Bimota Tesi 2D
With its lack of bodywork and mass of frame tubes and steering linkage rods, the Tesi looked uniquely basic and unfinished. But the minimalist appearance had a distinct appeal that was backed-up by the Bimota’s fine handling and flexible power delivery, both of which helped make the bike respectably fast and improbably easy to ride.
There has been no stranger looking or more improbable superbike in recent years than the Bimota Tesi 2D. With its curious, stripped-down appearance and aluminium swingarms jutting out at both front and rear, the Tesi looked like a combination of giant mechanicalinsect and part-finished project bike.
In fact, the unmistakable Tesi was the first brand new model from reborn Bimota, the legendary Italian chassis specialist whose colourful story seemed to have ended in 2000. when the firm from Rimini had gone bust following the failure of its ambitious ‘clean-burning’ 500 Vdue two-stroke sports bike.
Four years later Bimota was back, under new management, with the stunningly revamped 2D version of the forkless Tesi, the original of which had been launched in 1991. This time the Ducati powerplant was the 992cc sohc V-twin unit from the Multistrada. It was almost hidden by the inverted U-shaped aluminium plates of the Tesi frame, which was essentially unchanged from the
original ID model’s design, although almost everything else was new.
The Tesi 2D had begun life as a prototype called the Vyrus, produced by a small. Rimini- based firm called VDM. headed by a former Bimota mechanic named Ascanio Rodrigo. After Bimota abandoned production of the original Tesi, Rodrigo and his small team continued development, and refined the forkless machine into a racebike, which they named the Vyrus. It was raced with some success in twins championships in 2002.
Rodrigo had plans to produce the Vyrus as a streetbike. but, following Bimota’s rebirth, the two companies reached agreement that Bimota w'ould take over the project. As before, a complex series of rods and ball-joints linked the hub-centre steering mechanism to the handlebars. The big, braced aluminium swingarm was new, though, as were the suspension units from Rome-based specialist Double System. These were air units, with no mechanical spring.
Despite its outlandish appearance, the Tesi felt quite normal, and was impressively light and easy to ride. At just 3391b (154kg) dry the Bimota was almost 1101b (50kg) lighter than the Multistrada. And it handled with a superb blend of effortless steering and confidence-inspiring stability at speed. Although the Tesi was quick and easy to turn, it always tracked well, with no hint of handlebar shake despite the lack of a steering damper.
The air-cooled Ducati V-twin motor’s flexibility and abundance of midrange torque also played a big part in making the bike great fun to ride. The 84bhp Ducati unit was powerful and flexible enough to give lively acceleration. And partly due to the lack of wind protection, the Bimota felt reasonably fast despite a modest top speed of about 140mph (225km/h).
In typical hub-centre style, the Tesi worked especially well under braking, when its lack of fork dive gave outstanding stability and allowed the suspension to keep working even when the powerful Brembos were used deep into turns. The Tesi 2D was expensive and built only in very small numbers but its arrival confirmed Bimota’s return as a small but uniquely inventive motorcycling force.
Conventional V-twin: the DB5
A year after the Tesi 2D's arrival, Bimota broadened its range with a cleverly engineered but less radical sportster, the DB5, based on the same 992cc Ducati V-twin engine. The frame combined aluminium plates and steel tubes. High- quality cycle parts included Ohlins suspension and Brembo brake calipers on Bimota's own radial mounts.
Imprecise fuel-injection marred some initial machines, and, in Bimota tradition, the DB5 was built in small numbers and was very expensive. But it was a torquey, light and fine-handling bike that combined style and exclusivity in best Bimota tradition.
The frame’s main inverted U-shaped aluminium plates, retained from the original Tesi, held the 992cc V-twin engine from Ducati’s Multistrada.
Frontal view from the left shows the carbon air-scoop by the headlight, and the horizontally mounted shock unit below the aluminium front swing arm.
Specification Bimota Tesi 2D (2004)
- Engine Air-cooled sohc four-valve 90-degree V-twin
- Capacity 992cc (94 x 71,5mm)
- Maximum power 84bhp @ 8000rpm
- Transmission Six-speed, chain final drive
- Frame Aluminium plates
- Suspension Hub-centre front; single shock rear
- Brakes Twin discs front; disc rea
- Weight 339lb (154kg)
- Top speed 140mph (225km/h)
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