In the spring of 2013, we took a vacation to Emilia-Romagna, during which I managed to convince my family to make a detour to the Bimota factory at Via Giaccaglia 38. Unfortunately, when I called to inquire about a tour appointment, I was told that no visits or guided tours were being offered at the time. I was quite disappointed by this response back then. It was only later that I realized the company was facing significant financial difficulties due to massive sales problems and was on the verge of being sold. Understandably, factory tours were not high on their priority list in such a situation.

Nevertheless, on a cold and rainy spring day, I went to Via Giaccaglia 38 with my family and rang the doorbell at the entrance. I’m not sure whether it was the bad weather or my accompanying family that prompted the kind lady to invite us inside. My request for a factory tour was declined, but at least we were allowed to look around the showroom.

My door opener to the Bimota showroom

And there is plenty for a Bimota fan to discover. First and foremost, a new Tesi chassis featuring carbon swingarms and a hybrid aluminum-carbon frame, which, however, was never produced in series. Unlike previous Tesi models, the front shock absorber is positioned vertically and mounted centrally on the swingarm.

The transmission of steering movement to the wheel hub is just as complex as on the D1. The steering motion is transferred via a linkage below the steering head, two rods, three additional levers, and one shaft to the pivot point of the wheel hub.

In addition to the Tesi chassis, there were five other models displayed in the showroom:

• KB1
• Tesi 1 D Edizione Finale
• SB8 K Gobert
• DB5
• DB6