1997 Bimota SB6R
Miles: 189
Clean Title
Bid at post: $3,050
Auction ends: July 22nd, 2024
Reserve Not Met
First of all, to clarify a few things: this is my dream bike. I realize there are many, many “dream bikes” out there, and this one might not have universal appeal. Second, I apologize for the atrocious photos but… that’s what the seller used in their listing, so that’s what I had to work with. If you’re not familiar with Bimota, they were started by three gentlemen by the name of Valerio Bianchi, Giuseppe Morri, and Massimo Tamburini: BiMoTa. I feel like I’ve heard that last name somewhere. It’s irritatingly familiar… Anyway, their claim to fame was taking reliable, powerful, well-engineered engines from a variety of manufacturers, then fitting them into lightweight frames, adding high quality suspension, and wrapping the whole thing in sleek, sometimes avant-garde bodywork. They were light, fast, and expensive. The SB6 was one of the company’s most popular models and almost qualified as a mass-produced machine: 1144 units were built. The SB6R that followed was produced in smaller numbers: approximately 600 were made between 1997 and 1998. It was powered by Suzuki’s [the “S” in “SB6R”] liquid-cooled GSX-R1100 engine and five-speed gearbox. The “6” had nothing to do with displacement: it denoted that it was the sixth Bimota produced using a Suzuki engine. Power doesn’t sound impressive by today’s standards at 156hp, but the 85 lb-ft of torque is modern enough. Considering that he SB6R at around 419lbs dry was also significantly lighter than the donor bike, performance should be electrifying, even today. The rear shock is positioned alongside the engine and the front forks appear to be a throwback RWU design at first. But looking closer, you’ll notice that the fork tubes are made from carbon-fiber… Both components are from longtime partner Paioli.
Vehicle Original VIN : ZESSB6004VR00002
This 1997 Bimota SB6-R is said to have been purchased new in Pennsylvania and spent 20 years in storage until it was acquired by the selling dealer in January 2024. The bike is finished in red with silver, black, and green graphics and is powered by a Suzuki-sourced 1,074cc DOHC inline-four paired with a five-speed transmission. Equipment includes a full fairing, a solo seat, a carbon-fiber subframe and fenders, a quartet of Mikuni carburetors, a steering stabilizer, a Paioli fork, an Öhlins monoshock, 17″ Antera wheels, triple Brembo disc brakes, and a side stand. This SB6-R has 188 miles and is now offered with a clean Michigan title.The bike is finished in red with silver, black, and green graphics over a twin-spar aluminum frame, and it features a solo seat with a carbon-fiber self-supporting subframe. Additional equipment includes carbon-fiber fenders, rear-set foot controls, and a full fairing with a smoked windscreen and dual mirrors. Clip-on handlebars are mounted below the top triple clamp, which fronts an instrument panel housing a 185-mph speedometer, a tachometer with an 11,500-rpm redline, and a digital display that shows 188 miles. Three-spoke 17″ Antera wheels are wrapped in Michelin tires. Adjustable suspension consists of an inverted 46mm Paioli fork in addition to a remote-reservoir Öhlins monoshock mounted to the right side of the aluminum box-section swingarm. Braking is from a pair of drilled 320mm discs with four-piston Brembo calipers up front and a single 230mm rotor paired with a two-piston Brembo caliper at the rear.The 1,074cc DOHC inline-four was shared with the contemporary Suzuki GSX-R1100, and it features liquid cooling, Bimota-developed camshafts, and an exhaust system with dual under-tail mufflers. Factory-rated output was 156 horsepower and 85 lb-ft of torque. the bike will not run with the choke off and that the carburetors are in need of cleaning. Sold with Clear Title.
So it’s got time-capsule mileage, is extremely rare, exotic-looking, fast, and handles well. What’s not to like? Well the build quality of the SB6R is a bit spotty, according to some, when compared to the earlier SB6, and good luck finding replacement body panels if you bin it, good luck finding anyone to work on it, and good luck working on it yourself: the carbs are famously difficult to work on while on the bike. Actually that last point is a bit of a mixed bag: like all Bimotas, at least the bodywork comes off easily with the removal of just a few fasteners. And that big GSX-R1100 lump should be easy to keep running, with plenty of resources, hot-rod parts, and tuning advice. This one has been sitting for most of its life and will probably require some work to make it road worthy, beyond the known carburetor issues. But the bike, as far as it is possible to tell from the really poor-quality images, appears to be in excellent cosmetic condition. Bidding is up just above $3,000 as I write this, with the reserve, naturally, not met. 90s Bimotas have been criminally undervalued for a long time now, and I hope that trend will continue long enough for me to pick one of these up before prices finally skyrocket…
-tad
Highest bid was $6100. I stopped at $6k. Would have gone higher but it was sight unseen, involved shipping costs and could not be registered in California. It’s re-listed on eBay for $15k. Little too rich for an SB6R that will require engine out recommissioning though it has under 200 miles. Perhaps be worth to some collector though…
Yeah I saw that. Crazy: your bike bids up to $6,100, so you turn around and relist it for… $15k? I hate to break it to him, but they’re pretty much all low-mile bikes, so this one’s not really all that exceptional in that regard. It’s at the top of the very range for these right now and, as you point out, will probably need a full commissioning to get it running, if you want something you can actually ride. I really want one of these, but that whole California registration thing is an issue for me as well. I’ve seen them around out here, so I’m guessing “out of state” registrations?
@Tad Diemer to get California registration bike needs to have 7500 miles on the clock. Number of ways to get that done which I won’t go into here.
You are correct, these are mostly low mile bikes especially in the US. Bimota is better known in Europe and well used enthusiast owned examples pop up much more frequently there.
I’m still keeping an eye on getting back into the Bimota ownership. I’m sure the right one will come along
Why would it need an engine out service?
Ive owned both a SB6 and SB6R that had sat for many years and did not have any engine out services.
Also while it might sound scary to some to have to take the motor out of anything to work on, I would bet a 6 pack of the coldest beer you could find at the gas station that a halfway decent DIY owner could go from a running SB6R to the engine on a bench in 2.5 hours.
Hey, cut that out! I’m trying to keep prices down on these ’till I can afford one! People start thinking they’re easy to work on, they might buy them!