Bimota Forum

[stratos23]

ahhh - good tip (re image uploads) - will try that in future.

Yes indicators aren't std - have the originals, but the rubber is breaking up now. I might stick with what's fitted, but spray over the 'carbon look' finish with flat black. The originals are so big they easily foul on things - same problem with std fitments on the F1.

Stayintune exhausts are polished stainless - actually beautifully crafted items specifically for the DB1 (that have "DB1" stamped elegantly on the mounting flanges). In fact, I've never seen such finely-made exhausts - such exact tolerances and super fine gauge stainless. They make the Lafranconi's on my Lemans look archaic. Can you believe the previous owner found them in a bike shop in Hawaii?!! Did they ever even sell a DB1 in Hawaii..?

But it did come with original exhausts too which are in perfect nic.

Yes, the floating rear disk is a nice touch - as in on first series F1's. In fact, I've done the same thing on my second series F1 - which are otherwise prone to dragging on the pads.

I'll try and pick up a complete spare set of fairings - and paint those instead of what's on it now (to the original paint in tact).

Summer's coming over here, so looking forward to getting well-acquainted with the DB1... can't wait!

Interestingly, TWO more DB1's arrived in NZ last week. A friend was picking up his DB2 from customs (Japanese import) and to his surprise, it was flanked by a DB1SR and a DB1R. The guy who's brought them in seems to be doing it purely as a business exercise. He regularly imports Italian bikes from Japan to onsell. I suspect there might be more DB1's per capita in NZ than anywhere else in the world now - that's approx 10 bikes to 4 mill Kiwi's!
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DB1 . Ducati F1 . Ducati TT2 . Ducati 450D . Guzzi LM1 . Morini Kanguro

[2bims]

I had the same "faux Carbon" ones on my DB1 when I bought it....and again thought they were a bit out of place period wise as nothing else was carbon, or faux carbon....and was going to spray them also....but you can buy Matt black plastic ones the same...where 2 are shorties for the front and 2 are longer for the back....and they were only around 15gbp for the four...so I went that route...and as you say...at least they arent Humongous sized items like the originals......and the F1/SantaMonica ones are even bigger...as I bought a set of those intending to fit them to the DB1....but fitting was wrong...and they were just plain ugly hence I sold them onto an F1 owner who was after NOS ones....

Staintune exhaust is a nice unit...Hawaii.....probably not surprising....Not many Bimotas ever made no matter what the model...but they did and do seem to be able to reach the far reaches of the globe...they are just one of those brands that people go to great lengths to secure and import....

Throttle cables over the front clocks....yup...they all do that...almost like BImota designed and then built the bike...and went...Oops....where can we hide the cables....Nah....too late....just leave them looping across the clocks.....battery fitment on Bimotas also always seems a last thought....And no matter where the market for selling...they all had clocks in Kms only.....never any with Miles on them....and presumably the front headlight is kicking the wrong way being Left hand drive style kick up....lamp unit being from a Jap Yam FJ1200......never checked with mine...

[2bims]

This is the only place I know that does replacement bodywork for the DB1.....expensive if you needed a whole new suit....but not too bad for just a bellypan....although unpainted so you'd have to try and find the paint codes after that.....dear to paint in Bimota Tricolor....pearlescent white and pearlescent green.....red bleaches into white...so its normally primed, then all red paint onto that....then masked for red stripes...then painted white....then masked for green and that painted...and then lacquer coats....the "logos' Bimota, DB1 and desmo were always stickers....only the stripes were painted...

http://www.airtech-streamlining.com/bimota/bimotadb1.htm#price

[stratos23]

You're a Bimota encyclopedia in human form!! Thanks for the info - I really appreciate your observant eye!

I kind of like those quirks - the cables that run over the clocks etc ...all signs of a small design house whose focus was on more important things.

I haven't checked the orientation of the dip in the headlight lens. I had a stand-off with local authourities here when getting my F1 legal with exactly that issue. I won in the end.

Thanks for the painting tips. I've grown up custom painting, so I appreciate the details in this dept and actually look forward to the challenge of matching the pearls etc. I'd spotted Airtech in the past and thought their bellypans were a reasonable option - just add Dzues fasteners. I've seen a few other outfits who do them, such as these guys in Germany:

http://www.heru-carbontec.de/modell%C3%BCbersicht/bimota/db1/

...can't remember who else..?

I also remember seeing moulds on Ian Gowanloch's shelves. I've done a bit of carbon and fibreglass work over the years - it would be good to see if we could make some lighter ones - wonder if he'd part with them?

They really did get the shape right didn't they? Is it just me, or is the DB1 really the best looking Bimota they ever made - by a considerable distance (it's the only one they've reproduced in miniaturised sculptural form)? Possibly one of the best looking motorcycle shapes of all time...?!?
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DB1 . Ducati F1 . Ducati TT2 . Ducati 450D . Guzzi LM1 . Morini Kanguro

[2bims]

You kinda have to get to become an encyclopedia with Bimotas....evidently the Forum helps....but its not like theres 1,000's of them around...and not that well served by aftermarket companies either...

Not seen that German company before...and they do Vdue stuff as well which is good to know...including airboxes for the carbed versions......

Cant recall the name of the fasteners used by Bimota on the Db1.....Dzus style but different as they are just a quarter turn.....they are still made and used in the light aircraft industry and race car teams to secure bodywork, complete with the backing plate, and spring insert.....come in various sizes depending upon thickness of bodywork....

Sculptural Db1 models???

Oh...you mean like this one.....

[2bims]

More details on the locating pins and backing plates for the bellypan to tank/seat bodywork are in this thread.........

http://www.bimotaforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1558&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=270

[Bud977]

Great looking bike and those Staintunes look perfect. They suit the shape and era of the bike. Staintunes were made locally (near Sydney) so it's interesting they found their way onto a bike in Hawaii.

These Bimotas seem like those gnomes that get to travel the world, more so than their owners.

[stratos23]

[stratos23]

[brian]

Yes looks very nice! Pipes must be a little close to the fairing hey?
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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

[stratos23]

No, not at all - the fit seems to be pretty much the same as the std items. Although I can see the rear/lower cowl gets a bit hot - which is about to come off and get put away, since it really does get in the way a bit anyway. I now understand why you hardly ever see them fitted on road-going bikes...
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DB1 . Ducati F1 . Ducati TT2 . Ducati 450D . Guzzi LM1 . Morini Kanguro

[2bims]

You can heat wrap the front pipe on the horizontal cylinder....mine had it on when I bought it and I renewed it with titanium fabric heat wrap that comes with stainless steel cable ties , as evidently plastic ones will melt and fall off......the fit of the original pipes to the side of the engine casing is SO close though that the wrapping can only be placed on the outer face of the pipe....not enough clearance to wrap the back face...but it seems to work....

[shay001]

Ian Gowanloch imported 41 DB1 into Australia, in 3 batches. He no longer has records of which frame nos. When trying to trace mine he could not say whether or not it was one of his.

Early ones that he imported had the Australian compliance plates glued on, he did not want to drill holes in the frame, trouble is these glued ones frequently fell off.

One of this group of 41 went to New Zealand, it's probably yours, trouble is it is hard to find out, given Ian no longer has records and when I enquired directly to BIMOTA about my DB1 they directed me to BIMOTA Classic Parts, who claims he can find out what went where, but I am still waiting 6 months later for info on my bike.

Oh well, I bought it to ride anyway, not do a family tree

[2bims]

Hi Shay...and welcome to the Forum....thats an early frame number for a Db1...does it have an alloy tank and alloy airbox/crankcase breather catch box?

I have DB1 spare parts brochure available to download/print if you need one...just email and I can send as an attachment...it gives spare parts numbers but also exploded diagrams page by page which can be useful to see what goes where and what should be on it...

Do you still have the "lug" on the LHS of the lower fork yoke to take the steering damper? otherside mounts on the LHS of a lower frame rail.....Bimota yokes had the steering damper mounts built into the yoke and a tab on the frame.....Measure the distance between them from full lock to lock...to establish the length of damper travel needed....I have a spare Bimota damper but am unsure which model it came off...hence asking for travel length needed......

[2bims]

The "spare" one I have has a max length, full right lock of 35cms....centre to centre...and a short length , on full left lock, of 21cms....giving 14cms of travel.....