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Difference between revisions of "Bimota HB2"
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In combination with the Bimota's reduced weight - at 441 lb (200kg) it was over 70lb (32kg) lighter than the CB900F - that gave a substantial handling advantage. The suspension worked superbly well, giving a taut yet also very comfortable ride. Other high quality parts included five-spoke alloy wheels, produced in the 16-inch diameters that were popular in grand prix racing at the time. The front brake set-up of twin-piston Brembo calipers and drilled 280mm discs was state of the art. as was the fat Michelin rubber. | In combination with the Bimota's reduced weight - at 441 lb (200kg) it was over 70lb (32kg) lighter than the CB900F - that gave a substantial handling advantage. The suspension worked superbly well, giving a taut yet also very comfortable ride. Other high quality parts included five-spoke alloy wheels, produced in the 16-inch diameters that were popular in grand prix racing at the time. The front brake set-up of twin-piston Brembo calipers and drilled 280mm discs was state of the art. as was the fat Michelin rubber. | ||
And the Italian bike was superb in a straight line. too. At low revs the Honda engine impressed with its smoothness and torque, especially with the original CV carbs in place. There were no glitches Original Bimota: the HB1 Bimota's first ever bike had also been powered by a four-cylinder Honda engine. The first HB1 was built from the wreck of the CB750 that Bimota design ace Massimo Tamburini had crashed at Misano. With its racetrack-derived styling and rigid tubular steel frame, the HB1 was a stunningly advanced machine when unveiled in 1972. Only ten examples were ever produced. or stumbles as the Bimota purred forward at a fearsome rate. Unlike the standard Honda, the HB2 had the fairing and the tucked-in riding position to make cruising speeds of lOOmph (I6lkm/h) or more hugely enjoyable for almost as long as its rider dared. And the HB2 remained impeccably stable as it headed towards a top speed that one magazine tested at I38mph (222km/h). | And the Italian bike was superb in a straight line. too. At low revs the Honda engine impressed with its smoothness and torque, especially with the original CV carbs in place. There were no glitches Original Bimota: the HB1 Bimota's first ever bike had also been powered by a four-cylinder Honda engine. The first HB1 was built from the wreck of the CB750 that Bimota design ace Massimo Tamburini had crashed at Misano. With its racetrack-derived styling and rigid tubular steel frame, the HB1 was a stunningly advanced machine when unveiled in 1972. Only ten examples were ever produced. or stumbles as the Bimota purred forward at a fearsome rate. Unlike the standard Honda, the HB2 had the fairing and the tucked-in riding position to make cruising speeds of lOOmph (I6lkm/h) or more hugely enjoyable for almost as long as its rider dared. And the HB2 remained impeccably stable as it headed towards a top speed that one magazine tested at I38mph (222km/h).}} | ||
Fewer than 200 examples of the exotic HB2 were built, plus a further 100 units of its similarly styled successor the HB3. which was powered by the engine from Honda's CB1100R. The HB3 was produced until 1985. by which time the Japanese manufacturers, too. had introduced fairings, aluminium frames and monoshock suspension. In typical Bimota style, the HB2 had led the way. | Fewer than 200 examples of the exotic HB2 were built, plus a further 100 units of its similarly styled successor the HB3. which was powered by the engine from Honda's CB1100R. The HB3 was produced until 1985. by which time the Japanese manufacturers, too. had introduced fairings, aluminium frames and monoshock suspension. In typical Bimota style, the HB2 had led the way. | ||
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One of the secrets of the new generation Bimota's is matching all that frame and engine technology to 16 inch wheels, and making them work. It is something that few, even in racing, have so far satisfactorily achieved. The 16 inch wheel gives you not only a much lower bike with a better centre of gravity, but a five inch spread of rubber at the front and six inches at the back. The V rated Michelin tyres are big, in fact, their rolling diameter is not a lot less that a conventional 18 inch wheel, but the overall contact area is so much greater. Compared to them a normal Superbike wheel looks like it has come off a bicycle. The tread on the rims gets the power down at all angles, and allows use of the full force of the three 11 inch Brembo discs. Either stopping or starting the potential is awesome. The only drawback at the moment is that there are no alternative tyres, and the shallow treads of the Michelins will not last long with road use. In the future most big road bikes may have 16-inch rims, but it will be a long time before they catch up with Bimota's expertise. The reason why they work is that a smaller diameter requires less leverage on the steering making the bike more responsive and easier to change direction. The problem is that the whole chassis has to be designed to handle that potential if it is not going to become an unstable flying hinge. How far bimota have integrated that principle is evident when looking at the bare chassis and engine. Despite the fact that they have got the whole bike as low as possible on it's small wheels, they have still got the bowels of the engine - it's heaviest point - close to the axle line. If it were much lower, the bike would stand up on it's own. A further trick at the steering end is the offset yokes. The fork yokes are not parallel, but four degrees out of line, the bottom one being further away from the headstock than the top. This slightly pushes out the stanchions, compensating for the reducing trail under heavy braking. Just a little touch, a couple of degrees, but all part of the precision of perfection. The Bimota's bristle with such niceties, from fundamental design, to almost trivial detail like flush fitting Allen headed bolts, and beautifully milled aluminium brackets. Bimota does not cut corners, instead of running unsightly pipes and plumbing for the brake hydraulics, they drill the yokes to act as a junction box. | One of the secrets of the new generation Bimota's is matching all that frame and engine technology to 16 inch wheels, and making them work. It is something that few, even in racing, have so far satisfactorily achieved. The 16 inch wheel gives you not only a much lower bike with a better centre of gravity, but a five inch spread of rubber at the front and six inches at the back. The V rated Michelin tyres are big, in fact, their rolling diameter is not a lot less that a conventional 18 inch wheel, but the overall contact area is so much greater. Compared to them a normal Superbike wheel looks like it has come off a bicycle. The tread on the rims gets the power down at all angles, and allows use of the full force of the three 11 inch Brembo discs. Either stopping or starting the potential is awesome. The only drawback at the moment is that there are no alternative tyres, and the shallow treads of the Michelins will not last long with road use. In the future most big road bikes may have 16-inch rims, but it will be a long time before they catch up with Bimota's expertise. The reason why they work is that a smaller diameter requires less leverage on the steering making the bike more responsive and easier to change direction. The problem is that the whole chassis has to be designed to handle that potential if it is not going to become an unstable flying hinge. How far bimota have integrated that principle is evident when looking at the bare chassis and engine. Despite the fact that they have got the whole bike as low as possible on it's small wheels, they have still got the bowels of the engine - it's heaviest point - close to the axle line. If it were much lower, the bike would stand up on it's own. A further trick at the steering end is the offset yokes. The fork yokes are not parallel, but four degrees out of line, the bottom one being further away from the headstock than the top. This slightly pushes out the stanchions, compensating for the reducing trail under heavy braking. Just a little touch, a couple of degrees, but all part of the precision of perfection. The Bimota's bristle with such niceties, from fundamental design, to almost trivial detail like flush fitting Allen headed bolts, and beautifully milled aluminium brackets. Bimota does not cut corners, instead of running unsightly pipes and plumbing for the brake hydraulics, they drill the yokes to act as a junction box. | ||
There are no superfluous features on a bimota. The gulf is now wider than it was a decade ago when Hailwood and Agostini were locked in a titanic battle for 500 cc honours in racing. Even then the contrast between the approach of the Honda and MV factory could not have been more apparent. In order to combat the evidently superbly handling Italian machine, Honda's solution was an engine with even more power. The theory was logical enough. If it went fast enough down the straights it ought to be far enough ahead by the turns. Unfortunately the end result was a bike that went slower through the corners because it handled so badly. So it lost all the advantage it gained on the straights. How satisfying for Hailwood when a supposedly outdated Ducati in the Isle of Man more than ten years later, he could remind the Honda team that they still had not learnt the lesson? Perhaps the final comment worth considering is from someone whom had never seen a bimota before, and knew nothing about them. Mick Whitlock has never been to a road race and barely ridden a road bike, though he has spent all of his working life involved with motorcycles. He works in the equally precise world of trials, building what is generally reckoned to be the finest chassis kits for one of the most demanding sports. I took the KB2 round to show him, and let him look it over. He did not look at the tank or the fairing or the paintwork. He studied the engineering, and the quality, and knew the hours spent. Then I told him the price. "Yes" he said "I can see why". | There are no superfluous features on a bimota. The gulf is now wider than it was a decade ago when Hailwood and Agostini were locked in a titanic battle for 500 cc honours in racing. Even then the contrast between the approach of the Honda and MV factory could not have been more apparent. In order to combat the evidently superbly handling Italian machine, Honda's solution was an engine with even more power. The theory was logical enough. If it went fast enough down the straights it ought to be far enough ahead by the turns. Unfortunately the end result was a bike that went slower through the corners because it handled so badly. So it lost all the advantage it gained on the straights. How satisfying for Hailwood when a supposedly outdated Ducati in the Isle of Man more than ten years later, he could remind the Honda team that they still had not learnt the lesson? Perhaps the final comment worth considering is from someone whom had never seen a bimota before, and knew nothing about them. Mick Whitlock has never been to a road race and barely ridden a road bike, though he has spent all of his working life involved with motorcycles. He works in the equally precise world of trials, building what is generally reckoned to be the finest chassis kits for one of the most demanding sports. I took the KB2 round to show him, and let him look it over. He did not look at the tank or the fairing or the paintwork. He studied the engineering, and the quality, and knew the hours spent. Then I told him the price. "Yes" he said "I can see why". | ||
--[[Bike magazine]] from November 1982 | --[[Bike magazine]] from November 1982 | ||
[[Category:Bimota motorcycles]] | [[Category:Bimota motorcycles]] | ||