly known for building off-road motorcycles.
Used bike review: VOR EN-E 530
The company was founded in 1998 and was headquartered in Ronco Briantino, Milan.
Although VOR mostly focused on off-road motorcycles, it migrated to street bikes in 2002, the same year it changed its name to VOR Motorcycles.
VOR was founded by Alvaro and Guido, two brothers who mostly gained off-road experience by working for other companies. For instance, Vertemati previously worked with Husaberg.
However, due to unknown reasons, the collaboration between Husaberg and Vertemati ended and the Italian company started to develop its own prototypes. VOR didn’t produce too many models, and its most popular motorcycle was the MX 450.
The VOR EN-E 530 is a big-bore four-stroke that resembles a runaway steamroller to ride. It is a big bike with a tonne of power, and the black plastics give it a unique look, as does the arse-about kickstarter. The 530 might be a big tough-as-nails machine, but Finland’s seven-time ISDE winner Mika Ahola managed to take out a few of those titles aboard the bike.
The VOR has a few unique features such as the cassette gearbox having different gear ratio options for first and fifth gears, as well as the option of a three-speed gearbox.
Weighing 114kg, the VOR is a rather big bike, but the power keeps that weight tractoring along at great speeds – if you going to ride a VOR, you better be ready for a fierce ride.
PRICE GUIDE
New price
2003 $13,490
2004 $13,390
Second-hand
2003 $4400 – $5200
2004 $4,600 – $5,500
All prices listed are from The Red Book (redbook.com.au) and are indicative market range only.
FEATURES
Gearbox
The five-speed gearbox is a slide-out, slide-in cassette-type, with first and fifth gear ratios replaceable. Additionally, there’s a three-speed ‘box available as a factory option.
Carburettor
The VOR could either come with a Keihin 39mm FCR carburettor or a Dell’Orto 38mm carburettor. The Keihin carb has a much crisper feel than the Dell’Orto, and it’s much more reliable too.
Electric Start
Thankfully, the VOR comes with an electric start. The kickstarter is mounted backwards, and kicking a 530 over arse-about is never going to be fun.
Paioli Suspension
The VOR is fitted with a quality set of Paioli suspenders to deal with all the harsh bumps.
Frame
The trick perimeter frame is made from a high quality CrMo.
Brakes
The brakes are a top-of-the-line set-up, with braking wave discs and the callipers being a full Brembo set-up.