Hub-Centre Exotica

By Alvin Lee

The most expensive, elegant and beautiful of Bimota's exotica is the new Tesi 3D, which has landed on our island's shores. The third incarnation of Bimota's work-of-art on hub-centre steering technology, the Tesi 3D is not out to compete with the Japanese brands in terms of pure performance but to offer elegant engineering solutions that looks beautiful and totally out of this world. The Bimota Tesi 3D has been put together by hand using only the finest materials and cycle parts. Its small fairing, load-bearing seat unit and most of the bodywork is crafted from carbon fiber also seals Bimota's trademark milled billet aluminium plates adorn the Bimota Tesi 3D everywhere.

The Tesi 3D's forkless front end is claimed to be 25% stiffer than conventional suspension units but the real benefit of hub-centre bikes is the isolation of braking, steering and suspension forces. The brakes do not take up any suspension movement and the geometry of the bike remains consistent under hard braking. Hub-centre bikes can also be designed to be shorter, with ultra-quick steering geometry without losing stability or suffering the friction; telescopic forks are prone to at steep angles.

Tesi 3D has a complete redesigned front end as compared to previous Tesi versions which had an entire chassis substantially changed. The billet-aluminum, omega-shaped frame forms the central structure with the DB6-derived, chrome-moly and billet swingarm pivoting in the frame and rear engine cases. The "Omega" frame comprises two slabs of blocks exquisitely machined from solid aluminium and does the simple job of linking front and rear swingarms while using the engine for rigidity. As there are no major braking forces going through what would be the headstock, the steering can be supported by a simple subframe. At the back a trellis swingarm mates to an alloy plate through which the wheel spindle is mounted. A fully adjustable, linkage-less, Extreme Tech rear shock resides in that trellis swingarm. Braking is handled by a pair of Brembo 320mm floating rotors squeezed by radial-mount, four-piston calipers.

The bars and a small fairing make the Tesi 3D feel more streetfighter than sportbike. The combination of the Tesi 3D's light weight and quick steering character made it feel extremely responsive yet totally stable in the turns.

At the heart of the bike is a Ducati 1,078cc Dual-Spark engine, matched by Bimota's own airbox, exhaust system, ECU and fuel-injection maps developed in-house. Engine-wise the Ducati unit is very simple and is tried and tested in the Multistrada and Hypermotard, so there shouldn't be any problems with reliability. The Tesi 3D's fuel delivery that was spot-on during our test ride.

The body of the Tesi 3D is completely manufactured from carbon fiber, the wheels from forged aluminium and panels in traditional Bimota color-scheme of white, red, and gold. In combination with the exclusive frame-plates and other features of the Tesi 3D, the model once again carries forward Bimota's uncompromising dedication to design determined by function - Technology of Emotion in its purest form.

The Tesi 3D truly delivers on the promise of a functional alternative to the standard suspension fork and does it in the most visually stunning manner. If you are looking for something exotic that stands out from the crowd, the Tesi is the perfect bike. It will be the center of attraction at every and anywhere. Be the handful of people in the world who will own and ride what has got to be the most beautiful, visually stimulating piece of motorcycle artwork on the planet.

MCA YELLOW BOX

MOTOR SHIOK! (WHAT WE LIKE!)
• A suspension system that will stand the test of time and innovation.
• Attain another level of exclusiveness with this bike.
• Handmade with the very best components.

MOTOR AIYOH! (WHAT YOU MUST CONSIDER.)
• High exclusivity demands a high price.
• If you can afford it, nothing else.

This article was contributed by Motor Culture, Alvin Lee.

For more information on the Bimota Tesi 3D, contact Race Werks Motor Sports at (65) 6273 2203. Email us This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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