Is there a more iconic motorcycle brand from Italy than Bimota? I think you could make some arguments to the contrary, but you would be hard-pressed to deny that the brainchild of Valerio Bianchi, Giuseppe Morri, and Massimo Tamburini hasn’t produced some of the most impactful and drool-worthy motorcycles in the past 50 years.
Sadly, the story of Bimota is not always a happy one, and after a failed restart by Swiss investors Marco Chiancianesi and Daniele Longoni, the Italian brand seemed like it was finally set for the deadpool. But then, something interesting happened.
About six weeks ago, news started circulating that Bimota was to be reborn again…and that Kawasaki had purchased the now defunct Italian marque. Well, we have good news for Bimota fans and motorcyclists alike. Bimota is back!
And to get things started right, we have been leaked images of the company’s first new creation, the Bimota TesiH2, and it looks very, very good.
We are still a handful of hours before the official unveiling of the motorcycle at the EICMA show in Milan, so details are still tight, but as the name suggests, the supercharged four-cylinder engine from the Kawasaki Ninja H2 finds its way into the captivating Bimota Tesi chassis.
Known for its hub-center steering design, this intriguing chassis arrangement has become a cult classic in Bimota circles, and it is the perfect level of unique and weird to handle the fire-breathing supercharged engine from the H2.
From the leaked photos, we can see that Bimota is back on form, and there are no shortage of details to ponder, look over, and stimulate the salivary glands. There is carbon fiber everywhere and perfect machined aluminum pieces all over this motorcycle.
Of course, the obligatory winglets are integrated into the fairing design, and there is a giant carbon fiber air duct on the left-hand side of the motorcycle to funnel atmosphere into the hungry supercharger.
We can also see that Öhlins electronic suspension is being used, with two shocks handling the forces from the front and rear wheels. Of interesting note as well is how the front wheel cowl covers the Brembo calipers used on the front wheel.
We aren’t particularly fond of the stock mirrors from the H2 being used on this otherwise bespoke motorcycle, and it is curious to see that the front fairing design looks very similar to what was done on the Vyrus M2 986 motorcycle – interesting, another company with a close link to Bimota.
Depending on how Bimota decides to tune the TesiH2, this motorcycle could make anywhere from 240hp to 300hp.
What was surely going to be a low-key unveiling at EICMA for the Italian brand, we are certain now that their booth will be packed. We certainly can’t wait to see this motorcycle up-close. Welcome back, Bimota!
Source: Bothan Spies
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