Bimota at the Shop

OK boomer. 😆

Most form that opinion, but being crazy and in your face was part of the objective. Everyone remembers it. The 'Mk1' production version was compromised by the Yamaha headlight and enlarged 'beak' around it. The prototype was much more slender, although the rest was much as per designer Sacha Lacic's design. The second version like Christiane's had a smaller headlight and a few other pretty minor bodywork tweaks and it's much more in keeping with the original design.
I love it, it was Bimota doing what only Bimota could do. As polarising as it was, it boosted the brand awareness and sold pretty well for what it was. It subsequently also spawned the excellent DB4 with different bodywork.

www.odd-bike.com

Bimota DB3 - Much Maligned Mantra

The Bimota DB3 Mantra, one of Bimota's most controversial and often-maligned machines - which offered what was probably the most sensible, usable motorcycle ever produced by the company.
www.odd-bike.com www.odd-bike.com
There is some interesting info in that article and good comments from the designer. Note the BMW Scarver!

I think this is the prototype. Still mad, but the front end works a lot better than the initial production version.
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Proddy Mk1 from the most awkward angle. Agreed, it's 'challenging'!! :)
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I was the same till I saw the one that resides at Steves place. It's better in the flesh . Some hated the Katana, some love it. At least they tried breaking the standard mould.
 
No worries. Like all good art, it makes people talk about it - love or hate if it's getting talked about then it has suceeded. One of those oddities like some of the stranger French cars or something. It also does look different in real life, as others have noted.
My favourite description was along the lines of "like a 1930's impression of what a 1990's bike would look like".

Good to hear then that in true Bimota fashion it is also a nightmare to work on. Again, the rear plug requires just exactly the right type of plug socket. Hilariously, removing the tank is absolutely a two person job, as it goes all the way around the forks so all the controls etc have to be fed down through the hole as the tank is lifted off the top. Genius. 😂
 
Oh my God, that's hilerious. I thought having to pass my TT Montegi full fairing lower section under my front wheel of my 3c was a pain but that tank fitment is completely nuts.
 
Reading through this thread, I'm struggling to understand what Bimotas have going for them. They're ugly bikes, a nightmare to work on and have shit suspension.
It all sounds like Bimota took reasonable bikes from other manufacturers and made them worse.
 
chrisk said:
You frank honesty, about sums it up.
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Philistines!! ⚡⛈️⚡
Go and ride your UJM's and rubber cows then! 😁

Mactriple said:
The good thing about the Mantra is that they sell quite cheaply and are a quality bike. Another in the same vein was Phillipe Starck's Aprilia 6.5 Cheers
Ian
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Good to hear from you Ian, I hoped this thread might see you pop in. How about a shot of the awesome job you did on that tube-framed Tambo masterpiece?
 
Cam,
An SB2 is the best bike design that I have come across. I had nearly finished the bike when I saw an o-ring on the bench and after a while I worked out that I had left it out of the gear indicator switch on the lhs of the motor. Now this would have normally been reasonable to fix on a Suzuki except on the Bim it was behind the outrigger swing arm just above the gearbox sprocket which meant pulling the motor out. I had it done in 45mins. If I had done it a few times it would be 15mins. If I hadn't been building a house at the time I would still have this bike and with money I would have ha the body work done in carbon. It was sold on to John Falloon, proprietor of madeinitalymotorcycles who ahd started his shop restoring one but mine turned up good enough for him to keep it and sell his on. Cheers
Ian
 
Dellortoman said:
Reading through this thread, I'm struggling to understand what Bimotas have going for them. They're ugly bikes, a nightmare to work on and have shit suspension.
It all sounds like Bimota took reasonable bikes from other manufacturers and made them worse.
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The original concept was to take Jap engines, or Ducati in the DB series, and wrap a trick handling frame around them, together with exclusive looking bodywork. Most stock Japanese bikes of the time had the power but handled like a shopping trolley. Bimotas of the 70's and 80's were a revelation to those who could afford them, until the mainstream Jap bikes caught up and their bikes handled as well as anything else out there...one of my dream bikes has always been the SB2, unfortunately if i wanted to buy one now i would have to take out a re-mortgage.
 
philw said:
The original concept was to take Jap engines, or Ducati in the DB series, and wrap a trick handling frame around them, together with exclusive looking bodywork. Most stock Japanese bikes of the time had the power but handled like a shopping trolley. Bimotas of the 70's and 80's were a revelation to those who could afford them, until the mainstream Jap bikes caught up and their bikes handled as well as anything else out there...one of my dream bikes has always been the SB2, unfortunately if i wanted to buy one now i would have to take out a re-mortgage.
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Honda 750 four engine to start with.

Paul
 
They (Bimotas) look like masterpieces to me. the craftspersonship is outstanding. But I'm REALLY surprised to hear that they can be nightmares to work on. IMHO part of really really clever design is designing in accessibility and ease of maintenance. I try to instil this principle into the mods i do on my own bikes. Having worked as a professional moto mechanic I've seen enough of shit design and felt the frustration of dealing with tacked on afterthoughts or simple form over function.

Personally I'd rather have (for example) a split fairing held together by nicely crafted fasteners than have to deal with a 'stunning clean line' and tear my hair out working around it.
 
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