Bimota Forum

welshlamb · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 6:26 pm Post subject: DB2SR

Looking at possible purchase of a DB2SR as possibly the ultimate in 'air cooled 2 cyl. ethos i.e. light and accessible real world thrills (I appreciate its not a 1300cc, 4cyl fire breather)

If I can get on with ergos (I'm 6ft 3") is there anything especially about the SR that would make ownership a 'mare? e.g. oddball , unreliable FI?

Would love to do this before I get too old to enjoy!!

Cheers

2bims · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 7289

As with any bike...all down to how well looked after, used, maintained etc etc....DB2Sr's could well be nearly 20 years old now....You havent recently telphoned Ducati Manchester about this have you???....Youre certainly tall enough for a DB2...as they are a tall bike even with the Ohlins rear shock wound down to its lowest height...perhaps the tallest Bimota of all.....Nothing wrong with them...fueling system for fuel injection has been said to be problematic compared to carbs...but then I've seen some examples with 30,000kms on them so how troublesome can they be?...bike came in 2 colour schemes...red/white/green and purple/white/red...always with grey metallic painted frames/swingarm and wheels to match.....If needing to try one out for size it would be handy to know where you live...country at least....most Bimota owners would let you throw a leg over one if you lived locally

2bims · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 7289

Forgot to mention....if you were to get a DB2SR then of course you'd need an original matching sales brochure to go with it....currently being offered on ebay by my good self... Wink

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131644818074?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

2bims · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 7289

Just a thought? Is the one youre interested in the one at MadeInItalyMotorcycles??? The black one? This has oscom wheels...the lighter wheels of the 2 types fitted to the DB2

Words from MIIMC
Bimota have always built beautiful bikes it's not up for question, however a few of their paint schemes have been questionable especially from the early to mid nineties, not least the DB2SR which was only available in patchwork purple,red and white (just google it and you'll see what I mean)
A previous owner of this model saw the light and had it re painted in black with subtle detailing in red which to my eye looks a whole lot better than the original machine. Other than that it's standard apart from some missing indicators which we'll add before it goes out, we've just fitted a new fuel pump, tyres, Odysey battery and belts so it's ready to ride we'll also MOT and register it at point of sale, it's covered just under 30,000 Kms and is in good shape throughout the SR model differs from the standard and EF models in having an injected engine ..........

I'd take what MIIMC at a pinch of salt if I were you....bike seems cheap for a DB2 when considering others available in Europe...and theres usually a reason for that...MIIMC say that the SR only came in patchwork purple red and white...which is wrong as it came in Tricolor Red/white green also....and I think both colour schemes are nicer than the all black this one comes in...but thats my personal preference......Evidently this bike has lived in Europe and been recently imported, clocks in Kms...and they havent registered it yet...so difficult if not impossible to discover its history

I cant see the front or the bike of the bike properly as shots are all taken from the sides....but to my eye the bike has been modded for pure tracking or racing....90% of the bonded in rear mudguard/number plate hanger has been cut off flush with the bottom of the silencers...notes say that MIIMC will fit Indicators...but the part they fit to originally has been cut off...similarly at the front end...theres a square recess in the side panles with 2 holes where the indicators normally are fitted....on this bike they have been entrely filled in and painted over...similarly the holes for the wingmirrors have been filled in and painted over...yes theres a bolt showing....but this is merely there on this model to hold the fairing to the bracket support behind it to stop it flapping about....I am assuming it has a rear light and headlight but cant see....Also the bike has lost its original Bimota made alloy clipons and brackets...and been replaced with some horrible nasty cheap black painted steel ones...now this may be for the purpose of raising the bars for a comfier riding position...or because the others were bent/broken (and are impossible to find on the 2nd hand market)...another sign of possible track/race use is the original footpegs are missing and replaced with none standard half section pieces...no reason for this unless others were damaged and its not like they are now rearsets or higher up than before...hangers are stock just change in pegs...Anyhow...thats my tuppence worth...if its not this bike and its another elsewhere heyho...happy to talk about bimotas in general/advise if necessary....just pm me a phone number and I'll call ya (assuming you are in Wales that is...I aint phoning Mozambique...)

welshlamb · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2015 6:58 pm Post subject:

2bims, thanks for all the input. No its not the MIIMC SB2R . Theres also a SB2 final edition at North Leicester Motorcycles but he's asking £10.5k for that! No its neither of those. I'll PM you re details of the one I'm looking at and my location. Thanks again.

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

Ahem..... The "ultimate air cooled" is the DB5R, you know.....
_________________
Spike C.
Portland, Oregon, USA
2008 Bimota DB5R
1965 Triumph T100SC

welshlamb · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2015 7:16 pm Post subject:

2bims · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 7289

2bims · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 7289

vort28 · Joined: 22 Mar 2010 Posts: 2194 Location: Northwest , UK

welshlamb · Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2015 3:35 pm Post subject:

are all DB2s in the UK 'up North'? (not that there can be many in UK anyway!)
If anyone nearby to Bristol/Cardiff has one then I'd be keen to have a try for size only and see one close up in flesh. If not then trip to Manchester might be on the cards.

welshlamb · Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2015 4:01 pm Post subject:

sending you pm 2 bims!

2bims · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 7289

Hi Welshlamb....I did a search this morning and found 3 other DB2's for sale other than the ones at MIIMC and NLM.....the one youre on about does indeed look nice and standard...and still has the original clip-ons...some folk change them for ones that are a lesser stretch and higher up...and it has the full length mudguard/number plate hanger...which is handy as its all integral with the taank/seat unit as one mould of fibreglass so hard to extend back to original once its been cut off...like the one at MIIMC........original indicators, wing mirrors, wheels are oscom, calipers standard and master...even has the deep dish full floater brembo discs which have a higher iron content than the thinner non-floater SS discs used on the FE edition...much prefer the full floater rattly discs...much more bite to them.

Only item that has been changed...and should be seen as an improvement...is that it has a white faced veglia oil temperature gauge sitting atop the speedo and tacho...which should also be white faced veglia units ...Bimota didnt brand their own name onto the clocks on the DB2 series like they did on the Db1. Retro fitting of a temp gauge is quite easy...the Gauze sump filter is removed and changed for one with a threaded hole in the bolt head so that a thermister/resistor can be bolted in...then feeding to the temp gauge. The triple clocks the bike have must have been sourced from either a "later" Ducati 900ss, or an 851 or 888 series Ducati.....I did this with my DB2 and another on here in Yorkshire also did it with his DB2....the higher mounted temp gauge "just" fits under the screen of the bike.....Question though.....but maybe owner of bike doesnt know....was the original speedometer fitted back into the new triple clock set up or did they just transplant all 3 clocks from the donor unit? Reason I ask is 1.) true mileage and 2)..its deliberately a bugger to remove the original speedo from its original housing...when factry fitted they tighten the bolts until they come loose in the speedo clock...so cant be undone or removed unless you butcher the plastic casing holding the clocks.

DB2's are nice bikes...only bugbear is removal of fairing for engine access...even filling up the oil...Can you see there the fairing join is on DB2's? Nope...no one can...its under the engine...the whole fairing is one piece...you have to remove securing bolts under the belly pan...remove wing mirrors...remove or lower front mudguard....remove side fixing bolts from frame...then prise open the fairing at the bottom like a clamshell and slowly drag and extract it over the front wheel/forks.....Tank seat unit is also one piece...but thats a doddle...tank is a cover...and underneath its plastic tank...so no rust issues....

Vorts correct with his assessment of DB4...comfier...less extreme riding position...more up to date and still a joy to ride...but less easy to get hold of than a DB2...and that aint so easy......theres 3 Db4's up north...one mid way down south and 2 Db2's up north also...theres a third...but thats in scotland...What can I say? Northerners evidently have more taste than southerners....

Laughing

welshlamb · Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2015 11:45 am Post subject: Plastic tank

Any reported issues with the higher ethanol in petrol these days, either tank distortion or nasty residues being transported around the fuel system?

Waiting to get some more photos of the German bike , hopefully today

2bims · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 7289

Lots of reports...Ducati sufferin massive warranty claims of tank distortion to the extent the tanks are snapping the retaining bolts...they now seem to be going back to ally and steel tanks...Hhmmm....

Not had any issues with any of my bikes tanks....but then always use 98 grade...and from a fuel supplier that says it does not add ethanol......evidently steer clear of Supermarket petrol stations.......Most 90's Bimotas...if not all...have fibreglass or carbon tank/seat units in one piece that cover the "real tank" thats underneath....real tank made of plastic...and theres enough space to cope with any potential expansion......drain down over winter and leave cap off and tanks shrink back to normal....