The Big Car Database

Bimota Motorcycles

Bimota SpA
Type
Private
Industry Motorcycle
Founded 1973; 46 years ago (1973)
Founder Valerio Bianchi
Giuseppe Morri
Massimo Tamburini
Headquarters
Rimini
,
Italy
Website bimota.it

Bimota is a small Italian manufacturer of custom and production motorcycles.

It was founded in 1973 in Rimini, Italy by Valerio Bianchi, Giuseppe Morri, and Massimo Tamburini The company name is a portmanteau derived from the first two letters of each of the three founders' surnames, Bianchi Morri Tamburini

Products

 
Bimota Tesi 3D

Because the state of frame design and overall packaging was poor, Bimota concentrated initially on building high-quality motorcycles around existing engines. From the beginning they customised the top models of Suzuki, Honda and Kawasaki. During the late 1970s, Bimota also helped develop and build motorcycles branded as Lamborghinis.[citation needed] In the 1980s they also customised Yamaha and Ducati motorcycles.

Bimota's co-founder and long-time chief designer Tamburini has been an influential player in the development of other Italian brands, most significantly his work on the popular Ducati 916, the Ducati Paso, and the MV Agusta F4; other designers such as current Bimota chief Sergio Robbiano have also been involved with larger-volume manufacturers.

Bimota models currently in production include the DB5, DB6, DB7, DB9 and the Tesi, with a DB8 featuring the Ducati 1198 engine in development. The latest model features the Tesi 3D which along with the co-designed Vyrus is said to be the only bike on production to house Hub Steering.

Racing

Bimota first experienced international racing success in 1980 when Jon Ekerold, a true privateer, won the 350cc world championship on a Yamaha-powered Bimota. They also experienced success in the early years of the Superbike World Championship. Virginio Ferrari won the 1987 Formula TT title aboard a YB4 EI, partnering with Davide Tardozzi. Tardozzi won five races in the inaugural 1988 world superbike championship, more than any other competitor, but inconsistent results relegated him to third place in the final standings.

After many years without success, the Australian rider Anthony Gobert caused a major shock in 2000 by winning a wet race at Philip Island on a Bimota SB8R. The Alstare team entered a Bimota package into World Superbikes in 2014 for riders Ayrton Badovini and Christian Iddon, however the bike initially did not have enough units in production to pass the championship's homoglation rules. As a compromise, the bikes were allowed to enter from round 2, but ineligible for points until homoglation is achieved. At the end of the year the team finished unclassified and disqualified.

Bankruptcy and rebirth

 
Bimota Vdue

The V Due, introduced in 1997, had a design flaw with its engine. Bimota was forced to ditch the novel fuel injection system and re-engineer the entire engine. Bimota ultimately recalled the entire run of the V Due, and made an improved version, the 'Evoluzione'. Only 340 original V Dues and 21 Evoluziones were built. While this was occurring, during the 2000 World Superbike season, one of Bimota's main sponsors disappeared, owing the company a great deal of money. The combination of events forced Bimota to file for bankruptcy and close their doors.

A new group of investors purchased the rights to the Bimota name and designs and restarted the company. The investors that bought Bimota, Marco Chiancianesi who is the current president and his business partner Daniele Longoni are both active Scientologists.

Recent reports paint a less optimistic picture for the future of Bimota. In 2017, the factory at Rimini reportedly closed with spares and incomplete bikes mothballed elsewhere, possibly Switzerland.

List of Bimota motorcycles

Bimota model names reflect the origin of the engines they begin with: Yamaha engined models being with a "Y", Honda models with a "H", Suzuki versions with a "S", Kawasaki versions with a "K", andDucati versions with a "D". For example, the DB5 and SB8K are the 5th Ducati-engined and 8th Suzuki-engined models.

Engine maker Model Engine Quantity Year of production
Bimota V Due 500 cm³ 2-stroke 150 1997–1999
V Due Corsa 26 1999–2001
V Due Corsa Evoluzione 120 2001–2003
V Due Evoluzione 14 2003
V Due Racing Edizione Finale 30 2005
BMW BB1 Supermono Rotax extract from BMW F650 376 1995–1997
BB1 Supermono Biposto 148 1996–1997
BB2 S1000RR 1 2012
BB3   2014
Ducati 666 LE 992 Desmodue DS 1 2003
DB1 750 Paso 453 1985–1986
DB1 S 63 1986–1987
DB1 SR 153 1987–1989
DB1 J 400 SS 52 1986–1987
DB2 904 Desmodue 408 1993–1995
DB2 J 398 Desmodue 106 1994–1995
DB2 SR 904 Desmodue 157 1994–1996
DB2 EF 100 1997–1998
DB3 Mantra 454 1995–1998
DB4 264 1999–2000
DB4 i.e.   2000–2001
DB5 992 Desmodue DS   2005
DB5 R   2006–2007
DB5 S 1078 Desmodue DS   2007
DB5 R   2007–2011
DB5 Borsalino   2007
DB5 E Desiderio 1078 Desmodue Evoluzione   2011
DB5 RE  
DB6 Delirio 992 Desmodue DS   2005
DB6 Delirio Azzuro 23 2006
DB6 R 1078 Desmodue DS   2007
DB6 Borsalino  
DB6 Superlight   2010
DB6 Delirio E 1078 Desmodue Evoluzione   2011
DB6 Delirio RE  
DB7 1098 Testastretta Evoluzione   2007
DB7 Oronero 10 2008
DB7 Nerocarbonio 50 2009
DB8 1198 Testastretta Evoluzione   2010–2012
DB8 SP   2011–2012
DB8 Italia 1198 Testastretta 11°   2013
DB9 Brivido 1198 Testastretta 11°   2011
DB9 Brivido S   2011
DB10 B.motard 1078 Desmodue Evoluzione   2011
DBx   2013
DB11 1198 Testastretta 11°   2013
Drako 904 Desmodue 1 2003
Tesi 1/D 851 851 Desmoquattro 127 1990–1991
Tesi 1/D J 400 SS 51 1992–1993
Tesi 1/D 906 904 cm³
(derived from 851 Desmoquattro)
20 1991–1992
Tesi 1/D SR 144 1992–1993
Tesi 1/D ES (Edizione Speciale) 50 1993
Tesi 1/D EF (Edizione Finale) 25 1994
Tesi 2/D 992 Desmodue DS 25 2005–2006
Tesi 3/D Concept 1078 Desmodue DS 29 2007
Tesi 3/D   2008
Tesi 3/D Rock Gold 1 2009
Gilera GB1 750 RC 2 1993
Harley-Davidson HDB1 500 Aermacchi 1 1976–1977
HDB2 250 or 350 Aermacchi 35
HDB3 350 Aermacchi 2
Honda HB1 CB 750 Four / CB400F 10 / 12 (est) 1975–1976
HB2 CB 900 Bol d'Or 193 1982–1983
HB3 CB 1100 101 1983–1985
HB4 CBR 600 RR Fireblade   2010
Kawasaki KB1 900 Z1 319 1978–1981
KB1 T2 Z1000 508 1981–1982
KB2 Z 500 37 1981–1984
KB2 J Z 400
KB2 S Z 550 72
KB2 TT Z 600 62
KB3 Z 1000 J 112 1983–1984
Suzuki SB1 TR500 50 1975–1977
SB2 GS 750 140 1977–1979
SB2 80 30 1979–1980
SB3 GS 1000 402 1980–1983
SB4 1100 Katana 272 1983–1984
SB5 GSX 1135 158 1985–1986
SB6 GSX-R 1100 1144 1994–1996
SB6R 600 1997–1998
SB7 GSX-R 750 200 1994–1995
SB8 R TL 1000 R   1998–2000
SB8 RS 150 on demand
SB8 K   2000
SB8 K Gobert   2005
SB8 K Santa Monica  
Yamaha YB1 TZ 250 ou 350 12 1974–1975
YB2 15 1977
YB3 15 1978–1980
YB4 R FZ 750 2 1987
YB4 e.i. 303 1988–1989
YB4 e.i. SP 15
YB5 FJ 1200 208 1987–1988
YB6 FZR 1000 546 1988–1990
YB6 Tuatara 60 1989–1990
YB6 Exup 114
YB7 FZR 400 321 1987–1988
YB8 FZR 1000 Exup 252 1990–1992
YB8 Furano 152 1992–1993
YB8 E 169 1993–1994
YB9 Bellaria FZR 600 145 1990–1993
YB9 SR 651 1994–1996
YB9 SRI 225 1996–1998
YB10 Dieci FZR 1000 Exup 224 1991–1994
YB10 Biposto 38 1992–1993
YB11 Superleggera 1000 Thunderace 600 1996–1998
YB11 25th Anniversary 50 1998