Bimota DB7

Taking just one year to build from a clean sheet of paper, Bimota’s new DB7 has been an instant sales success. That’s a relief for the small firm in Rimini, Italy, who were pinning their hopes on the DB7 being their lifeline for the future. It’s a marriage made in heaven with Bimota making the beautifully-crafted rolling chassis and Ducati providing the power with their 1098 motor. The world needs unashamedly exotic motorcycles like this. Until the Ducati 1098R and 1198 came along, this was the world’s most powerful twin-cylinder production road engine, but it’s still a beauty. The V-twin 1098 Testsastretta motor powering the DB7 actually displaces 1099cc and produces a claimed 160bhp and 90ftlb of torque. It’s a standard Ducati engine, lock stock and two-smoking barrels but is fitted with Bimota’s own fuel-injection system and 52mm stainless steel downpipes and a titanium end can. Weighing 1kg more than the 1098S and 1kg less than the 1098, the Bimota’s performance is on par with the Ducati it’s based on, which means it’s very, very fast. There’s usable grunt as soon as the rev needle leaves its stop and masses of wheelie-provoking acceleration at the flick of a wrist. The fuelling is as good as the Ducati’s so is a massive improvement on past Bimota models. Every square inch of the DB7 is feast of mouth-watering, hand-made specialness. There’s the oval section steel/billet aluminium chassis (with adjustable ride height), self-supporting carbon fibre seat unit, carbon fibre fairing, mudguard, heel guards and hugger. The exquisitely milled aluminium rearsets, fork bottoms, swingarm ends, yokes, brake and clutch levers and10-spoke forged aluminium wheels all serve to make the DB7 like no other motorcycle you’ll ever see in a pub car park, unless it’s another Bimota, of course. The DB7 is a phenomenal handling machine and is that bit more agile and faster steering than the Ducati 1098. But it’s a fickle beast to set-up and is unlikely to be perfect for you straight out of the box, as the suspension needs careful setting-up to suit the rider’s weight and riding style. Once the fully adjustable ExtremeTech 2v4 rear shock and Marzocchi Corse RAC 43mm forks are dialled in you’re good to go. Early DB7s came with Continental tyres, which lacked front feel and rear grip but now they come fitted with Pirelli Super Corsa, which are superb. Brembo Monobloc calipers would stop a speeding train on a sixpence but it’s hard to use their full power as it’s almost impossible to hang on under severe braking. The tank is too narrow to lock into with your knees so you have to take the full force of stopping with your arms, which can cause the rider fatigue
Specifications

Top speed	175mph
1/4-mile acceleration	secs
Power	160bhp
Torque	90.7ftlb
Weight	171kg
Seat height	800mm
Fuel capacity	18 litres
Average fuel consumption	mpg
Tank range	miles
Insurance group	17

Engine size	1099cc
Engine specification	8-valve, 1099cc V-twin
Frame	Oval steel trellis/billet aluminum
Front suspension adjustment	Fully-adjustable
Rear suspension adjustment	Fully-adjustable
Front brakes	2 x 320mm discs
Rear brake	220mm disc
Front tyre size	120/70 17 in
Rear tyre size	190/55 17 in