Bimota

Bimota is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer founded in Rimini in 1973 by Valerio Bianchi, Giuseppe Morri, and Massimo Tamburini. Its name combines the opening letters of the founders’ surnames: Bianchi, Morri, and Tamburini. The company became known for combining high-performance engines sourced from larger motorcycle manufacturers with distinctive, lightweight chassis and advanced suspension systems developed in-house. During its early years, Bimota responded to a perceived stagnation in motorcycle frame design. Rather than developing complete powertrains, it concentrated on building sophisticated chassis around engines from established manufacturers, initially working with Suzuki, Honda, and Kawasaki. Yamaha and Ducati engines later became particularly important to the brand. This approach allowed Bimota to produce motorcycles with strong performance and handling characteristics while maintaining relatively low production volumes and a specialist identity. Bimota’s engineering reputation was closely associated with Massimo Tamburini, who later made a major contribution to the wider Italian motorcycle industry through his work on the Ducati Paso and Ducati 916 and on the MV Agusta F4. Bimota’s designers and engineers also pursued unconventional solutions, most notably the Tesi family’s hub-center steering system. The Tesi 3D brought this architecture into series production and became one of the company’s clearest demonstrations of its willingness to depart from conventional telescopic-fork layouts. The company also developed a competition record. Jon Ekerold won the 350 cc world championship in 1980 on a Yamaha-powered Bimota. Bimota later achieved success in Formula TT and the early years of the World Superbike Championship. Virginio Ferrari won the 1987 Formula TT title on a Bimota YB4 EI, while Davide Tardozzi won five races during the inaugural 1988 World Superbike season on a Bimota. Anthony Gobert added a notable victory in a wet World Superbike race at Phillip Island in 2000 on an SB8K. Bimota experienced severe financial difficulty in the late 1990s. Its V Due two-stroke model suffered from problems with its novel fuel-injection system, requiring substantial re-engineering and a recall of the original production run. At roughly the same time, a major sponsor connected with the 2000 World Superbike effort reportedly failed to pay money owed to the company. The combination of engineering costs and lost sponsorship revenue led to bankruptcy and the closure of the original business. The Bimota name and design rights subsequently passed through new ownership. In 2003, Lorenzo Ducati and Giuseppi Della Pietra established Alternativa Moto with plans for Italian motorcycles using Ducati engines, while rights to the V Due were sold separately. Further investors later acquired the Bimota marque and restarted production. Reports in 2017 indicated that the Rimini factory had closed and that unfinished motorcycles and spare parts had been placed in storage, illustrating the continuing fragility of the low-volume business model. A significant new phase began in October 2019, when Kawasaki Heavy Industries acquired a 49% stake in Bimota. The relationship enabled Bimota to draw on Kawasaki components and powertrains while retaining its emphasis on distinctive chassis engineering and premium, low-volume motorcycles. Models such as the Tesi H2 combined Bimota’s hub-center steering concept with Kawasaki supercharged-engine technology. From 2025, Kawasaki also partnered with Bimota in the World Superbike Championship under the Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team name. The KB998 Rimini uses a Kawasaki ZX-10-derived powertrain and marks Bimota’s return to factory-supported international superbike competition.

Bimota was established in Rimini in 1973 by Valerio Bianchi, Giuseppe Morri, and Massimo Tamburini. The name was formed from the first two letters of each founder’s surname. The founders entered a motorcycle market in which engine performance had advanced faster than production motorcycle chassis design. Bimota’s early business therefore focused on designing and manufacturing high-quality frames and complete chassis around engines supplied by established manufacturers. The company initially customized leading Suzuki, Honda, and Kawasaki motorcycles. During the late 1970s it also participated in the development and construction of motorcycles sold under the Lamborghini name. In the 1980s, Yamaha and Ducati became important engine partners. Bimota’s low-volume motorcycles were distinguished by their specialist construction, Italian styling, lightweight frames, and emphasis on handling rather than economies of scale. Massimo Tamburini was central to the company’s early technical identity. After his Bimota work, he became one of the most influential designers in modern Italian motorcycling, contributing to the Ducati Paso, Ducati 916, and MV Agusta F4. Other Bimota designers, including Sergio Robbiano, also later worked with higher-volume motorcycle manufacturers. Bimota pursued unusual chassis concepts as well as conventional sport-bike layouts. The Tesi series used hub-center steering, replacing the standard telescopic fork with a system intended to separate steering and suspension functions. The Tesi 3D was particularly notable because it was among the very few production motorcycles of its period to use hub-center steering. The company’s later catalogue included Ducati-powered DB5, DB6, DB7, DB8, and DB9 models, as well as successive Tesi variants. Racing strengthened Bimota’s reputation. In 1980, privateer Jon Ekerold won the 350 cc world championship on a Yamaha-powered Bimota. Virginio Ferrari won the 1987 Formula TT title on a YB4 EI, while Davide Tardozzi won five races in the first World Superbike season in 1988. Bimota later endured a long period without major international victories until Anthony Gobert won a rain-affected World Superbike race at Phillip Island in 2000 on an SB8K. The company’s financial position deteriorated during the development of the V Due, introduced in 1997. Its two-stroke engine used an innovative fuel-injection system that proved unreliable, forcing Bimota to redesign the engine and recall the initial motorcycles. The company produced approximately 340 original V Due motorcycles and 21 Evoluzione examples after the redesign. During the 2000 World Superbike season, the disappearance of a major sponsor and the resulting unpaid obligations added to the financial pressure. Bimota subsequently filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations in its original form. The marque’s assets and technical rights were later transferred to new investors. Alternativa Moto was formed in 2003 by Lorenzo Ducati and Giuseppi Della Pietra, with an ambition to build all-Italian motorcycles around Ducati engines. The V Due rights were sold to Win-Win. A later investor group acquired the Bimota name and designs and restarted the brand, although reports in 2017 described the Rimini factory as closed and motorcycles and parts as being stored elsewhere. Kawasaki Heavy Industries acquired a 49% interest in Bimota in October 2019. The partnership gave Bimota access to Kawasaki engines, components, and manufacturing resources while allowing it to continue operating as a design-led specialist marque. This arrangement produced motorcycles such as the Tesi H2 and other Kawasaki-powered models. In 2025, Bimota returned to World Superbike competition through Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team. Its KB998 Rimini combined a Bimota-developed chassis with a Kawasaki ZX-10-derived powertrain, extending the brand’s historical practice of pairing its chassis engineering with an outside manufacturer’s engine.

• 2025

  Return to World Superbike racing

  [1]Bimotaen.wikipedia.org

  Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team enters World Superbike competition with the KB998 Rimini.

• 2019

  Kawasaki acquires a minority stake

  [1]Bimotaen.wikipedia.org

  Kawasaki Heavy Industries purchases 49% of Bimota and begins a new industrial partnership with the brand.

• 2003

  Alternativa Moto is formed

  [1]Bimotaen.wikipedia.org

  New owners create Alternativa Moto to pursue Italian motorcycles using Ducati engines after the original company’s bankruptcy.

• 2000

  Phillip Island World Superbike victory

  [1]Bimotaen.wikipedia.org

  Anthony Gobert wins a wet World Superbike race on a Bimota SB8K.

• 1997

  V Due is introduced

  [1]Bimotaen.wikipedia.org

  Bimota launches the V Due, whose fuel-injection problems later require a substantial engineering redesign and recall.

• 1988

  Strong debut season in World Superbike

  [1]Bimotaen.wikipedia.org

  Davide Tardozzi wins five races in the inaugural World Superbike Championship season on a Bimota.

• 1987

  Formula TT championship victory

  [1]Bimotaen.wikipedia.org

  Virginio Ferrari wins the Formula TT title on a Bimota YB4 EI.

• 1980

  First major international racing title

  [1]Bimotaen.wikipedia.org

  Privateer Jon Ekerold wins the 350 cc world championship on a Yamaha-powered Bimota.

• 1973

  Bimota is founded in Rimini

  [1]Bimotaen.wikipedia.org

  Valerio Bianchi, Giuseppe Morri, and Massimo Tamburini establish Bimota as a specialist Italian motorcycle company.

An Italian specialist performance-motorcycle brand positioned around advanced chassis engineering, distinctive design, low production volumes, and the use of high-performance engines from major motorcycle manufacturers.

• Ducati-powered sport motorcycles

  DB series

  The DB family includes Bimota motorcycles developed around Ducati engines. Models such as the DB5, DB6, DB7, DB8, and DB9 combine Italian styling with Bimota-specific chassis engineering and low-volume production. The DB8 was fitted with the Ducati 1198 engine.

• Hub-center-steering sport motorcycles

  Tesi

  The Tesi is Bimota’s signature unconventional chassis family. Instead of a conventional telescopic fork, it uses hub-center steering with separate steering and suspension functions. The Tesi 3D brought the concept into production, while later versions such as the Tesi H2 applied it to a Kawasaki-powered supercharged motorcycle.

• Two-stroke sport motorcycle · 1997

  V Due

  The V Due was a two-stroke motorcycle introduced in 1997 with a Bimota-developed engine and an innovative fuel-injection system. Technical problems led to a recall and a redesigned Evoluzione version. Production was highly limited, with approximately 340 original examples and 21 Evoluzione motorcycles reported.

• World Superbike racing motorcycle · 2025

  KB998 Rimini

  The KB998 Rimini is Bimota’s 2025 World Superbike entry developed through the Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team partnership. It uses a Kawasaki ZX-10-derived powertrain within a Bimota chassis and represents the brand’s return to factory-supported international superbike racing.

• Supercharged hub-center-steering motorcycle

  Tesi H2

  The Tesi H2 combines Bimota’s hub-center steering architecture with Kawasaki supercharged-engine technology. It exemplifies the post-2019 collaboration by pairing Bimota’s distinctive chassis concept and styling with a Kawasaki powertrain.

• Kawasaki-powered sport motorcycle

  KB4

  The KB4 is part of Bimota’s Kawasaki-based product generation. It uses Kawasaki mechanical technology within a bespoke Bimota design and chassis package, preserving the brand’s traditional low-volume, engineering-led positioning.

• Off-road motorcycle

  BX450

  The BX450 extends Bimota’s range beyond road-focused superbikes into off-road motorcycles. It is listed among the brand’s current models and reflects the broader product scope enabled by the Kawasaki relationship.

• 2025

  Re-entry into World Superbike with Bimota by Kawasaki Racing TeamStrategy

  Background

  Kawasaki had previously operated its own factory World Superbike team, while Bimota had been absent from top-level international racing for many years.

  Action taken

  The companies formed Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team and entered the KB998 Rimini in the 2025 World Superbike Championship.

  Aftermath

  The program restored Bimota’s factory-supported racing presence and linked its brand identity to Kawasaki’s superbike technology.

  Source

• 2019

  Strategic partnership with KawasakiM&A

  Background

  Bimota required a stronger industrial base while retaining its specialist identity and chassis-development capabilities.

  Action taken

  Kawasaki Heavy Industries acquired a 49% stake and made Kawasaki components and powertrains available to the revived Bimota operation.

  Aftermath

  Bimota introduced Kawasaki-based motorcycles and later returned to factory-supported World Superbike competition.

  Kawasaki ownership stake. 49% (October 2019)

  Source

• 2001

  Bankruptcy and closure of the original companyOther

  Background

  V Due development and recall costs coincided with the loss of a major sponsor during the 2000 World Superbike season.

  Action taken

  Bimota filed for bankruptcy and closed its original operations.

  Aftermath

  The marque, designs, and related rights were transferred to new owners, leading to later attempts to revive the brand.

  Source

• 1997

  Launch of the V DueProduct launch

  Background

  Bimota attempted to create a highly distinctive two-stroke motorcycle using its own engine and a novel fuel-injection system.

  Action taken

  The company launched the V Due and subsequently redesigned the engine after reliability problems with the injection system.

  Aftermath

  Bimota recalled the original production run and produced a limited Evoluzione version. The technical and financial consequences contributed to the company’s later bankruptcy.

  Source

1. 1Bimotaen.wikipedia.org