The full story of Bimota, covering all the street and racing models from 1973 onward. Bimota started out modifying existing bikes, and then building its own high-performance machines. Its bikes were known for excellent handling, innovative design, and cutting-edge technology, and soon gained a loyal following.
Bimota was founded in 1973 by three friends: Valerio Bianchi, Giuseppe Morri, and Massimo Tamburini. The company specialises in producing high-performance motorcycles, incorporating exotic materials and cutting-edge technologies. Bimota quickly gained a reputation for producing limited edition, hand-built motorcycles that were prized for their exceptional quality and design.
Throughout its history, Bimota has collaborated with several well-known brands, including Yamaha, Suzuki, and Ducati, to produce unique and innovative bikes. The company has also won numerous awards for its innovative designs, including the prestigious ‘Motorcycle Designer of the Year’ award in 1992.
Despite facing financial difficulties in the 1990s and 2000s, Bimota continues to produce motorcycles, and has maintained its reputation as one of the premier brands in the motorcycle industry. Bimota motorcycles are prized by motorcycle enthusiasts and collectors for their exceptional quality, design, and engineering excellence. The company's commitment to innovation and excellence has earned it a place in the hearts of riders and fans around the world, and it continues to be a source of inspiration for the motorcycle community.
With a 50 year passion for Italian motorcycles Ian Falloon tells the full story of Bimota, covering all the street and racing models from 1973 onward.
Bimota is one of the most famous names in the Italian motorcycle industry
The name Bimota was derived from the names of the three founders; Valerio BIanch, Giuseppe MOrri, and Massimo TAmburini
Although Tamburini built a special from an MV Agusta 600 in 1971, the first Bimota was the Honda-powered HB1 of 1973
The failure of the V-Due led to Bimota’s bankruptcy in 2001
Bimota was resurrected in 2003, the new owner Roberto Comini and a new technical director Sergio Robbiano
Swiss contractors Daniele Longoni and Marco Chiancianesi took over in 2009
In 2017 the company closed yet again
In 2019 Kawasaki acquired a 49.9% stake in Bimota
A new range of Kawasaki powered Bimotas began in 2021
The Bimota Story covers the period 1973 to 2023, and includes coverage of the following models:
HB1 Prototype (1973), HB1 750 and Kit (1973-74), Paton-Bimota 1 500 (1973-74), YB1 250/350 (1974-75), HDB1 500 (1975-76), SB1 500 GP (1976), Paton Bimota 2 500 GP (1976), MB1 250 GP (1976), HDB2 250 GP (1976-77), HDB3 350 GP (1976-77), YB2 250/350 (1977), Kawasaki 900cc Transformation Kit, SB2 750 (1977-78), KB1 900/1000 (1978-82), YB3 250/350 GP (1978-81), SB3 1000 (1979-82), SB2 80 (1979-80), KB2 Laser 500/550 (1981-84), HB2 900 (1982-83), KB3 1000 (1983-86), SB4, SB4S 1100 (1983-84), HB3, HB3S 1100 (1983-85), Tesi Prototype 1 400 (1983), Tesi Prototype 2 750 (1984), SB5 1135 (1985-86), DB1 750 (1985-86), DB1S 750 (1986-87), DB1SR 750 (1987-89), DB1J 400 (1986-87), YB4 R 750 (1986-87), YB5 1200 (1987-88), YB4 E.I. 750, YB4 E.I. SP 750, YB4 E.I.R 750 (1988-89) , YB6 1000 (1988-90), YB6 Tuatara 1000 (1989-90), YB6 Exup 1000 (1989-90), YB7 400 J (1988-89), Tesi Prototype 5 851 (1989), YB8 1000 (1989-92), YB9 Bellaria 600 (1990-93), Tesi 1D 851 (1990-91), YB10 Dieci 1000, YB10 Dieci Biposto (1991-94), Tesi 1D 904 (1991-92), YB8 Furano 1000 (1992-95), Tesi 1D SR (1992-93), Tesi 1D J 400 (1992-93), GB1 735 (1993), Tesi 1D ES (1993-94), DB2 900 (1993-95), DB2 J 400 (1993-95), YB8 E (1993-95) , SB6 1100 (1994-96), SB7 750 (1994-96), DB2 SR 900 (1994-96), YB9 SR 600 (1994-96), Tesi 1D EF (1994-95), DB3 900 Mantra (1995-98), BB1 Supermono 650 (1994-95), BB1 Supermono Biposto 650 (1996-97), YB9 SRI 600 (1996-98), YB11 1000 Superleggera (1996-98), YB11 ES Edizione Speciale (1998), SB6 R 1100 (1997-98), DB2 EF 900 (1997-98), 500 Vdue (1997-98), DB4 900, DB4 LE 900, (1999-2000), SB8 R 1000, SB8 R 1000 Special (1998-2000) , 500 Vdue Trofeo And Evoluzione (1999-2000) , SB8 K (2000), 500 Vdue Evoluzione, Vdue Corsa Evoluzione, Vdue Corsa Edizione Finale (2003-05), SB8 K Gobert, SB8 K Santamonica (2004-05), DB5 1000 (2005-06), Tesi 2d (2005-06), DB6 Delirio 1000 (2006-07), Tesi 3D 1100 (2007-12), Tesi 3D Rock Gold (2008), Tesi 3D Evo (2012-14), DB5 Variants, DB5 R 1000 (2006-07), DB5 R 1100 (2008-09), DB5 C 1000 (2007), DB5 C 1100 (2008-10), DB5 1100 Borsalino (2008), DB5 S 1000 (2007), DB5 S 1100 (2008-10), DB5 RE 1100 (2011-12), B7 1100 (2008-13), DB7: 1100 Black Edition (2008), 1100 Oronero (2009); DB6 Variants: DB6 1100 (2008-10), R 1100 (2008-10), R Borsalino (2008), 1100 Evo (2011- 12), R 1100 Evo (2011-12); DB8: 1200 (2010-13), SP 1200 (2011-15), Oronero (2013-15), Italia 1200 (2013); DB9: 1200 (2012-16), S 1200, 9SC 1200 Brivido (2012-15); DB10: 1100, R 1100 (2012-14); DBX 1100 (2013-16): DB11; 1200 (2013-14), VLX (2013), BB3; 1000, 1000 Trofeo (2014-18), Tesi 3D; Naked 1100, Naked 40th Anniversario 1100, Final Edition, Racecafe 800 (2014-16), H2 (2020): KB4 (2022-), KB4 RC (2023-), BX450 (2023-), and Tera
