Classic Motorcycles - The Bimota SB2

The late 1960's and 1970's saw the big Japanese bike manufacturers compete to see who could produce motorcycles with more and more power. Sure, Japanese bikes were exciting, but sometimes the lack of treatment is their second best of the more complete packages to offer from European manufacturers.

Bimota is a company founded in 1966 to accelerate air conditioning and heating. The three founders of the company went by the names of Bianchi, Morri and Tamburini, then Bi-mo-ta. Indeed, Mr. Tamburini much associated with modern times, the driving force behind the Ducati 916 and MV Agusta F4.

The three men saw the potential to marry the power of Japanese motorcycles and commissioning of a frame that would allow a bicycle to power and handling - the best of both worlds. Having produced from a Honda racing machine, they turned their attention to a street legal bike, which would be the SB2. The company chose to use the motor from a Suzuki GS750. This was a four cylinder in-line machine that bored to 850cc and fitted with high compression pistons. Bigger carburetors and camshafts stage 3 Yoshimura increased capacity of 60 to 78bhp. The frame is constructed from steel tube and the machine wearing a wrap around cockpit and full body kit, which was a first on the road bikes of the day.

This was a completely different machine compared to anything else there at the moment. Monoshock rear suspension as opposed to two shocks gave the bike a radical look, and handling a lot due to the fact that the engine worked as a stressed member. The frame was therefore only 10kg! Much of the external parts are made of super bikes lightweight aircraft grade alloy - in common superbikes of today, but this is where it started.

In total, the SB2 is 20kg lighter than the GS750 which it is based. Handling and performance was as impressive as the price, which meant that the machine was a true piece of Italian exotica, then most people away. SB2s only 70 were made.