New DB8

[fredoc]

Hello. I'm Frederic, french DB7 owner
I've read this morning that Bimota will present at Verona a new model, DB8 and also the new HB4. A good new for Bimota's lovers



http://www.motoblog.it/post/22424/bi...expo-di-verona

http://www.motorbikeexpo.it/index.htm

[dnovo]

If this is it, http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/Ne...ota-db8-spied/ then it is their long anticipated Streetfighter.

I think I will stay with my existing all black DB7 as better looking and a bit easier to hang onto with the same chassis/powertrain with a more upright riding position. My DB6R which should be lighter with the air cooled engine and has more than enough power for my needs is, again only IMHO a better looking and more usable 'naked.'

But if the Streetfighter concept floats your boat, have fun. Rather see Bimota get the money, although how many they will sell remains a question as Ducati did not set the world on fire with their Streetfighter and are switching back to the Hypers and their Multistradaas the 'new, must have' Ducs for 2010 .

Streetfighter may be yet the latest fad to fade. Dave

[Bruce_Allison]

Dave, the bike that "Fredoc" has referenced is completely different than the bike in the link you posted.

Fredoc's link shows a bike with very strong Hyper influences.

On the other subject, I had a chance to ride (streets) a friend's Streetfighter a couple weeks ago, and was very impressed by its performance value.

Bruce

[dnovo]

I guess I am just not a fan of the Streetfighter concept, which Ducati did not invent. I owned a recent vintage MV 1000 F4 and found it top heavy, not particularly well 'harmonized' as far as its control responses and ergos, and it constantly overheated as soon as you stopped for more than a few seconds. The bike was also plagued with a serious of minor service issues which the dealers had problems addressing.

I was persuaded to switch over to the Brutale. The bike was a tad better around town, still overheated, and at speed, the riding position made you hang on to avoid getting blown off the bike.

I had a Ducati Hypermotard later, and found it to be far more usable under 100mph which was the ONLY area where it was unable to outperform the Brutale. When I tired out the Streetfighter last year, its ergos were poor and I had the same feeling as I did on the Brutale -- the upright seating position made it a poor alternative to a like-powered sport bike. The DB6R proved to be the best solution to my everyday riding needs, light, powerful enough for running the twisties and urban riding, and hardly inferior to the overpowerd-for-purpose Streetfigher/Brutale clan.

I suggest that the concept of the Streetfighter itself is essentially flawed, which the market supports as neither the Brutale or the Streetfighter drew many sales. If Bimota wants to chase that market now, I hope they succeed but there won't be a sale here. Just my 2 cents and an opinion no more or less valid than yours. Dave

[petzi]

the new db8 is, at least, 'only' a 1198ccm powered db7 biposto.

[fredoc]

Bad new, just a DB7 biposto






Bimota says it wants the £20,300 (€23,000) DB8 to be its ‘entry level’ superbike, and expects to sell 250 of the biposto machine – making it in Bimota terms a volume seller. The £23,000 (€26,000) DB7 remains in production, but with the 1098 motor, which as a single-seater is all the firm says it needs.

The DB8 manages to undercut the Bimota DB7 by using plastic rather than carbon bodywork, steel rather than titanium exhaust and an aluminium rather than structural carbon subframe joining its oval section CroMo hybrid chassis. Slightly lower spec Marocchi and Extreme Tech suspension front and rear respectively complete the cost cuts.

The DB8 has gained 8cm nose-to-tail (though wheelbase remains the same) and 8kg, taking its weight to 178kg, countered by the bigger 1198 motor’s extra 8bhp and 6ftlb over the DB7. The rear seat allows for a useful bit of underseat storage.

“Bimota customers are used to being surprised with new and innvoative motorcyles offering unique design, good power and light weight – and many of them also have a wife or girlfriend that would like to come along. We are sure this design will be a big success” says the firm’s Anna Carla Cuneo

[Bruce_Allison]

This was the photo I saw of the "new DB8", so please disregard my earlier DB8 comments.

[petzi]

no prob, bruce.

frankly i'm a bit disappointed. thought we'll see some kind of rival to the streetfighter.

[duder]

Isn't more of a Hypermotard with the liquid cooled motor?