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New DB4 owner checking in
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2bims



Joined: 03 Apr 2010
Posts: 7289

PostPosted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 1:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Heres my DB4 Tricolor..........a nicer looking model than most...but mainly because of whos sat on it........ Laughing








And just to try and prove that theres an engine in it...and it "occassionally" gets used...heres one on the road.......

They are a lovely handling and really quite a comfortable bike in comparison to some Bimotas that have more extreme riding positions......and once you get used to a Ducati engine...similar to a 2-stroke in constantly finding the right gear to be in when on the road to keep it in the pulling rev range....a nice bike to ride....They are a little "overlooked" but then they were making them just at the time when Bimota went Bankrupt........No-one really knows how many were made in the end as an awful lot of frames and bodywork etc of uncompleted bikes were sold off in the bankruptcy auction...complete with container loads of completed DB4i.e's........Its thought that maybe only 100 or so DB4 tri-colors were ever made.......theres 3 in the UK....

Unfortunately for my DB4...its often "overlooked" by myself and others get favoured first..but mainly coz my other bikes have louder exhausts and engine work on them....... DB4 really needs flat slides to extract the best out of the engine...chalk and cheese compared to a standard mikuni carbed version.........









As regards direct comparison between Ducati's 900SS....well the DB4 just feels a lot more tort and well put together with better components. Feels a more complete tortionally tight and lighter version......as I also have a 900SS as below....but this one gets used less than the DB4.......I've even tried the DB4 up against its more direct comparison of the era...the 2000 Ducati Fuel injected version SS....But again......no real comparison given the frame and quality components of the Bimota



Red mirrors also on mine....you can respray the old ones...but these mirrors are Cagiva branded with the little elephant...and do come up on ebay from time to time...the red is a slightly different shade but looks the part...I even have a spare set if you were interested..they are a direct replacement...no mods necessary.....Double bubble screens that are higher are also still available.......



Last edited by 2bims on Tue Oct 28, 2014 2:09 pm; edited 3 times in total
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vort28



Joined: 22 Mar 2010
Posts: 2194
Location: Northwest , UK

PostPosted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 1:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

V10, mirrors are Cagiva Mito and the red is nearly a perfect match. Ducati ones similar but curved foot not flat like Bimota.

v-pilot wrote:
Who knows, it may replace my 900ss as my favorite ride


If the 4 does not better the 900ss , I will be very surprised. The DB4 is a very capable bike , light, handles well although a bit of setting up is required, has plenty of grunt and makes all the right noises (especially with flatsides).

v-pilot wrote:
It's like vort's but mine has the 944 kit also

So you have the corse kit also , they are not very common, pure fluke I got mine, came with the bike but about a 3.5k option I believe and never seen another. Has yours got KCR39's or 41's to go with the 944 ?
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V10LEE



Joined: 26 Oct 2014
Posts: 51
Location: California

PostPosted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey 2bims thank's for the write up ,and wow those pics! The girls are hot too. Laughing

I really like the DB1's something about those bikes. Probably the fully enclosed look,but I would love to try one out one of these days..
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2bims



Joined: 03 Apr 2010
Posts: 7289

PostPosted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 12:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No worries Lee....theres a few of us from here on the FOrum that have clubbed together once a year to do a show in Mcr.....and its normally left to myself to round up most anything in Lycra to come and sit on the bikes....purely unselfish reasons.....just to give the boys that cant make it to the show a feel of what its like..........

This is the first show that we did together

http://www.bimotaforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=2482&start=0

This is the last show that we did this year
http://www.bimotaforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=3614&start=0


DB1 is a hoot to ride...very nostalgic...but it is absolutely TINY.!!!!!!!!!...and very cramped for the footpegs....quite honestly these bikes were made for folk at around 5Ft 2 inches...and no more....you can almost walk onto the bike from behind its that low and small.........
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brian



Joined: 22 Aug 2011
Posts: 3769
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 10:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

2bims wrote:
...quite honestly these bikes were made for folk at around 5Ft 2 inches...and no more....you can almost walk onto the bike from behind its that low and small.........


You say that like it's a bad thing Steve Laughing

I've gotta get me a db1. It would be a nice change to not have to sit on 1 ass cheek to reach the ground.
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'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
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v-pilot



Joined: 01 Jun 2014
Posts: 79
Location: Rexford NY

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 2:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

vort28 wrote:
So you have the corse kit also , they are not very common, pure fluke I got mine, came with the bike but about a 3.5k option I believe and never seen another. Has yours got KCR39's or 41's to go with the 944 ?


vort, Yeah my bike is number 012 and had the kit installed too. I've the 39mm FCR's...same as my 900ss. The intake runners are so long on this motor so the 39's work better as they keep the velocity up to help throttle response
_________________
02 aprilia RSVR Mille, 02 aprilia SL1000 Falco
99 bimota db4 tricolor, 98 Moto Guzzi V10 Centauro
97 Suzuki LS650 96 Triumph Trident 900
96 Ducati 900 SS/SP
87 moto Guzzi Le Mans IV se (2x)
78 Moto Guzzi V50
68 benelli 250 65 Ducati 250
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V10LEE



Joined: 26 Oct 2014
Posts: 51
Location: California

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 8:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You guys know of any DB1s for sale in the States? Laughing
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vort28



Joined: 22 Mar 2010
Posts: 2194
Location: Northwest , UK

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 8:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mines 16 , makes you wonder if the early ones were fitted as standard or maybe given a cheap option, but then sure I have read that the kits were from the USA importer but who knows.
944 is the next step for mine I think but there is always debate on whether to fit 39's or 41's , you are the first person I have meet with 39's . Looks like there is no excuse now Laughing
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V10LEE



Joined: 26 Oct 2014
Posts: 51
Location: California

PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 5:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey guys on the DB4 tricolor. How many were produced? Thank's.
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2bims



Joined: 03 Apr 2010
Posts: 7289

PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 11:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

They are a little "overlooked" but then they were making them just at the time when Bimota went Bankrupt........No-one really knows how many were made in the end as an awful lot of frames and bodywork etc of uncompleted bikes were sold off in the bankruptcy auction...complete with container loads of completed DB4i.e's........Its thought that maybe only 100 or so DB4 tri-colors were ever made.......theres 3 in the UK....

Heres the link to the Swiss Bimota Register of Bimota Owners.......from here you can sometimes also email people if interested in their bikes, be it Db1 or others

http://www.bimota.ch/register/register_bimota_db_en.html

Currently shows 3 Db4's in USA...but all of the lists are far from complete.....and 2 of these Db4's are the slightly later DB4ie with different colour schemes and twin seats.........Says 264 made...but no differentiation on whether Tricolor or twin seat ie versions......speculation always on the number as they went bankrupt at the time of production....either way...all Bimotas by themselves are alwyas low limited production models....compared to any other manufacturer
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ducatidave



Joined: 07 Aug 2013
Posts: 32
Location: Sydney, Australia

PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

brian wrote:
2bims wrote:
...quite honestly these bikes were made for folk at around 5Ft 2 inches...and no more....you can almost walk onto the bike from behind its that low and small.........


You say that like it's a bad thing Steve Laughing

I've gotta get me a db1. It would be a nice change to not have to sit on 1 ass cheek to reach the ground.



Being the dotting, loving husband that I am, I bought a DB1 purely so my 5'2" tall wife would have something to ride. The purchase had nothing to do with the fact I had lusted after a DB1 ever since my mate imported them into Oz. Mine came into the country as a standard DB1 as the DB1S and SR would not pass Australian Design Rules being a bit on the noisy side. Mine was later converted to DB1S specs by the importer. The 41mm carbs and other mods have not adversely altered its tractability. I am trying to keep the mileage down but its very hard as its such a lovely bike to ride even on long country trips.
My wife refuses to ride the DB1 as she is scared she will drop it and do untold damage. She is a sidecar enthusiast with a collection of road and racing outfits. She has told me there is one solo machine she will ride when I finally restore it; a 1950 Panther sloper!!
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vort28



Joined: 22 Mar 2010
Posts: 2194
Location: Northwest , UK

PostPosted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 1:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Its amazing how many 'dotting' husbands there are around, although I have to say you must love your wife more than I love mine because I only bought her a DB6 Wink
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V10LEE



Joined: 26 Oct 2014
Posts: 51
Location: California

PostPosted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 8:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Took a long , good ride today. The bike runs real good. I can't believe how light this bike feels,and the handling is something else too.

Quick question my rpm guage kinds of bounces,and it does not rev past 4k RPMs. The speedometer moves,but it doesn't seem to be at the right speed I'm going. Does anyone know how to fix this? Thank you. Everything else is perfect..
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2bims



Joined: 03 Apr 2010
Posts: 7289

PostPosted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 9:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Its a breakdown of the wiring that links to the tacho.........the speedo is still old skool cable driven from the front wheel......but the tacho is electronic....fed by wires from the coils........Mine has been disconnected for quite some time.....it used to not work until the engine was warm say after 10mins or so...then it would kick in.....I tried a replacement unit but this didnt help....was still intermittent....and in the end it caused the rear cylinder to cut out also....so I simply pulled the connector from out the back of the tacho and that sorted the rear cylinder...but evidently not the tacho..You could try replacing the tacho but my bet is the wiring to the white connector block that pops into the back of the tacho dial unit.......As long as it sort of works either live with it...as the bike is still a joy to ride as you found.....other than that its trace/replace the cabling
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SpikeC



Joined: 20 Aug 2013
Posts: 450
Location: Portland, Oregon

PostPosted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 10:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This sort of thing would plague the early K100 BMWs, and it was corrosion on the connectors that was responsible. Over time it does not improve, what we would do is use dielectric grease on all connectors after cleaning them. The time spent on the connectors also gives you an opportunity to check the wires as well.
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Spike C.
Portland, Oregon, USA
2008 Bimota DB5R
1965 Triumph T100SC
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