I really wanted to post up yet another wonderfully weird and definitely non-sucky Buell but, unfortunately for fans of that misunderstood marque, I stumbled across this sharp-edged Bimota DB5R first, so all you lovers of perimeter brakes and double-duty components will have to wait for another day to get your fix.
And, in a way, Bimota really is sort of like the Italian Buell: other than the fantastically flawed V Due that almost bankrupted the company, all of their bikes featured engines from other manufacturers, wrapped in lighter, stronger frames, with aerodynamic bodywork and high-end suspension. Kawasakis, Hondas, Suzukis, BMWs, Yamahas, and Ducatis have all powered various Bimotas.
Early Bimotas often featured dramatic improvements in terms of handling or performance compared to the bikes that donated their engines. But as technology progressed and the handling of factory machines improved, the company has evolved into a manufacturer of boutique origami confections of carbon and titanium that could be ridden in anger, but probably aren’t. Some innovative ideas still manage to work their way into their designs, but with only incremental advantages over the factory bikes, Bimota’s primary selling point these days seems to be their exotic style and top-shelf components. Dripping with exotic materials and high-end names, they take the very best and make it just that little bit better in the way that only lots of money can.
With the Italian mystique multiplied by their collaboration with Ducati, the DB bikes have always been good sellers for Bimota. Interestingly, the DB5 uses the air/oil-cooled, two-valve motor, instead of the much more powerful liquid-cooled, four-valve motor, although the DS version used here does feature twin plugs per cylinder.
From the original eBay listing: 2008 Bimota DB5R for Sale
This is a 2008 Bimota DB5R with only 750 miles on it, I have had it since it was new in 2008.
This model was one of two build for Shane Turpin.
The bike was serviced back in January 2014 with new battery and fluids and it has not been ridden since then.
It has come to the time where I have to many toy’s and I will have to let go of this amazing bike.
It has some scratches on the right side due to it falling in my garage last year, I have taken pictures for you to review the scratches.
Please do some research on the bike if you do not know about this model.
There are certainly faster bikes for the money. You’re paying a whole lot of cash for a machine that only marginally outperforms the donor bike, which wasn’t all that fast to begin with: Ducati’s characterful air-cooled L-twin offers plenty of flexible midrange poke and the suspension components should offer sublime handling, but you’ll get killed on the straights at the track by guys who bought salvage-title GSX-R600s with unpainted race fairings. But that’s really not the point here: these days, Bimotas are really cost-no-object bits of road and track jewelry, bikes for folks who can afford the best.
So who cares if this DB5 isn’t actually much faster than the Ducati Monster that donated its engine? It’s still plenty fast and exotic, although Bimota’s current obsession with stealth-fighter angularity could use a few curves thrown in. Straight lines are nice, and very decisive design elements, but these bikes tend to look a bit too busy to be truly beautiful.
-tad
Post some bigger pics so we can see the scratches when it fell over.. Geez…