Bimota Forum

[CBR_DBR]

Hi All,

My name is Mike and I have just joined the forum. Last week I took delivery of a DB5R. It is a 2013 bike but until yesterday it had never been registered.

I'm used to Italian bikes (Ducati) and so far the Bimota has not disappointed: it doesn't run very well when cold, the speedo shows a completely made-up number at the best of times and the clutch needs bleeding.

But: I absolutely love it!! Took it for a brief run through the hills close to my home in Canberra and came home with a stupid grin that hasn't left my face. In addition, I'm boring my friends to tears teling them about the beautiful detail on the bike.

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Have read lots of useful information on the forum already and I look forward to learning more about these wonderful bikes.

Cheers,

Mike

[brian]

Welcome to the forum Mike. Nice to have another Ausie on here. There's a few db5r owners on here. Great looking bike mate
_________________
'99 DB4 #104, '96 SB6 #1165, '94 DB2 J #652, '99 DB4 #088, '08 VTX1800, '93 ZXR750R M1, '95 ZXR750, '95 ZXR750 Race Bike, '94 CBR400rr NC29 Race Bike, '94 CB250, '49 BSA C10 250, '61 BSA A10 650, '89 ZXR750, '91 Ducati 851

[2bims]

Hello Mike...and welcome to the Forum and world of Bimota Ownership...kindred spirit here also with a Db5R...and thank the lord you live so far away...otherwise we might end up meeting on the same bike...couldnt be having that for sure......

Difficult to tell from picture....more detailed and other side please (although congrats on being able to post a picture on your first post.

I see you have the koso clocks on the bike...so its a later version...random speedo is a simple and free fix........On the back rear brake caliper bracket you will see the sender unit inserted into the bracket with a grey plastic kos cap and a black wire running from it.....this is held in place by a tiny allen key grub screw (2mm), screwed in from the leading edge of the caliper bracket....Basically its too close to the hex steel headed bolts on the rear disc...so its clicking on too many times and creating random speeds.....loosen the grub screw so that the unit...small ally cylindrical tube...can be free...backwards...forwards...then using (from recollection) a 4mm allen key as a spacer....place this against and between one of the disc bolt heads and the sender unit and push in the speedo pick up unit tight against it...and tighten the grub screw....and voila....you should now have a 100% correct unit.....try with the 4mm first...and then 3mm if its still not right.......Dont for heavens sake replace the hex bolts on the rear disc for prettier allen headed SS or titanium...as theres a magnet in the sensor and it dont work with these metals...hence Bimota fitting quite ugly steel hex bolts with raised numbers......You can pull the unit out alltogether and you may find its been rubbing on the raised numbers on the bolts...but its evidently still working so ...If it aint broke ...dont fix it.........

Poor running cold??/ Hhmmm...again pictures would help...I see that you still have the black steel painted end cans...and presumably the cat in the front pipe and cat in the x-box collecter? Did you not get the titanium oval race cans with the bike? Bike runs better with a clear system as then the cats dont have to warm up....Have you found the choke button on the RHS switchgear on front face of the throttle? push button in...when starting....always pull the clutch...never touch the throttle....the ECU switches off the fuel supply until its warmed up....other than that...ride and enjoy...well after running it in that is.......

[2bims]

I see also that you still have the footpegs set at the high level...if you need or would like a less cramped position for your legs they are adjustable with 2 lower levels available...simply remove the top bolt of the footplate from each side and they pivot down around the bottom bolts...then refix the bolt at your desired position...dont forget to adjust the gear lever and rear brake lever ends around their snail cams accordingly also or else you'll find yourself stamping on the rear brake too hard like I did when i first adjusted the footpegs down lower.....

Your bikes probably the last of the last of the DB5R's from the factory....with revised DLC marzocchi forks in lieu of tin coated ohlins....and seems to ahve different wheels and front discs.....normally gold Oz wheels with gold anodised front disc carriers....always has been a few changes made down the line with each model....

[CBR_DBR]

Thanks for the welcome 2bims & Brian!

I agree that it would be highly embarrassing to turn up to any event on the same bike... The info on the sensor at the rear for the speedo is much appreciated and I'll try and set that up properly tomorrow night and lower the pegs as well.

I also checked the throttle housing on the handle bars but no push-button to be found. Sounds like it just doesn't like running when cold (and yes, both cats are present). I found that starting it with a throttle cracked slightly open does get proceedings under way. The bike didn't come with the titanium cans and I'm tempted to try and source a pair. I'm guessing they will only set me back a sum equalling the GDP of a small nation?

I'll post some more pics tomorrow as well.

Cheers,

Mike

[2bims]

Not so much "embarassing" more amusing...if only to see peoples faces with 2 of the same rare beasts turning up together....done it a few times now with 2 Db2's together....2 No. Vdues and 2 No. tricolor Db4's...the second takes you get are amusing.....

The Db5 either came with a left side choke lever...OR NOTHING...or right side tiny i.e. 4mm x 4mm button on the RHS throttle assembly...that is effectively a slight throttle advance...maybe 4-5mm so your procedure of slightly cracking it open serves the same purpose...

You can still get the titanium end cans that are a direct and easy fit...and Zard direct in Italy will also supply the original headers with lambda sensors but also cat-free......the pipes are some 4-500 euros, stainless steel....but then add a small countries GDP for the end cans...shipping and import duty....

Or they supply squishy flat carbon end pipes....they normally use local dealers as distributors like this one...but I found that they deal direct also....at better prices...but Shhh...dont tell no-one...this site shows you the three options...cat free headers only...cat free headers plus end cans...or just end cans....Appreciably louder with just end cans...only marginally louder with cat free system,,,,,

https://www.speedycom.co.uk/shop/product.php?productid=17647&cat=569&page=1


Or you could try Zard direct...try writing to
Giulia Gherlone
Sales Director Zard
info@zardexhaust.com

Oh...if you'd like a full electronic Bimota workshop manual and Full spares electronic brochure also...then pm me you email address and I can send you a file share link...too large to send as an email attachment...

[CBR_DBR]

Well, last Friday the DB has had a service at a good bike shop here in Canberra. They service a few other Bimotas and maintain Ducati track bikes for folks and they're a pretty good outfit.

We experimented with the sender for the speedo and, at 4mm, had no signal at all! Reduced it to 1 mm and we've got the speedo back, albeit still with a 25% exaggeration over the actual speed. I checked this by rigging my car GPS unit to the bike, setting the distance for the sensor and going for a test run. I'm at 1.5 mm now but there is no measurable change in the speed readings.

I did find the instructions for the Koso clocks and I might just check the unit's settings for the wheel circumference and see if that gets me 25% closer to the actual speed.

As mentioned before, the bike needs a bit of throttle to start but after riding for a minute or so it idles just fine. I have checked both the left and right handle bar controls but there is no button or lever to adjust the idling when cold. The fuelling at low speeds seems very rich as well and there is a smell of unburnt fuel. Brett at Moto Garage wants to have a go at adjusting the mapping of the bike to see if we can improve matters.

The other odd thing that happens is that the oil temperature warning light comes on after a short while. This happened after a ride on country roads at normal speeds with plenty of air hitting the cooler so I find it hard to imagine that the temperature would actually be too high. Is this another instance of the Koso unit making sh&t up?

The pegs have been adjusted to their lowest position and it makes for a more relaxed riding position. I just love the beautiful detail on things like the rearsets and every time I open the garage it makes me smile. (Riding it results in more of a manic grin ) We've had some beautiful Spring days so I've put a few more kilometers on the bike.

Cheers,

Mike

[2bims]

Hi Mike....couldnt quite recall what the right setting was for the rear speedo sensor...other than reading 25% MORE....is it at least now static at a steady speed or still fluctuating between 50-80....zooming up and down to both speeds and all in-between, or is it staying steady?

Not sure which wheels you have on your DB5R....more piccies needed.....The Db5's came with raptor style wheels that had 4 disc bolts and a wavey disc....or Oz gold wheels with 5 disc bolts.......as it sounds like you may have 5 disc bolts but speedo is set for a DB5 with only 4 disc bolts...hence the over reading of speed by exactly 25%.........

The unit is an RX2N koso as you've probably found....but if your speedo has Bimota written on the tacho...you'll find that the settings are all locked out by Bimota...meaning you cant change the wheel settings or indeed half of the capabilities of a standard koso unit


Tuning...people have managed to fit power commanders on these bikes and a good tuner seems able to get into the ECU settings also....so fueling could be cured...they are normally set to rich as they are tuned for the open Zard cans that the bike should have come with....the standard ones being fitted just to get it through emissions and noise levels...as the open cans wouldnt do either.........

Good to see youre enjoying it though....did I say that we need more pictures??

[vort28]

Hi Mike.

Nice DB5R and welcome to the forum
As 2bims already pointed out, yours looks like one of the later DB5R's, with the Marzzochi forks , which might have the black Oz or even Marvic wheels. Both can be distinguished with the name sticker on the rims.

So pictures of possible rims and setups.

Standard wheel



Gold Oz with 5 studs




Possible black Oz set up with Koso clocks and completely different setup

[CBR_DBR]

Hi All,

Some excellent info again! Answers to some of the questions:

-Indication on the speedo is 25% out but steady. Haven't checked the number of bolts on the disk yet (but it may well be 5)
-Will check if I can access the settings on the Koso unit. From recollection it does not have Bimota written on it.
-Brett at Moto Garage was confident he can update the map in the ECU to sort the fuelling. He did mention the software he uses but I then promptly forgot. He did mention he needed to get an update to be able to connect to this particular ECU, but was happy to do so.
-Vort, the wheels on my bike are behind door number 3. Black Oz wheels (haven't checked nr of studs yet).

I'll try and take some pics tomorrow of the areas of interest

Cheers,

Mike

[2bims]

If you have the "standard" Bimota clocks (koso version)...it will have a black tacho dial with bimota written above the tacho needle pivot point and a "b" logo below the needle pivot point...yet still have koso beneath the lcd display....The off the shelf Koso RX2N units normally have a white tacho display unit....if its the black Bimota special Koso unit you'll find that the change functions to suit are all locked out....so if using the koso manual available on-line then you cant change any of the parameters or settings.........It sounds like Bimota have "found" some black oz racing wheels to fit to the bike that have five disc bolts...yet put a set of clocks on geared for only 4 disc bolts....only a change of wheels or clocks will correct this....The Engine oil light coming on would be an indication of either loss of pressure or low oil...so check in the sight window of the crankcase RHS that the oil level is correct....as the sender is also on that side.....the horizontal lcd bars on the display are for engine oil temperature...normally 3 or 4 bars illuminate at normal operating temps.........On other kos clocks this could be fuel level...but not with the DB5 as theres no fuel level gauge only a low fuel warning light sender that would illuminate....theres also a red "spanner" symbol that would illuminate at around 1,000kms indicating first service being due...but no need to worry about that yet........

The left hand button operates a "cycle" between clock and air temperature...whilst the RHS button cycles between total odometer, trip meter 1 and trip meter 2.....speed always in the middle...with engine oil temp in horizontal bars on the RHS.....Theres also a top red illumination light for gear change indicator at max revs....and after the engine is started if you press the starter button again it sets off a lap timer facility on the display...'fraid thats all that the clocks do as far as what Bimota uses them for....and you can change them from mph to kmph...degrees to centigrade etc......the starter button is also a rest to cancel out the service light when this comes on rather than a service mechanic having to reset the ecu......

[SpikeC]

Regarding the speedo, if one bolt is switched out for titanium would that not correct the number of impulses?
_________________
Spike C.
Portland, Oregon, USA
2008 Bimota DB5R
1965 Triumph T100SC

[2bims]

Not sure on that one Spike...another on here with a DB6 with same clocks as yours...central white tacho....had the same issue with Oz wheels fitted with 5 disc bolts...as standard it should have had a wavey rear disc, black five spoke wheels and 4 disc bolts....and his speedo was reading and measuring exactly 25% over.....instead of replacing a disc bolt he simply removed it....but it didnt make any difference...why I dont know....but it could be worth a try as he has Koso clocks and not the central dial ones...and I know that the senders for those 2 units are different from each other and not interchangeable

Wouldnt necessarily need to be titanium....a Ss bolt might suffice as they have lower steel content than the ugly bolts that Bimota have to use to get a metallic/ferrous effect for the magnets....I know someone that replaced all the ugly bolts with SS only to find he had zero reading on his speedo as a result....

[vort28]

Well I was that person and the bolt removal was a quick and dirty check to see what the sensor was reading ( rotation speed or frequency), anyway answer seemed to be both . Were with all bolts in I was 25% fast and steady , now it was 25% fast and then correct ish, but it was constantly flickering .

Koso clock should be like this



You might find with the later wheels that you have a different set up of the rear disc, as the later black Oz wheels are completely different to the earlier gold ones.

[CBR_DBR]

OK, checked a few of the items discussed in this thread and took some pics while I was at it.



The clocks: definitely Koso with the Bimota logo. I suppose that means no setup or other jiggery-pokery


The wheels are the black Oz with 5 studs for the rear disk.


Although this is a 5R they only had the plastic belt covers on the shelf the day mine was built.


Plenty of oil, keeping it below 6000rpm while running the engine in and still the oil temperature warning light comes on after 15 minutes or so.


Not sure what the sensors are but it doesn't like cold starts.


The DB5R with one of its stable mates. Plenty of Italian 'character' to sort out but I still love it!


Mike