Bimota SB2 (1977) HD Wallpapers, Price, Brakes

                                   Bimota SB2

                                   The SB2’s stunning styling and advanced chassis technology resulted in a bike that could almost have been built more than 20 years after its actual debut in 1977. The Bimota’s swooping one-piece tank cover and seat unit was a self-supporting structure made from fibreglass and aluminium. Other advanced features included cast wheels, drilled discs and rising-rate monoshock suspension.

                                 When Bimota, a small company from Rimini in north-eastern Italy, released its first streetbike in 1977, motorcycle design took a sudden leap forward. The SB2. powered by the 748cc four-cylinder engine from Suzuki’s recently released GS750 four, was visually striking, brilliantly engineered and uniquely single-minded. Its bold, fully-faired styling was matched by a chassis that combined a technically advanced frame with state-of-the-art cycle parts.

                                   Bimota, whose co-founder and genius designer Massimo Tamburini would later create such bikes as the Ducati 916 and MV Agusta F4, had already established an unmatched reputation in grand prix racing, having produced the chassis that Johnny Cecotto and Walter Villa had used to win 250 and 350cc world championships in 1975 and ’76. With the SB2, Tamburini brought to the street some of that racing technology, including the first monoshock rear suspension system seen on a production motorcycle.

                                The SB2 frame was made from tubular steel, but was a much more complex and advanced structure than the twin-downtube affairs of most mass-produced superbikes. Fabricated from chrome-molybdenum tube of varying diameters, it featured a heavily braced steering head area, used the engine as a stressed member, and incorporated conical couplings that enabled the front and rear frame sections to be split, facilitating engine removal. Steering geometry could be adjusted by rotating eccentric bearings in the triple clamps.

                                   The Bimota also held its fork legs at a different angle to the steering head (28 degrees the forks, 24 the head), to reduce the change in trail under braking. The vertically mounted rear De Carbon unit was operated by a rising-rate rocker arm. The box-section steel swingarm curved outwards to pivot concentric with the final drive sprocket, maintaining constant chain tension. Chassis details such as triple clamps and foot controls were machined from aircraft-grade aluminium alloy.

No expense spared

                            Tamburini also spared no expense in specifying the cycle parts, which included 35mm Ceriani forks with internals modified by Bimota, five-spoke alloy wheels in 18-inch diameters, and drilled Brembo discs gripped by twin-piston calipers. Even the dramatically shaped tank/seat unit was highly- advanced. Made from fibreglass lined with aluminium, it was self-supporting, so required no rear subframe and was a predecessor of modern carbon-fibre structures of similar design. The SB2 weighed 440lb (200kg) without fuel - 60lb (27kg) less than the standard GS750.

                                        The SB2 held Suzuki’s dohc 16-valve air­cooled engine 25mm higher than in the standard bike for improved ground clearance. Bimota’s basic SB2 model used a standard engine, but many owners opted for a tuning package. This typically combined Mikuni smoothbore carbs, 850cc big- bore kit, Yoshimura cams and high-compression pistons, plus a free-breathing four-into-one exhaust system. Peak output would typically be about 85bhp, up from the standard 68bhp.

                                    That combined with the Bimota’s sleek shape and light weight to give storming acceleration to a top speed of around I30mph (2l0km/h), but it was the bike’s handling that really stood out. The SB2 was compact, firmly suspended and highly manoeuvrable. Yet it was also remarkably stable and controllable in tight turns and sweeping curves alike, thanks to its blend of race-developed geometry, chassis rigidity and suspension control. It also had powerful brakes, abundant ground clearance and excellent roadholding.

                                      For all-round performance and cornering ability the SB2 was streets ahead of mass-produced superbike in 1977. Inevitaly it was hugely expensive, and in many markets cost three times as much as the standard GS750. Only 70 units were built, and Bimota was forced to compromise slightly with subsequent machines. All of which merely adds to the reputation of the SB2: the finest, most advanced superbike of its era.

                            Specification Bimota SB2                                                          (1977)

• Engine Air-cooled dohc eight-valve four (Suzuki GS750)
• Capacity 749cc (65 x 56.4mm)
• Maximum power 68bhp @ 8500rpm (standard engine)
• Transmission Five-speed, chain final drive
• Frame Tubular steel space-frame
• Suspension Telescopic front; monoshock rear
• Brakes Twin discs front; disc rear
• Weight 440lb (200kg)

Bimota HB2 (1982) HD Wallpapers, Price, Brakes

                              Bimota HB2

                        Thanks to a rigid frame, top quality suspension and light weight, the HB2's handling was in a different league to that of most superhikes.

                             The Bimota’s full fairing and one-piece tank- seat unit were typically racy touches from a firm with an impressive history’ of grand prix success.

                             Bimota’s exotic HB2. with its rounded half-fairing, one-piece tank-seat unit, aluminium frame sections and rising-rate rear suspension unit, seemed like a motorcycle from a different planet when it was launched in 1982. The sleek Italian superhike's Japanese rivals were mostly naked fours with steel frames and twin shocks. Even Honda’s mighty CBl 100R was almost old-fashioned by comparison.

                           The HB2’s initials stood for Honda Bimota. and its engine was the air-cooled. 90lcc twin-cam engine from the Japanese giant’s CB900F. In Bimota style the 16-valve motor was left standard, complete with its bank of Keihin carbs and airbox. although some owners fitted larger flat-slide Mikunis. Bimota's twin-silencer exhaust system saved some weight but barely increased the standard 900F’s output of 94bhp.

                          The big motor was partially covered by the Bimota's half-fairing, which blended with the one-piece tank-seat unit. (This could be removed after undoing just four bolts plus an electrical connector.) The screen was usefully tall and protective; the view' from the rider’s thinly padded single seat was of a top triple clamp machined from a solid chunk of lightweight alloy.

Stiff and lightweight frame

                            When the tank-seat unit was removed, the quality of the HB2 became clear. The frame’s visible steel tubes, which ran down to join the alloy plates at the swingarm pivot, were backed up by numerous smaller tubes around the steering head. The aluminium plates at the swingarm pivot provided strength and light weight in that crucial area. A De Carbon rear shock, vertically mounted and operated via a rising-rate linkage, replaced the 900F’s twin shocks. Front suspension was exotic, too: a pair of Ceriani telescopic forks with gold-finished sliders and, at the top of the legs, adjusters that could be turned by hand.

                                 In combination with the Bimota’s reduced weight - at 441 lb (200kg) it was over 70lb (32kg) lighter than the CB900F - that gave a substantial handling advantage. The suspension worked superbly well, giving a taut yet also very comfortable ride. Other high quality parts included five-spoke alloy wheels, produced in the 16-inch diameters that were popular in grand prix racing at the time. The front brake set-up of twin-piston Brembo calipers and drilled 280mm discs was state of the art, as was the fat Michel in rubber.

                                   And the Italian bike was superb in a straight line, too. At low revs the Honda engine impressed with its smoothness and torque, especially with the original CV carbs in place. There were no glitchesor stumbles as the Bimota purred forward at a fearsome rate. Unlike the standard Honda, the HB2 had the fairing and the tucked-in riding position to make cruising speeds of lOOmph (161km/h) or more hugely enjoyable for almost as long as its rider dared. And the HB2 remained impeccably stable as it headed towards a top speed that one magazine tested at 138mph (222km/h).

                                Fewer than 200 examples of the exotic HB2 were built, plus a further 100 units of its similarly styled successor the HB3, which was powered by the engine from Honda’s CB1100R. The HB3 was produced until 1985, by which time the Japanese manufacturers, too, had introduced fairings, aluminium frames and monoshock suspension. In typical Bimota style, the HB2 had led the way.

Original Bimota: the HB1

                             Bimota's first ever bike had also been powered by a four-cylinder Honda engine The first HB1 was built from the wreck of the CB750 that Bimota design ace Massimo Tamburini had crashed at Misano. With its racetrack-der ved sty ng and rigid tubular steel frame, the HB1 was a stunningly advanced mach ne when unveiled in 1972. Only ten examples were ever produced.

                    Specification Bimota HB2                                                       (1982)

• Engine Air-cooled dohc 16-valve four (Honda CB900F)
• Capacity 901cc (64.5 x 69mm)
• Maximum power 95bhp @ 9000rpm
• Transmission Five-speed, chain final drive
• Frame Tubular steel space-frame
• Suspension Telescopic front; monoshock rear
• Brakes Twin discs front; disc rear
• Weight 4411b (200kg)
• Top speed 138mph (222km/h)

Bimota YB6 EXUP (1989) Review, Top speed, Color

                           Bimota YB6 EXUP

                        The YB6 EXUPs format of twin-headlamp fairing and aluminium beam frame was identical to that of the Yamaha EZRI000 that provided its I002cc engine. But the Bimota. developed from the 750cc YB4 El that formed the basis of Bimota’s world Formula One championship winning racebike, was a singleminded race-replica.

                          Bimota's YB series machines were among the finest sports bikes of the late 1980s, combining powerful four-cylinder Yamaha motors with the twin-spar aluminium frame layout that would be adopted by major manufacturers in subsequent years. To that basic format the small Rimini firm added sharp styling, high-quality cycle parts and top-level racetrack development, plus the exclusivity that came with a bike that was hand- built in very small numbers.

                             The story of Bimota's Yamaha-engined four began in 1987, when factory rider Virginio Ferrari won the Formula One world championship, then the leading four-stroke race series. Ferrari’s YB4 was powered by Yamaha's liquid-cooled 20-valve FZ750 engine. Bimota's subsequent YB4 El roadster was a replica of Ferrari's machine, and was quickly followed by a similar YB6 model using the larger engine from the FZR1000. Unlike the YB4, whose El initials signified that it was fuel-injected, the YB6 used carburettors.

                                 The YB6 was a big success and was followed a year later by the YB6 EXUP model, also known as the YB8, following Yamaha's release of the FZR1000 EXUP. This combined an uprated engine plus the new EXUP exhaust valve that increased mid-range power delivery. As usual, Bimota retained the Yamaha engine in standard form, but added a less restrictive silencer that added a claimed 4bhp to the power output, giving a maximum of 147bhp at lO.OOOrpm.

                               Like the standard YB6, the EXUP version used a YB4 style frame with rectangular-section aluminium spars. Front forks and the rear shock, complete with remove reservoir, were from Italian specialist Marzocchi. Four-piston Brembo front brake calipers gripped huge fully floating discs.

                              The riding position was racy, with low clip-on handlebars, high footrests and a thinly padded single seat.

Compact and aerodynamic

                                 Along with its slightly increased power, the YB6 EXUP was more compact and aerodynamic than the standard FZR1000. as well as 501b (23kg) lighter. That meant that it was probably the fastest and hardest-accelerating production motorcycle in the world. Its smooth, high-revving power sent the Bimota storming to a top speed of 170mph (274km/h). Equally impressive was the big 20- valve Yamaha motor’s smooth, torquey feel throughout the rev range.

                          Given the Bimota's race-developed background and its close links to the factory YB4, it was no surprise that the YB6 EXUP was very stable even when approaching its maximum velocity. And it also handled superbly at all speeds. Steering was light and neutral, grip from the fat Michelin radial tyres immense, ground clearance absolute. The brakes were excellent, too. u ith a combination of bite and feel to rival the very bet.s

                              The extra torque and refinement of Yamaha’s new motor had added the finishing touch to make a magnificent sports bike. Inevitably the YB6 models were also hugely expensive. Despite that they were a success for Bimota, which built a total of more than 650 over the next few years - a large number by the standards of the tiny Rimini firm.

                             Bimota produced an even more exotic variation on the YB6 theme in 1989, witn the Tuatara model of which only 60 units were built. This bike, named after a lizard that was one of the world's slowest animals, was powered by the previous 989cc Yamaha FZR1000 engine, fitted with a Weber-Marelli fuel-injection system in place of carburettors. The result was a claimed peak output of 152bhp at 9500rpm. 

                               Other changes included upside-down Marzocchi forks, ultra-light magnesium wheels, and a futuristic digital instrument console. Bimota claimed a top speed of 180mph (290km/h), which proved highly optimistic. But very few things, on two wheels or four legs, were faster.

                                   Light weight, a rigid frame and top-class parts gave the YB6 suptr- handling and bred

              Specification Bimota YB6 EXUP                                                 (1989)

• Engine Liquid-cooled dohc 20-valve four
• Capacity 1002cc (75.5 x 56mm)
• Maximum power 147bhp @ 10,000rpm
• Transmission Six-speed, chain final drive
• Frame Aluminium twin spar
• Suspension Telescopic front; monoshock rear
• Brakes Twin discs front; disc rear
• Weight 407lb (185kg) wet
• Top speed 170mph (274km/h)

Bimota YB11 (1996) Specification, Review, HD Photos

                              Bimota YB11

          Bimota’s reputation as a manufacturer of top class super-sports bikes had been based on its advanced and lightweight chassis. This left the tiny Italian firm vulnerable during the mid-1990s, when mass-produced Japanese superbike chassis had become so good

                       that many were difficult to equal, let alone better. But Bimota continued to produce super-sports machines offering outstanding performance, notably the YB11 Superleggera of 1996.

                       Ironically, the YB11 ’s twin-spar aluminium frame, far from being futuristic in Bimota tradition, was closely based on that of the YB6 of several years earlier. But that took nothing away from the YB 11, which was beautifully styled, fitted with top quality cycle parts, and had an uncompromisingly aggressive personality.

                     The YB11 justified its Superleggera, or ‘superlight’, name by scaling just 4031b (183kg), a substantial 331b (13kg) lighter than the Yamaha YZF1000R Thunderace that supplied its 1002cc four-cylinder engine. Although the frame’s main beams were unchanged from the YB6, the top cross-member was located nearer the steering head, adding rigidity. A sophisticated Paioli rear shock operated a new aluminium swingarm; Paioli also supplied the large-diameter front forks.

                                 Bimota made no internal changes to the 20- valve, liquid-cooled Thunderace motor, which in standard form produced 145bhp. But the Rimini firm fitted a larger airbox, fed via ducts in the fairing nose. According to Bimota. this added a few horsepower in conjunction with a new four-into- one pipe and reworked carburettors.

                         Although the YBl I shared its engine and chassis type with the YZF1000R, the two bikes felt distinctly different. The Bimota was more racy, w ith firmer suspension, thinner seat and stretched- out riding position. The Italian bike's reduced weight gave a slight edge to straight-line performance, as the Superleggera had a power-to-weight ratio that no mass-produced rival could match.

Vicious acceleration

                            A crack of the throttle sent the Bimota hurtling forward towards a top speed of 17()mph (274km/h). Peak power was produced at lO.OOOrpm. and the acceleration at high revs was vicious. But its Yamaha engine's greatest strength was mid-range response, and that remained true of the YB 11. It pulled with stunning urgency when the throttle was wound open even from below 4000rpm in top gear.

                          Like most Bimotas, this was not a practical motorbike. Its suspension was too firm to work properly at low speed on bumpy roads, but on smooth surfaces the bike handled superbly. Its Brembo brakes were wrist-punishingly powerful, and its levels of steering agility, roadholding and ground clearance immense.

                          Inevitably the YB 11 could not match the performance advantage that some of its predecessors had enjoyed over their mass-produced contemporaries. Equally inevitably, the hand-built Italian bike was hugely expensive as well as impractical. But it was beautiful and rare as well as seriously fast, and enough people were prepared to pay the premium to make the Superleggera a success.

                            Bimota claimed the YBII produced slightly more power than the standard Yamaha Thunderace whose engine it used. Combined with the Italian bike’s light weight, this resulted in devastating straight-line performance.

                         Although the YB11 held its 20-valve Yamaha engine in a chassis whose layout was very similar to that of the standard ) ZR1000 Thunderace, the i'alian bike had a distinctly '' tier personality. Its slim ’i?. firm suspension, seat and racy • tr\ gave a typically Bimota feel.

Tesi: the Forkless Failure

                         Bimota's Tesi, with its futuristic hub-centre front suspension system in place of telescopic forks, was intended to lead the motorcycle world into a new era of advanced chassis design. Chief engineer Pierluigi Marconi's creation, begun when he was a student (Tesi means 'thesis' in Italian), featured a twin-sided swingarm supporting the front wheel, which steered by pivoting on a bearing inside its hub. A series of rods linked handlebars to front wheel.

                            Powered by the liquid-cooled, eight-valve V-twin engine from Ducati's 851, the Tesi 1D was fast and glamorous when it appeared in 1991. But although its unique chassis gave an advantage when braking into a turn, the Tesi's handling was inconsistent, partly due to the complex steering system being prone to wear. These problems combined with the bike's high price to make the Tesi a failure that Bimota's reputation and finances could ill afford.

                            Lean styling, broad frame spars and four-into- one silencer gave the Bimota a racy appearance.

                         The YBIl's frame was a development of the twin-spar aluminium structure introduced on the YB4ie racebike in 1987.

                Specification Bimota YB11 (1996)

• Engine Liquid-cooled dohc 20-valve four (Yamaha Thunderace) 

• capacity 1002cc (75.5 x 56mm) 

• Maximum power 148bhp @ 10,000rpm 

• Transmission Five-speed, chain final drive 

• Frame Aluminium twin beam 

• Suspension Telescopic front; monoshock rear 

• Brakes Twin discs front; disc rear 

• Weight 403lb (183kg)

• Top speed 170mph (274km/h)

Bimota Tesi 2D (2004) Wikipedia, Price, Top speed

                              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)