New generation BIMOTA production numbers?

[daotoys1]

Does anyone know the production numbers of the newer generation BIMOTAs?

I am curious how many of the following bikes were made:

BIMOTA DB5, DB5R, DB5S;

BIMOTA Tesi 3D ( there are 3 versions of this that I have been told; the first Tesi 3Ds were "Limited Editions", then there are the "Standard" Tesi 3D, and then the "All Carbon Fiber" "Black/Carbon" bike): It would be nice to know how many Tesi 3D bikes there are of each variation.

BIMOTA DB7:

BIMOTA DB6, DB6R;

Am I missing any bikes of the newer generation?


Thanks for any replys that bring these numbers to light.

Have a good day everyone.

[dnovo]

You are missing the SB8K Santa Monica, but that was a 'left over' from the first company. The very first of the post-2000 or 'new' Bimota was the Tesi 2D which came out before the DB5. While badged as a Bimota, there is more to the story.

The Tesi 2D was the product of a former Bimota employee who started a company known as Vyrus after Bimota shut down. When Bimota came back into existence a few years later, and while developing their first 'in house' project (the DB5) Vyrus built 50 bikes, 25 badged as Bimota (and called the Tesi 2D) and 25 built as a Vyrus and available through Vyrus. ( The Bimota version was shipped without the headlight faring and integrated mirrors of the Vyrus version. I ordered the parts for mine through Bob. Not cheap, but it will transform the look of my 2D.)

The relationship between the two companies supposedly went awry and Vyrus continues to develop and sell the basic 2D chassis, albeit more refined and with several engine variations while Bimota released the Tesi 3D with substantial changes from the earlier Vyrus built and designed hub steering model.

That is the only post-2000 Bimota model that I have been able to get any hard information on numbers. I do know, however, that some models are out of production. The first 'all Bimota' of the new era was the DB5, based on the 1000 DS Ducati engine. The current models, the DB5S (or Biposto) and DB5R use the 1100DS and have many upgradges in suspension and components, and, of course, paint scheme.

The DB6 went through the same progression, although there were several 'special models' offered of the original 1000DS powered models, but these were paint schemes only.

I suppose Bimota could supply numbers on production of the original model now that they are completed, but don't hold your breath.

Fascinating issue.

Another good question is what is currently a 'production model?' Are the DB5 and DB6s still in production, or are they just using up parts on hand? That was the situation at the old company as well as the new Bimota, who started out selling the SB8K Santa Monica as a 'new' model when it was simply left over stock that came with the purchase. The DB7 has now been joined by the 1198 powered DB8, again a lower spec and slightly cheaper bike. Are they going to keep building the DB7 or are they going to simply sell 'off the shelf' as orders come in?

Same issue as to the Tesi. Rumors abound as to a Tesi 4D, but given the current economic situation, and as the more hotly anticipated "DB7 Streetfrighter" has yet to surface, who knows.

And I suspect we never will.

Real production numbers are always going to be problematic. I owned a YB11 "25th Anniversary" model which numbered as No 4 of 50 said to have been built. Okay, that is a guide to the acutal number built, right?

No, the number sequence came from the triple clamp that was part of a batch of triple clamps prebuilt for assembly when one of this model was sold. My sources say only a handful was actually assembled and later sold not by Bimota itself but by the receiver. My bike had an MSO showing it as a 2002 model, after the actual anniversary and after after Bimota was history.

Fascinating food for thought, but typical of the ins and outs of Bimota from Day One. Dave

[Bimota fan]

I am sure this is old news and it does not cover the models that you mentioned but I still found it informative.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Bimota_motorcycles

Steve

[dnovo]

The source of that list is the Sarti book and some other bits and pieces that have floated out, often based on material gleaned from contemporary road tests and subject to question on some models. For example, it lists 50 of the 25th Anniversary Model YB-11s which, as I discussed earlier in this thread is based not on actual production (which was maybe 10 according to a pm from a good source) but on projected numbers when the model was planned. Some of the numbers listed are accurate, such as 25 for the Tesi 2D as also raised in my earlier note.

In any event, production numbers as listed do not seem to reflect either current 'availability' or perhaps more accurately 'survival' rates. For example, the number of SB3s produced seems very high for a model that virtually never appears for resale or in public collections. The same for the DB1, another model supposedly produced in relatively large number but also a rara avis in the resale world.

One must conclude that most early model Bimota were trashed, crashed or discarded or, more probabably, simply now in long term collections and which trade hands, if at all, only between existing collectors.

Dave

[quadrasuarass]

Interesting comments re the DB1, although these do not come up far sale that often, that does not mean they are not out there. Mine, for one, is a keeper. I always lusted after one after first seeing it on a dealer floor in 1987. I even "settled" for a DB2 for a while; then about 6 years ago all the planets lined up and I found what I was after; all be it a scruffy example, it was still low mileage at a reasonable price. The only reason it came up for sale is the then owner could no longer ride and he wanted it to go to a good home (as in someone with an engineering background like himself) in the knowledge that it would be used and not tucked away in the lounge. I am currently in the process of restoring it and it will be back on the road when finished. There are 6 here in NZ and all are keepers. I have seen one in a workshop in Bologna that had been dropped off for a minor service and never reclaimed, the workshop owner had eventually acquired it to cover costs and was slowly in the process of restoring it himself. If you want to look for the black hole where many Bimotas end up, look no further than Japan (where mine originally came from). They become trailer queens and boardroom centrepieces over there until they get a minor scratch and then they become insurance write offs, some of which are picked up over here due to our liberal importation laws and a mature trade in second hand vehicles from that market.

[Catimann]

I'd be very interested to know how many 3D's were made. From what I've searched and found in the US there were perhaps 25 imported (15 dealers and not all would sell 2) I'm not sure how many would be in Europe but far more than N.A. Then there is Japan, New Zealand and Australia.
So I figure about 200 - 400 over the years. Any thoughts?

[froryde]

I think the 25 you mentioned are the initial production "limited editions". Then there are the "production" production versions with steel steering rods, dry clutch, plastic brake + clutch reservoirs...etc

While there are other production for other countries, my wild guess is that the TOTAL production to date would be around 80-100 units. The Tesi was never meant to be a mass produced bike and I would be surprised if Bimota manages to make (and sell) over that (heck, I'm already surprised if there are more than 50 3Ds worldwide!)

Phil

[dnovo]

Correct. The first group were numbered, limited editions (mine is #3.) They had some nice 'extras' on the bike and a watch. Never used the watch, still sitting in its box. Dave