Milan Show 2007: Bimota

Latest rumblings from Rimini.

If you’ve heard of Bimota, you probably associate the company with exclusivity, high performance and exquisite engineering. But you also probably have heard of financial troubles and problems with some of its models, most notably the ill-fated 500 two-stroke Due. But at the 2007 Milan Show, none of those problems were evident. Although small, the Bimota booth showed a nice selection of beautiful motorcycles, we’re told that orders are brisk, and there was even a new model to show.

The DB7 was the big news here. This all-new model takes the Ducati 1098 Testastretta motor and packs it into a chassis made of oval-section steel tubing and machined-from-billet alloy mounting plates. The subframe is structural carbon-fiber, and suspension is fully adjustable Marzocchi race-spec 43mm upside-down fork in front, with an Extreme Tech unit in back, the latter with a linkage and mounting so beautiful it seems a shame to even sit on the bike.

The four-valve, liquid-cooled engine is basically stock but gets some small changes—like a new exhaust system—to eke out a few more horsepower. Output is a claimed 165 hp, with a claimed dry weight of 379 pounds. Pricing has not been set but expect it to be around 26,000 Euros—$37,700 in our primitive currency. Sure, Ducati’s new 1098R is lighter and more powerful, but it’s actually more expensive and it doesn’t look like a Bimota.

The other news is a sharper version of the Delirio naked sportster, the DB6 R. It gets a new brake master cylinder, new carbon-fiber bodywork and forged alloy wheels that save 12 pounds. The powerplant is also upgraded, with the Ducati DS1100 motor—complete with a new slipper-type dry clutch—filling the space between the wheels. Dry weight is the same as the DB7, 379 pounds.

The best news is that Bimota seems serious about selling bikes and providing modern customer service in all markets, including the USA. The company has hired American Dan VanEpps away from Ducati to “guide global strategy.” He has 30 years of experience, including many years with European brands. Expect about 1000 bikes to be produced in 2008, impressive when you realize that each bike is hand-assembled over the course of a day by two technicians.

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7

2008 Bimota DB7