The Bimota DB1 was a
motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...
manufactured by
Bimota between 1985 and 1990 in Rimini, Italy. Originally commissioned by
Cagiva
Cagiva is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer. It was founded in 1950 by Giovanni Castiglioni in Varese, originally producing small metal components. Giovanni's sons, Claudio and Gianfranco Castiglioni, went into the motorcycle industry in 1978. ...
, the DB1 was designed by Bimota's Technical Director, and ex-Ducati engineer, Dr. Frederico Martini, and it saved Bimota from almost certain bankruptcy. DB1 stands for Ducati Bimota One, i.e. the first Bimota powered by a Ducati engine compared to, say, the SB3 - Suzuki, Bimota, third design.
Features
Being the first all-Italian Bimota it came with a 750 cc
Ducati
Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. () is the motorcycle-manufacturing division of Italian company Ducati, headquartered in Bologna, Italy. The company is directly owned by Italian automotive manufacturer Lamborghini, whose German parent company is Au ...
90°
V-twin engine
A V-twin engine, also called a V2 engine, is a two-cylinder piston engine where the cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration.
Although widely associated with motorcycles (installed either transversely or longi ...
with Desmodromic valve-train in different levels of tune and styling. The frame is made of Chrome-Molybdenum steel tubing and uses a Triangulated Upper Space Frame or "Birdcage" design. The engine is a stressed member and the swingarm pivots in engine's crankcase. The DB1s triple-trees, clip-ons, rear-sets and several other bits are made of lightweight, hot stamped and billet Avional 14 aluminum. The Cagiva/Bimota/Ducati/DB1 prototype morphed into the
Ducati Paso
The Ducati Paso was introduced in 1986 with the slogan "Il nostro passato ha un grande futuro" (Our past has a great future). The name was in honour of racer Renzo Pasolini, nicknamed "Paso", who died on 20 May 1973 in an accident at the Monza ...
ironically designed by Bimota co-founder
Massimo Tamburini
Massimo Tamburini (November 28, 1943 – April 6, 2014) was an Italian motorcycle designer for Cagiva, Ducati, and MV Agusta, and one of the founders of Bimota. Tamburini's designs are iconic in their field, with one critic calling him the "Michel ...
.
Models
DB1
Several DB1 models were produced. The standard DB1 has 36 mm carburetors, a restrictive airbox and a quiet 2-into-2 exhaust. It was made between 1985 and 1986 and while not powerful it is extremely refined.
DB1J
A 400 cc version of the DB1, for the Japanese market, was produced between 1986 and 1987.
DB1S
The DB1S is a slightly higher performance version of the 750 cc DB1 with 40 mm carburetors and freer 2-into-2 exhaust and was made between 1986 and 1987. Both the DB1 and the DB1S needed to be re-jetted upon delivery to run properly and make proper horsepower for the design.
DB1SR
The DB1SR is an even higher performance version with 4-piston front calipers, 41 mm carburetors, freer 2-into-1 exhaust and more radical cam shafts and was made between 1987 and 1989. Confusingly, most DB1SRs are labeled "DB1RS" on the fairing and some are styled differently with a rear red number plates and correctly labeled "DB1SR". The DB1SR can be compared to Ducati's Laguna Seca/Montjuich/Santa Monica models, upgraded 750 F1s.
The DB1SR was successfully raced in Italy by Tiziano Bombardi, winning the 1987 Italian Sport Production Twins Championship, finishing on top of the podium in 8 of the 9 races, with one second-place finish.
DB1SR Serie Finale
The DB1SR Serie Finale is similar in performance and style to the DB1SR yet with a green stripe and a silver plaque on the right side of the swingarm. These bikes were assembled in 1990 using the last 7 DB1 frames at the request of the Bimota Club USA President, Sam Bernstein, upon visiting the Bimota Factory. Three went to the US, at least one went to Japan, at least one went to France.
DB1R
The DB1R is a Factory Corsa (race), or Works, bike made between 1985 and 1986. These bikes have many enhancements including several parts made of magnesium, different triple-trees (29° vs. 25°, identical trail at 105 mm), high performance engine internals, higher rear-sets, 42 mm carburetors, open 2-into-1 exhaust and no lights with the oil cooler in the nose of the fairing. DB1R frames don't have the three fuel cell mounts, the two steering stop mounts or the keyed steering lock (like the DB1/DB1S/DB1SR/DB1SR Serie Finale strada (street) frames). The aluminum fuel cell is made into the bodywork and can be identified by the upper vent hose.
Production
The DB1 production was as follows:
Individual examples
List of Bimota DB1Rs:
#1985, #00001, the first DB1 was a DB1R prototype, unique aluminum rear subframe and right-side shift, raced by
Davide Tardozzi
Davide Tardozzi (born in Ravenna, January 30, 1959) is a former Italian Superbike racer and current race team manager.
After an unsuccessful attempt at competing in the 250cc Grand Prix world championships in 1984 and 1985, Tardozzi turned his at ...
.
#1986, #00200, engine DM650L-612148, a "Corsa" per Bimota factory paperwork, bike was imported into Florida, USA alongside bike #00201 in February 1986. Raced by Malcolme Tunstall, FL, at Daytona in 1986 & 1987, won the 1987 US Formula 2 Expert Championship, to MS then sold, sold again in 2022.
#1986, #00201, engine DM650L-612149, a "Corsa" per Bimota factory paperwork, bike was imported into Florida, USA alongside bike #00200 in February 1986. Raced by Davide Tardozzi at Daytona in March 1986. Raced by AMA racer
James Lombardo, PA, from 1986 to 1990. #00201 was thought to be destroyed in a crash/fire on the banking of Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina in 1990. Parts that survived the crash (except for the damaged frame that was later repaired/repainted) and new parts were assembled/restored using NOS Strada frame #00700 with new factory bodywork sourced at the time of the crash and the original factory-built race engine restored by Fast by Ferracci, now in the
Bimota Spirit Museum
Bimota is an Italian manufacturer of custom and production motorcycles. It was founded in 1973 in Rimini by Valerio Bianchi, Giuseppe Morri, and Massimo Tamburini. The company name is a portmanteau derived from the first two letters of each of the ...
in
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. The original frame (#00201) was stored at Cycle Specialties in Athens, GA for many years until PB, GA, sold it to GR, NY, at Barber Motorsports Park, AL, in October 2011. Then sold to AC, CA, in October 2012 and built into a street bike, using engine RAA5008020, completed in May 2018.
#1986, #00202, the first customer DB1R per Federico Martini, prepared by Ian Gowanloch, Pete Smith and Arthur Davis, NCR engine size increased to 940cc and 980cc, GPM close-ratio transmission, raced by
Chris Oldfield
Chris is a short form of various names including Christopher, Christian, Christina, Christine, and Christos. Chris is also used as a name in its own right, however it is not as common.
People with the given name
*Chris Abani (born 1966), Nige ...
in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
and at
Daytona Daytona refers to the city of Daytona Beach, Florida, or things named after it.
Daytona may also refer to:
Locations
* Daytona Beach Shores, Florida
* South Daytona, Florida
* The Daytona Beach metropolitan area
* Halifax area, also known as Da ...
in the Battle of the Twins race in 1987 & 1988, still in Australia.
#1985, #00203 (suspect as #00203 is registered as a street DB1), engine DM650L-612149 (suspect as this engine originally came in #00201, per Bimota factory paperwork and is currently in frame #00700), raced in 1985
Bol d'Or in France by Davide Tardozzi, Massimo Matteoni & Rossi, raced in 1985 & 1986
TT F1 World Championship by Davide Tardozzi, raced in 1986 & 1987
AMA ProTwins Championship by Alan Cathcart, now in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
.
#1985, #00204, Bimota Classic Parts, Italy.
#1985, #00210, engine DM600L-702640, raced by
Dale Quarterley
Dale Quarterley (born January 25, 1961) is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 46 Toyota Tundra for G2G Racing. He also competes for his own team, 1/4 Ley ...
in 1986 winning at
Laguna Seca, raced by Johnny Virgadamo, to GR, to BH in Canada.
#1985, #00212, engine DM750L7502269 raced by Oscar La Ferla, still in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
.
#1985, #00214, engine DM650L612034, raced by
Davide Tardozzi
Davide Tardozzi (born in Ravenna, January 30, 1959) is a former Italian Superbike racer and current race team manager.
After an unsuccessful attempt at competing in the 250cc Grand Prix world championships in 1984 and 1985, Tardozzi turned his at ...
, to Gonzo in Japan, sold.
#1985, #00541, unassembled/complete Corsa Kit with NCR racing engine, once part of the Francesco Romanelli Collection, now part of the Musee L'Epopee de la Moto collection,
sold.
DB1Rs were also raced by Pirovano, Berti, and Vitali.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bimota DB1
DB1
Motorcycles introduced in 1985
Sport bikes