Bimota Forum

[Bud977]

[trev45]

Swing arm almost done great news

Cheers Trev

[Gavin944888]

Got an answer back from Smart carbs ...

Hello, thank you for your interest in the SmartCarb.

I would recommend our new 38mm SC2 billet carburetors. They will flow as much or more on the top end than the 39 DelLortos.
The bottom end torque and fuel economy will be much improved. 40mm’s are also an option if you are looking for more top end and WOT power.


Downside.......$1628 USDollars plus import duties (to the UK) of $325.60...$1953 makes it impractical, but at least thery are avaialable for V Due.

But they you are.......just about to place my order

Thanks for the imput.

regards
Gavin
_________________
On an Island in the River Thames!

Cagiva Elefant 888/955 & adventure sidecar
Cagiva Elefant 999r engined
Cagiva BIMOTA Motard Concept
BIMOTA DB9 (with DB11 rear-end)
BIMOTA DB7-11 VLX MULE (build coming to an end)
BIMOTA DB11 VLX Supercharger

[vort28]

[Weed]

[vort28]

Can't be 100% that it was a good fix.
In the early days it was just fitted to the vdue's with no other mods , so there were still the seal and oil issues.
But think after that it was pretty reliable.
Seem also to remember at the time the French importer had loads of problems with Bimota so sort of made it his mission to get vdues banned in France on emissions . Thus the kit never really got developed to its full potential.

[Weed]

It is a pretty elegant solution really. Infinitely more tuneable than a set of carbies. The Walbro TB is the weak link (I have been trying to find a replacement TB for mine but no luck yet)

[Gavin944888]

Hello......update on building the 'Lost CB...Cagiva Bimota V500 Prototype'



The new CB frame is built thanks to a jig being fabricated using Mick C of the Peak District, offering me, his spare Bimota VDUE frame as a donor.

Got some 4 inch X 2 inch Hollow steel section as the base and welded up accordingly....to map out the OEM geometry as used by Bimota.


[img]IMAG0299 by bear (as in animal ..not gay idol), on Flickr[/img]




Took some square screw bar (used for spiral grain feed machines) machined it down for the headstock angle and height positioning....
and placed some alloy spacers into the Bimota VDue frame to pick up the headstock position and angle.


Then some side plates were fabricated and bolted to the base section
.....all from mild steel. generally heavy and buckshee to fashion some form of location jig prior to frame fabrication.



[img]IMAG0303 by bear (as in animal ..not gay idol), on Flickr[/img]



from a different angle...you can see the detachable side locators.....picking up the engine mounts.
Once all fabricated...the frame was sent back Northwards to Mick Capper

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.....MICK

I could have been searching about in the dark ...like an old woman looking for a seat at a wedding reception....without YOUR help.



More to follow.


Gavin
The Scottish Engineer.
_________________
On an Island in the River Thames!

Cagiva Elefant 888/955 & adventure sidecar
Cagiva Elefant 999r engined
Cagiva BIMOTA Motard Concept
BIMOTA DB9 (with DB11 rear-end)
BIMOTA DB7-11 VLX MULE (build coming to an end)
BIMOTA DB11 VLX Supercharger

[Gavin944888]

Right................


I place the new V Due engine as purchased from a nice man in Italy in the frame position jig and stare at the task ahead.
Behind the engine and jig is the inspiration and donor bike frame...the Supercity 125...not a British Rail Train but a Cagiva urban cross.



[img]IMAG0313 by bear (as in animal ..not gay idol), on Flickr[/img]



I had some side plates 8mm thick mild steel lazer cut and positioned to the engine.
I used OEM Ducati 12mm dia engine bolts and machined spacers so that these remained uncut and unaltered....these a high tensile high shear items and not Chinese Specials.



[img]IMAG0312 by bear (as in animal ..not gay idol), on Flickr[/img]


Here you can see the lazer cut engine side plates and some location bosses to which the frame tubes will be welded.....a very typical early Ducati/Cagiva frame building method

It looks strange as it is canted over at an unusual angle and needs tubes welded to it.....but I am trying to draw on the general design of the SuperCity.




[img]IMAG0258 by bear (as in animal ..not gay idol), on Flickr[/img]



Word has it and this the reason behind the build ......

a VDUE 500 engine was sent down the road to San Marino where CRD (Cagiva Reseach and Design) were based and where Mr Tamburini had his office and staff under the Cagiva payroll.

There was (supposedly) a drawing of a Super Strada Cross...a mix of the Bimota engine and the Cagiva Supercity styling by Tamburini.

Cagiva and Bimota had worked on prototypes before...there is a drawing and images of the 650 Cagiva Allazura in a Bimota fabricated frame on the www web.


So there you have it......the Frame is under way...then the alloy tank...then the pipes.


More soon

Gavin
The Scottish Engineer
_________________
On an Island in the River Thames!

Cagiva Elefant 888/955 & adventure sidecar
Cagiva Elefant 999r engined
Cagiva BIMOTA Motard Concept
BIMOTA DB9 (with DB11 rear-end)
BIMOTA DB7-11 VLX MULE (build coming to an end)
BIMOTA DB11 VLX Supercharger

[Gavin944888]

[img]IMAG0307 by bear (as in animal ..not gay idol), on Flickr[/img]



This image shows the machined bosses in which the engine bolts and location pins will sit.

The idea is to use blind pins to locate after the engine bolts are secured and tightened.

The engineers clamps hold the machined bosses prior to them being welded on the actual side plates.




[img]IMG-20190618-WA0002 by bear (as in animal ..not gay idol), on Flickr[/img]




All the welding is carried out...all bosses preheated in the oven and transferred away from the cooking pies and placed into the sideplales where they are fixed.

the next part is ...eat the pies...wait for everything to cool..and transfer the whole assembly onto the location jig.


[img]IMAG0324 by bear (as in animal ..not gay idol), on Flickr[/img]



From the location jig...it is a matter of joining the dots with straight tube only......copying the frame ....engine...headstock angle although a higher height measurement, of the VDUE



More soon

Gavin
The Scottish Engineer
_________________
On an Island in the River Thames!

Cagiva Elefant 888/955 & adventure sidecar
Cagiva Elefant 999r engined
Cagiva BIMOTA Motard Concept
BIMOTA DB9 (with DB11 rear-end)
BIMOTA DB7-11 VLX MULE (build coming to an end)
BIMOTA DB11 VLX Supercharger

[Gavin944888]

So...........there are some minor points that have to be cleared up.

The frame will be basic made ....enough to take the engine, forks and seat unit along with swing arm.
Then the Tank will go on.......and some bodywork....allowing the expansion pipes to be fabricated.

After the pipes are fitted the frame comes back and all bracing is added as well as final fitting lugs for battery area and body panels including front sub-frame.
....likewise the rear subframe will be finalized and welded to protect and clear the expansion pipes.




[img]IMAG0320 by bear (as in animal ..not gay idol), on Flickr[/img]



So...what you are seeing is not the finished frame....even the welds are not finished...they were taken as far as they could in the jig. The engine will need to come out before they are finalized.

The main down tube has to have the shock mount welded to it...it is cut square awaiting the final machined top mount.......that is it at bottom right-hand corner of the image.

Below, we have the typical Cagiva and early Ducati tank mounting system which involves a 40mm rubber disc bung thingy... onto which a horse shoe in either side of the tank tunnel locates.




[img]IMAG0321 by bear (as in animal ..not gay idol), on Flickr[/img]



The disc bung thingies are held in place by M6 cap head bolts spaced apart to bridge the tank.


During the build....Karon asked why another build?
...especially as the Supercharger is not back yet ......from the Software people

....I explained I need something to keep me busy.....I could tell she was not overly impressed with the answer.




[img]IMAG0326 by bear (as in animal ..not gay idol), on Flickr[/img]



More to follow.

Gavin
The Scottish Engineer.
_________________
On an Island in the River Thames!

Cagiva Elefant 888/955 & adventure sidecar
Cagiva Elefant 999r engined
Cagiva BIMOTA Motard Concept
BIMOTA DB9 (with DB11 rear-end)
BIMOTA DB7-11 VLX MULE (build coming to an end)
BIMOTA DB11 VLX Supercharger

[2bims]

Bewidered, befuggled and amazed all at once......Coming along nicely though and because its the work of an evil genius and his plans to take over the world...it will be completed and run...…….

Still wish I'd bought that minter Super City 125 from Unit 5 Motos….it does look spanking new and a bag full of fun

....Whats it ride like? Have you been using it for daily commutes as you intended?

[2bims]

Oh...be sure that your frame maker leaves access to all of the clutch cover bolts to allow its removal periodically to clean it out and change out plates without having to drop the engine....I do smile at your creation.....as you've never ridden a Vdue and only maybe 20 people on here can understand what you are about to unleash upon yourself and the World

the Supercity is claimed to be 50Kgs lighter than a Vdue in Dry Mass for both (125Kgs v 176Kgs).....and having lifted up a Vdue engine....its light...I cant imagine a Vdue engine is going to add much more weight if any over that of the Cagiva unit....I hope theres bosses on the rear swing arm going on for possible later addition of wheelie bars.....

[Gavin944888]

2Bims....only ever put an MOT on it....never used it.

The plan was to use it for communiting and safe parking whilst the Pub next to the office was demolished and 24 flats put up in its place.
Did not want tipper trucks loaded with cement and drugged up drivers squeezing past my car...on way to site
However .......local scum ...Burnt the pub down and demolisham has been shelved .

The bike is still as pristine as before......just had it serviced and checked over.

You will not find a better one

Gavin
The Scottish Engineer
_________________
On an Island in the River Thames!

Cagiva Elefant 888/955 & adventure sidecar
Cagiva Elefant 999r engined
Cagiva BIMOTA Motard Concept
BIMOTA DB9 (with DB11 rear-end)
BIMOTA DB7-11 VLX MULE (build coming to an end)
BIMOTA DB11 VLX Supercharger

[TVRRICH]

Great stuff as usual Gavin, can't wait for the next update