Bimota Forum

kenmoore · Joined: 22 Apr 2016 Posts: 159 Location: Australia

Thanks for that, I will have a look.

First to get it running properly. Too early here to start it but I found a wire loose on the ignition switch, maybe that is why it was running poorly.

Have been over the carb fittings and vac lines and all seems well.

The fuel tank is this,

Also found a Wilbers Shock with remote adjuster!

Will keep going with the tinkering and clean and check chain alignment with my profi laser aligner.

More to come, been up since 3am playing and tidying up. Some of the hoses and wiring were badly routed and that has now been rectified as well, that's how I found the loose connection on the ignition switch.

Any ideas on where to get some new levers from?

Cheers from Down Under!
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The Older I Get The Better I Was !

kenmoore · Joined: 22 Apr 2016 Posts: 159 Location: Australia

Yahoo,

Just went for a short ride, this thing is light as!

Here is a short vid of the bike running just after the ride.

https://youtu.be/tyz0fCBBueU

Not a great vid but you get the idea.

Now to adjust all the controls and get the clip ons in the right spot, then do the suspension sag and order some parts.

The front forks will be repainted and some minor blemishes rectified.

At last this bike is where it belongs, back on the road.
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The Older I Get The Better I Was !

2bims · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 7289

Looks like a standard tank...saddle bag style that flops over the tort frame rails running up the middle up high.....and sounds nice and starts well.....enjoy...

What levers are you looking for? Direct replacement levers like for like? Or replacements that are dog leg back to the clip on and not away from it...with adjusters?..........I tried the first route but the original levers and masters have very thin aperture for the lever to fit and bolt on....and I couldnt find adjustable levers that were as thin at the fitment end.....thus I procured some new Gold series Brembo units with a higher ratio....but still using the original remote reservoir bodies connected to the new masters...thus you then get an easier pull on brakes and clutch...and adjustable...and you "preserve" the old units and levers which are Rocking horse poo in availability anyhow....and seals etc may not be at their best....

Have seen DB1's using brembo radial masters also with remote reservoir pots still used...the clip ons are standard diameter for modern master clamps.....but just stick to brembo...as I couldnt vouch for say Honda/yam/Toxico etc etc units fitting...or clearance wise either...

Mike Jennings · Joined: 22 Mar 2008 Posts: 286 Location: England

Hello Kenmoore,

looks like a very nice bike with lots of sensible mods. The swinging arm looks standard and has been sleeved to take the smaller diameter needle-roller mounted swinging arm pivot used on the later bikes, rather than the earlier large plain bearing mounted pin which wears quickly.Has the rear exhaust been routed through the swinging arm as there's not a lot of room around there?

The DB1 series all used 16" wheels but 17" is a good mod for tyre choice, although some of the 'superscooters' use 16" wheels now so tyres aren't as hard to come by as they were. The bike uses lots of parts off other bikes of the time, so it's worth checking to see if you can find exchangeable parts.

Cheers, MikeJ

PS TwoBims has been very helpful to me in the past- what would we do without him!

kenmoore · Joined: 22 Apr 2016 Posts: 159 Location: Australia

Firstly,

Can I say thanks for the input,

After having a reasonable ride today I can now see what all the fuss is about.

What a great bike, very deceptive and unfussed in the manner that it goes about it's job.

Handling is superb especially for a bike this old( I keep telling the missus that many a good tune has been played on an old fiddle with - that is in reference to me, not the missus)

2bims, I will stick with your advice and go the brembo route for the levers as I want it to stay original in respect to the master cylinders, I reckon they look cool!

As for the exhaust, it is a custom job and very well thought out, it is external to the swingarm, fits nice and snug to the motor and each header is individual and does not join the other if you gat what I mean. Sounds great when you get into it and the induction noise is seductive and begs you to wind it on.

I can take pics if you want!

To say that I am surprised by this bike is an understatement and now my mission is to bring it up to a standard that it deserves.

I am amazed at the efforts of whoever fitted the motor and all that it entails.
Every time I look at and work on the bike I notice just how well thought out the whole engine transplant has been.

Will keep you posted!

Cheers from Down Under!
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The Older I Get The Better I Was !

kenmoore · Joined: 22 Apr 2016 Posts: 159 Location: Australia

Sorry,

2bims, I just re read your post and are you saying that it is easier to buy new gold line masters and adjustable levers and still utilise the original reservoirs?

Is there any chance you could post a pic of this set up?

As it is I find the clutch far too heavy, especially around town.

Thanks in advance !
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The Older I Get The Better I Was !

2bims · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 7289

2bims · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 7289

Heres a few of my own library piccies of the brembo gold series fitted...but I will take some individual piccies also of each side

To the left side of this piccie you can see the "standard" gap in the pinch bolt area of the swingarm..

The bike has White whited VEgila clocks...yeh....couldnt quite see if they had "Bimota" written in red on the bottom right of each clock like these....

THey do seem to be the original clocks.....with 170km/h at the top dead centre...and same red line as per the 750 engine that would have been fitted....Even on UK models they all came with clocks in Kms...none in mph...

kenmoore · Joined: 22 Apr 2016 Posts: 159 Location: Australia

Thanks for that,

The master cylinder for the clutch is now a priority.

The clocks are the same as your bike.

Will post a pic tonight.

Cheers from Down Under!
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The Older I Get The Better I Was !

2bims · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 7289

A few better piccies of the gold series masters set up using the original connector lines and reservoir pots atop the forks....you can see on each master a gold raised "nipple" thats holed and threaded....where there would originally be located a bolts and bracket that would hold the brembo white plastic reservoir pots...that evidently isnt used....would be difficult though as the pots in those locations would hit the upper part of the nose fairing as the apertures are quite tight as you may find....theres plenty of space on the clip-ons to locate the gold series masters and levers so that when the levers are pulled they dont impact on the switchgear assemblies...they dont impact on the fairing sides...or the clocks....

kenmoore · Joined: 22 Apr 2016 Posts: 159 Location: Australia

Great information.

I know what is required now and will set about sourcing the parts.

Cheers from Down Under!
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The Older I Get The Better I Was !

2bims · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 7289

Ducati dealers can usually get them for you.....standard fitment of Ducati 748/916/996/998...and others I'm sure...and sometimes can be cheaper than the bay....but thats here in blighty.....from new...they dont come with the brackets or pots anyhow...but then you dont need those parts (brackets to hold the res pots that is..they evidently come with the clamp brackets to the clip-ons..might be best going for a pair so the sides match...and whilst you may have had a nice ride out and thought the clutch heavy.....you might not have been "tanking it"....the gold series brake masters have a better ratio and adjustable levers so you can put some nice pressure on those rattly discs up front...which are more than adequate....would also advise to get banjo bolts with a bleed nipple on them....makes it so so much easier to bleed out the system of air....some more modern units come with them already fitted to the master integral to the unit

Quadrasuarass · Joined: 23 Aug 2013 Posts: 82 Location: New Zealand

Nice piece of kit you have there; if you want to make advances in the front suspension department talk to Richard Adams at Maxton. He gutted out my M1Rs and fitted a set of cartridges wit compression damping, rebound damping and pre lad adjustment - all inside the original stanchions while keeping the reservoir caps - look the same from the out side but transformed on the inside.

For brakes take you pick

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kenmoore · Joined: 22 Apr 2016 Posts: 159 Location: Australia

Happy with the suspension, those brakes look the goods.

Going to pull the clutch and see if I can do something with the springs before I go the master cylinder route.

Will post pics!
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The Older I Get The Better I Was !

Quadrasuarass · Joined: 23 Aug 2013 Posts: 82 Location: New Zealand

4 pot caliper adapters came form Phil Hiscock at Road and Race in Melbourne. The 30/34 calipers from a wreckers over here in NZ. My DB1 was in shabby but serviceable condition when I bought it so it is getting a fairly generous make over including newer calipers and master cylinders - the radial RCS fit - just; will post a thread at some stage.

Cheers
Nigel