I had the opportunity to go along with Lolo who I work for on weekends as a track instructor to test the DB7 and Tesi 3D on track.. some pics:
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2411.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2388.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2389.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2390.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2391.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2392.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2393.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2395.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2396.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2398.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2400.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2404.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2409.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2416.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2421.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2423.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2426.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2433.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2443.jpg)
(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/kurtlad/Bimota%20Day/DSC_2444.jpg)
Nice pics Kurt.
Great pictures. So what's the DB7 like?
Its the only new bike at the moment that would get my money, if I had that sort of money. BOTY ;D
Reviews please ;D
Just noticed the gravel rash on the DB7, must be going cheap ;D
Wow, the Tesi looks wicked. REVIEWS and [bacon]!!!
I've always wondered how that 3d gives you feedback? how does that suspension feel? I would assume that you feel detached as you don't have the same response as with forks...
I'll take two in black please.....beautiful bikes [clap]
Every part on those bikes is stunning.
Hey, glad you all like the pics.. I´m still trying to figure out this photography thing, anywhoo.. onto the reviews:
As a note, and to be fair to Bimota, the OEM tires that are supplied with these bikes are Continental Race Attack. Great for colder climates but, in 45-50º C heat (outside the race track) they degraded in 2-3 laps. Absolutely shite. The conti tire techs on track working with the Bimota suspension guys were trying to really make these compounds work in our heat but, my heart tells me that a set of Dunlop D209GP Racer slicks would really make these bikes shine.
DB7 - Looks, well this bike is absolutely drop dead gorgeous. A friend has recently bought a 1098R and I´ve been on race track with a Desmosedici.. both are amazing but the Bimota bikes really have that little edge above the Ducatis, IMHO. Weight, the DB7 weighs less than a 1098 according to the feeling that this bike gave me on the race track. At standstill it´s feather light. Suspension, well.. what can I say, the suspension does it´s job marvelously. I prefer the suspension to run along 90% of it´s travel in a controlled manner. I don´t like rigid bikes, nor do I like bouncy, floaty bikes. This bike is just perfect. Those amazingly huge forks do a marvelous job of permitting controlled dive when braking and give feedback of every change in road surface. The extreme tech rear shock does a very good job of keeping the bike from throwing you over the bars at any given opportunity. I´ve ridden a race prepped 1098s and this is what I compare all V (or L) twins to, so I´ve gotta say that the DB7 has a better injection system and mapping than Ducati with a their stock 1098 (stock bikes, no fancy exhausts or ECUs). I was able to lap the track very effortlessly and this bike is easily 25kg lighter than my track/race 749 and it has 45-50hp more! The brakes are truly ferocious and fade free. I´d personally have a sharper compound brake pad for track use. The mirrors are about as useful as a glass eye, keeps you looking normal but not much use. The clocks are neat and tidy but a bit old fashioned compared to Ducati or the BMW HP2 Sport.
For me to buy this bike it would need: better clocks (for God´s sake, this bike costs 27,000EURO - my HP2 Sport was 22,500EURO), better brake pads, better OEM tires, to lose the silly grille on the catalytic converter box.
I NEED A DB7 AS A TRACK TOY!! This is the only place you could really use this bike.
Tesi3D - I nearly bought this bike after riding it. It is even lighter that the DB7, feels lighter than a 848.. nearly Monster 696 light from my seat of my pants feel. The suspension really works well and is extremely intriguing how it actually works this well. There is slight dive when braking really hard and there is feedback from the front end - it feels like my HP2 Sport in fast, flowing corners. The brakes are really really good.. nearly HP2 Sport good! The DesmoDue is enough for this bike although I wouldn´t say no to a version with 15hp more and a free flowing exhaust system. Again, the fuel injection on this bike works better than the HYM1100, M S2R1000 or MTS1100 et al. Very impressive for 85hp, impressive enough to be leaving darkies out of every slow turn (witnessed by my buddy following me). Back to the suspension, you´ve really got to try this bike I was just remembering how even if the bike was rigid (very different to a DB7) when you started moving you could feel everything the bike was doing as an extension of your body. It is so good, I could barrel into the first turn after the straight and brake & turn in much later than with the DB7 and lean the bike over waaaaaaaaay onto it´s side without any fuss at all. This bike is a true marvel of engineering. Congratulations BIMOTA!
For me to buy this bike, I´d just want the insurance payout from the traffic accident sooner rather than later. ;D
I WANT THIS BIKE!!
Either one of these bikes is for someone who already has a few bikes, the BIMOTA would be a sunday morning toy or a track tool. That doesn´t mean that you couldn´t commute on either one of them. I just couldn´t bear leaving one parked on the street. I hope I can someday add a BIMOTA to my garage.
Quote from: long haired lout on August 09, 2008, 05:05:23 AM
Just noticed the gravel rash on the DB7, must be going cheap ;D
Some dumbmake the beast with two backs threw it into a bend >:( - there were a lot of rich people there with no idea how to ride a bike on a race track. Just in my group there were 2 guys in cordura! [puke]
I've been jealous of you before but this takes the cake !
I want to move to spain and do whatever it is you do [thumbsup]
Just when you're completely satisfied with your own scoot after a nice morning ride, Kurt goes and makes you want to go buy something exotic.
Bastid.
Nice pics and review, NuTTs
Quote from: factorPlayer on August 10, 2008, 03:05:11 PM
I've been jealous of you before but this takes the cake !
I want to move to spain and do whatever it is you do [thumbsup]
I don´t do anything special.. I just happen to have friends in the right places, and I´m a lucky bastid.
You should have seen the lunch these guys had prepared for us, we had lunch with a Bimota designer, design engineer (amazingly intelligent), Bimota PR guy, Bimota race engineer (this guy knows his shit).. I haven´t had so much fun in ages.
Quote from: Statler on August 10, 2008, 03:10:51 PM
Just when you're completely satisfied with your own scoot after a nice morning ride, Kurt goes and makes you want to go buy something exotic.
Bastid.
Nice pics and review, NuTTs
Chris, stop wasting time.
Buy a Tesi 3D.. you NEED one. Really, you do.
How was the finish on the clearcoated carbon bodywork on the tesi? The white and red I've seen looks great, but the black clear looks fantastic with the red swingarms.
Quote from: Statler on August 10, 2008, 04:04:10 PM
How was the finish on the clearcoated carbon bodywork on the tesi? The white and red I've seen looks great, but the black clear looks fantastic with the red swingarms.
Just buy the damn thing...
I'll fix the carbon. [evil]
Quote from: Statler on August 10, 2008, 04:04:10 PM
How was the finish on the clearcoated carbon bodywork on the tesi? The white and red I've seen looks great, but the black clear looks fantastic with the red swingarms.
In one word - delicious
The clear coat on the carbon is very thick and has a nice finish to it. I´d get ducpainter to paint it for you in come custom colors. Sunlight will yellow the bike in a few years I think. Or get the red white & carbon one.
Quote from: ducpainter on August 10, 2008, 04:14:17 PM
Just buy the damn thing...
I'll fix the carbon. [evil]
I see white, gold and silver metalflake with candy apple red accents.
Great pics and writeup NuTTs [thumbsup]
Great pics. Beautiful bikes.
I'd always wondered how the steering on the Tesi worked and just decided to do a search on youtube.
It's no longer a mystery to me. Pretty cool stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjsWtFOMLcI
Oh man, I dream about this bike for such a long time already. I love the Tesi 3D. Drooooling............
You live a charmed life, NuTTs! I'm very jealous. That looks like a hugely memorable track day.
8)
Quote from: Markus on August 11, 2008, 05:40:38 AM
You live a charmed life, NuTTs! I'm very jealous. That looks like a hugely memorable track day.
8)
Gracias,
The scary part was turn 5 & 6 where you slow right down and then power out of a hairpin, the rear end kept breaking loose on the Tesi. I had to cool off a bit with the throttle as I didn't wan't to bin someone else's 30,000euro bike!
I will have one.
...muy simpático!
Thanks for sharing! Definitely looks like a fun time [thumbsup]
The front axle is wild on that thing 8)