WHILE WE’RE AT IT...

It’s not too often we get the chance to feature an all-new, mouth-watering Bimota in the mag. By the same virtue, it’s a rare occasion to have the chance to quiz Bimota itself on its thoughts and intentions. Post-H2 test, and to get a fuller picture of where Bimota is at, we asked the marque a few questions...

Do you know how long it takes to make a Tesi H2? I imagine the swingarms alone take hours to machine.

Bimota is producing 20 TESI H2 units per month – five each week, one per day.

Every Monday, five engines are positioned on the assembly islands (the name Bimota gives each work station). Every Friday, five TESI H2 units are ready to be delivered.

To make this happen, Bimota has a CNC machine working 24 hours a day to machine the billet parts.

All parts are pre-assembled and then fitted onto the motorcycle.

Does Kawasaki’s 49% ownership of Bimota mean only Kawasaki engines will be used in future models?

Not necessarily – Bimota is independent on this decision. With Kawasaki engines, Bimota can take many advantages; for example, the possibility to use the same homologation documents, homologated parts, the electrics and electronic systems, and software exclusively made for Kawasaki motorcycles.

Can we expect to see Bimota back in the race paddock?

Racing activities are in the DNA of Bimota, but currently it does not have a motorcycle model suitable for the racing activities.

But in the future, once Bimota has a motorcycle model which matches the racing rules, you will see Bimota again in the paddock.

Any plans for an EV?

EV are not in Bimota’s plans at the moment. We believe an EV actually cannot be designed with Bimota characteristics like low weight, great handling, and a low ratio of kg/ kw.

What Bimota will do in the future is to include in its range of motorcycles some models to start the fidelity process for young riders and future Bimota owners.

What’s the plan for Bimota in the UK?

To establish a reliable dealer network, ensuring the consumer has the correct level of service and support that matches the product.

This is something that the brand has lacked in the past, and is something that the importance of which can easily be underestimated.

A manufacturer can have the best product on the market but if the service and/or support is incorrect or inaccessible to the consumer, the consumer will often overlook that brand completely.

What kind of person is buying the Tesi? Are they buying them to add to a collection or to ride? Are they super wealthy playboys or super enthusiastic bikers?

We are seeing a mixture. As the TESI H2 is an extremely limited production model (only 250 TESI H2s will be produced for the world market), it is, of course, appealing to collectors, but to date, we are mainly seeing buyers that intend to use/ride.

One aspect all the buyers have in common – irrespective of the reason for purchase – is that they buy because they appreciate the engineering and production quality that only a Bimota provides in a production motorcycle.