Author Topic: 40 years of Bimota (Read 6894 times)

turboguzzi · « **on:** April 08, 2013, 04:51:55 AM »

Well, hard to grasp, but the first HB1 prototype was built forty years ago.... This month's Motociclismo d'epoca has a real nice feature about that very first Bimota ever, the bike has survived in Switzerland and has been restored now.

plenty of nice anecdotes about the bike from the man himself, Tamburini. Essentially if he hadn't crashed his very own private CB750 at Misano, leaving him with an engine without a frame, maybe the whole Bimota history would have never have happened. The frame tubes were bent using the machine belonging to the original HVAC systems factory of Bianchi, Morri and Tambuirni.

Ricky_Racer · « **Reply #1 on:** April 08, 2013, 08:35:26 AM »

Hi, TG. Thanks for the info. The Motociclismo d'Epoca website has only one page of the article shown. I did a screen grab for those guys who won't have access to the magazine.

Frankly, I'm surprised that no one has yet replicated the HB-1.

RR

turboguzzi · « **Reply #2 on:** April 08, 2013, 08:48:55 AM »

I knew it would get your attention.....

Ricky_Racer · « **Reply #3 on:** April 08, 2013, 09:56:09 AM »

Yeah, TG, I've got most of the information I need to make one (or six) of these. I just wish I could afford to finance the project!

RR

BLUE71TURBO · « **Reply #4 on:** April 08, 2013, 10:59:27 AM »

Quote from: Ricky_Racer on April 08, 2013, 09:56:09 AM

Yeah, TG, I've got most of the information I need to make one (or six) of these. I just wish I could afford to finance the project! RR

I keep trying to gather the funds for all the projects i wanna do but for some reason the lottery tickets i get never seem to win.

I think the lottery computer is broke.

mrrch · « **Reply #5 on:** April 08, 2013, 11:54:27 AM »

That is sexy!
Never knew that existed.

simon#42 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 08, 2013, 02:49:16 PM »

Quote from: Ricky_Racer on April 08, 2013, 08:35:26 AM

Hi, TG. Thanks for the info. The Motociclismo d'Epoca website has only one page of the article shown. I did a screen grab for those guys who won't have access to the magazine.

Frankly, I'm surprised that no one has yet replicated the HB-1. RR

yes im surprised no one has copied one as well , looks pretty straightforward to make . ideally you would want a frame to copy but it could be done without .

Steve_K · « **Reply #7 on:** April 08, 2013, 03:01:07 PM »

Bimota has made some beautiful bikes. I have an Italian book about the Bimota history and I think that they only made a handfull of the HB-1.
Frame and bodywork looks GREAT!
Was there a thread on some one building a HB-1 on the forum awhile back?
Steve

turboguzzi · « **Reply #8 on:** April 08, 2013, 03:51:11 PM »

according to the story (and its not hard to see) the frame was inspired by the works MV agustas that Tamburini saw in action from up close in the city races around Rimini. Tamburini admits there that this frame design simply followed common race practice at that time. In any case, he is still around and with his reputation of not being an easy man, you'd want to ask for his permission first!
And maybe they havent been replica-ted because the "production" HB1s that followed didnt achieve that much success (to my best knowledge). The real Bimota raise to fame came with the 350 gp championship and later the TT1 world title.

Ricky_Racer · « **Reply #9 on:** April 09, 2013, 09:10:01 PM »

Quote from: turboguzzi on April 08, 2013, 03:51:11 PM

And maybe they havent been replica-ted because the "production" HB1s that followed didnt achieve that much success (to my best knowledge). The real Bimota raise to fame came with the 350 gp championship and later the TT1 world title.

I don't want to race one, TG. I just want to sleep with it!

RR

turboguzzi · « **Reply #10 on:** April 09, 2013, 09:48:39 PM »

Quote from: Ricky_Racer on April 09, 2013, 09:10:01 PM

Quote from: turboguzzi on April 08, 2013, 03:51:11 PM
And maybe they havent been replica-ted because the "production" HB1s that followed didnt achieve that much success (to my best knowledge). The real Bimota raise to fame came with the 350 gp championship and later the TT1 world title.

I don't want to race one, TG. I just want to sleep with it! RR

enjoy...

Ricky_Racer · « **Reply #11 on:** April 09, 2013, 10:22:34 PM »

Thanks, TG. It was a toss up between Halle Berry and the HB-1. The Bimota just barely nosed her out of contention!

RR

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #12 on:** April 09, 2013, 10:28:05 PM »

Quote from: Ricky_Racer on April 09, 2013, 10:22:34 PM

Thanks, TG. It was a toss up between Halle Berry and the HB-1. The Bimota just barely nosed her out of contention! RR

I would happily ride either one...

johno · « **Reply #13 on:** April 10, 2013, 06:11:37 AM »

Orgasmic,

In 1976 I was doing the old back pack around europe thing, I done two things that still makes me feel good thinking about it. firstly I called into his workshop and seen him putting a Kwaka together and later the Brembo workshop and bought a front brake system for my Honda.

I was so focussed and obsessed about my Honda then they were one of the great moments in my life.

Great days man ! I wonder if Bimoto still make the 750 frames on order

?
johno

turboguzzi · « **Reply #14 on:** April 10, 2013, 08:01:42 AM »

Quote from: johno on April 10, 2013, 06:11:37 AM

Orgasmic,
In 1976 I was doing the old back pack around europe thing, I done two things that still makes me feel good thinking about it. firstly I called into his workshop and seen him putting a Kwaka together and later the Brembo workshop and bought a front brake system for my Honda.

I was so focussed and obsessed about my Honda then they were one of the great moments in my life.

Great days man ! I wonder if Bimoto still make the 750 frames on order ?
johno

Nice, things were simpler then, today you wouldnt know even how to enter Brembo, they have this kilometer long building called Kilometro Rosso...http://s3.amazonaws.com/europaconcorsi/project_images/1740409/DSC_4403-copy_full.jpg

Bimota changed hands so many times since then that i doubt if current owners would even consider making HB frames. and the jig for the frame was made out of wood (with metal inserts for axles/pivots). according to Tamburini it served for a long time but i bet it didnt survive 40 years.

mrrch · « **Reply #15 on:** April 10, 2013, 09:25:19 AM »

I didn't even notice the engine is a stressed member of the frame and boy does that top frame rail hug the valve cover (looks to be dented even to get closer)

Ricky_Racer · « **Reply #16 on:** April 10, 2013, 10:32:13 AM »

Mrrch, I can see how you might think that from the photo, but the motor is a "hanger" and not a stressed member. And the side frame rails follow the profile of the tank and are actually slightly outboard of the cam cover. Here's a shot of the bike prior to restoration. RR

turboguzzi · « **Reply #17 on:** April 10, 2013, 11:32:18 AM »

tamburini said the kink in the top tube right where the tank is scalloped was to make room for the rider knees...

Ricky_Racer · « **Reply #18 on:** April 10, 2013, 11:46:34 AM »

Absolutely, TG! RR

Leino · « **Reply #19 on:** April 18, 2013, 12:03:50 PM »

I know where you might get Bimota replica frames if anyone is interested...

Ricky_Racer · « **Reply #20 on:** April 18, 2013, 12:25:00 PM »

PM sent! RR

simon#42 · « **Reply #21 on:** April 18, 2013, 03:14:26 PM »

Quote from: Ricky_Racer on April 10, 2013, 10:32:13 AM

Mrrch, I can see how you might think that from the photo, but the motor is a "hanger" and not a stressed member. And the side frame rails follow the profile of the tank and are actually slightly outboard of the cam cover. Here's a shot of the bike prior to restoration. RR

the engine is a stressed member in that frame , try to imagine riding it without an engine [ ok,ok just try ] then hitting the brakes at say 120 , where do you think the front wheel would end up?

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #22 on:** April 18, 2013, 03:24:49 PM »

Quote from: Leino on April 18, 2013, 12:03:50 PM

I know where you might get Bimota replica frames if anyone is interested...

Ok, you got my attention as well....

Ricky_Racer · « **Reply #23 on:** April 18, 2013, 03:29:51 PM »

Simon, you're absolutely 100% right and I was incorrect in my first posting. After I spent some time looking at the photos in my file I decided that although the frame is self-supporting, it does rely on the motor block for rigidity under compression. I previously considered a "stressed member" design to be something like the later Bimotas (and Britton) that utilize the engine to tie together completely separate front and rear suspension sections, but if the HB-1 design is considered a "stressed member" then yes, it certainly is. Thanks for your clarification. RR

simon#42 · « **Reply #24 on:** April 19, 2013, 03:32:22 PM »

hi ricky , the Britton the ducati and bikes that have the suspension bolted to the engine are referred to as ' fully stressed engine '
sorry didnt mean to split hairs !

News:

Author Topic: 40 years of Bimota (Read 6894 times)