Bimota

1998 Bimota V Due Evoluzione Finale

Posted: December 28, 2021

Known as the bike that drove Bimota into bankruptcy, the Bimota V Due was the first and only bike Bimota built with an engine of its own design and construction. A 500c V-twin 2 stroke which featured crankcase fuel injection, the V Due was a tremendously ambitious under taking. Not only was it their first […]

1997 Bimota SB6R

Posted: December 28, 2021

Built using a 1997 Suzuki GSXR1100 engine, the Bimota SB6R was 50 lbs. lighter than the donor bike. Using Bimota’s Straight Line Connection frame design, the SB6R had a significantly lower center of gravity too. It was an improved version of the Bimota SB6 which preceded it, featuring better mass concentration and slightly lower weight. […]

1997 Bimota DB2 Edizione Finale

Posted: December 27, 2021

The Bimota DB2 was first introduced in 1993 and produced until 1997. The bike featured the air cooled 90 degree desmo V twin used in the Ducati 900SS in a lighter more compact trellis frame. Weighing about 30 lbs less than a 900SS SP, the DB2 replaced the DB1 and served as a relatively high […]

1985 Bimota DB1

Posted: December 27, 2021

The first Bimota to use a Ducati engine, the Bimota DB1 was a pivotal motorcycle. Featuring the 2 valve per cylinder 90 degree 750cc v-twin from the Ducati 750F1, the bike had a trellis frame, which used the engine as a stressed member to hold the swingarm pivot. Combined with all encompassing bodywork the bike […]

1984 Bimota SB4/KB3 Nick Ienatsch Motorcyclist Magazine Build

Posted: December 27, 2021

The 1984 Bimota SB4 and KB3 shared a common frame and running gear with different engine mounting plates for the Suzuki GS1100 engine or Kawasaki KZ1000 engine. Different subframes were also made to make use of either Suzuki or Kawasaki gauges. With fiberglass bodies, complex small tube space frames, and top notch suspension components, these […]

1998 Bimota V Due Editzione Finale

Posted: April 28, 2020

One of 50 V Due built to the this spec. Jolly Moto exhaust chambers

Bimota is a small manufacturer of handbuilt motorcycles  in Rimini Italy. Founded in 1973 by Valerio Bianchi, Giuseppe Morri and Massimo Tamburini, BiMoTa, to build motorcycle chassis to address the handling deficiencies of the major manufacturers motorcycles. Initially they produced chassis kits which featured superior handling through superior design, lightweight construction, components, and spectacular styling. Moving to production of complete motorcycles the company initially purchased motorcycles from manufactures, stripped them of their engines and ancillary components they could use in their designs to construct complete motorcycles models sold under their brand. Ultimately they were able to contract with many of the major manufacturers for engines to use in their designs and in 1997 to build a motorcycle with an engine of their own design and production, the V Due.

During the early 80s, they gained prominence as a chassis supplier to race teams. In 1980 Jon Ekerold, won the 350cc world championship on a Yamaha-powered Bimota. By the late 80s they had progressed to providing complete motorcycles to race teams. Virginio Ferrari won the 1987 Formula TT title aboard a YB4 EI (Yamaha 750 engined). In the inaugural 1988 Superbike World Championship season, Davide Tardozzi, despite winning more races than any other competitor, finished third in the championship on another YB4 EI.

While always an innovator in constructing superior handling chassis, Bimota also introduced innovations like the Tesi 1D in 1990, which featured center hub steering. In 1997, they introduced the first electronically controlled fuel injected two stroke motorcycle, the V Due. Unfortunately the V Due, the first Bimota motorcycle with an engine of their own design and construction was a reach too far for the small company. Suffering from significant running issues due to manufacturing and design flaws, Bimota was ultimately forced to recall the entire production run of motorcycles. This combined with other problems caused the company to go into bankruptcy and close its doors in 2001.

Revived in 2003, the company produced models using the Ducati engines until the factory closed again in 2018. A 49% ownership stake taken by Kawaski in 2019 enabled the factory to reopen and for the development of new models with Kawasaki engines to commence.