Photo: Visor Down
It’s been more than once when we reported about Bimota’s struggles to make a full-on comeback in both the industry and in the racing scene. However, after the Italian manufacturer was acquired by a new Swiss owner and a production agreement was inked with BMW, who is the supplier of S1000RR engines, things started to move… but started to move pretty slowly, and Bimota has once more failed to meet the WSBK homologation requirements.
After an initial exception to the base rule which offered both Bimota and Erik Buell Racing a better chance to make an entry in the EVO class with a smaller run of production motorcycles, namely 125 units, the Americans made it, while Bimota didn’t. With and additional exception, the Italians have been granted 4 more months to reach the required number of bikes, and Bimota was allowed to race in the EVO class, but could not earn points, no matter the results.
Now, it looks like only 40 or so machines have been manufactured (or parts commissioned) to date, even though some voices claim that more than 80 firm orders have been made. The Bimota BB3 is sold for under €40,000 ($53,385) and it has received a rather warm welcome in the market segment. However, the Italians seem to be unable to prove that they have at least commissioned the parts for the rest of the batch needed for homologation.
Alstare Bimota’s rider Ayrton Badovini says that the failure to meet the required homologation numbers is no surprise to him, after seeing how slow the progress is at Bimota’s plant, even at full capacity. In the absence of any official statement from Bimota, BMW, Alstare, or Dorna, it’s hard to say what will happen to the racing program.
Gpone however mentions that a WSBK official video mentions an extra term to have the bikes ready, the Jerez round on September 7. Dorna could allegedly choose to accept the proof of purchase or similar agreements for the parts needed to build the requested bikes, but it looks like the future of Bimota’s presence in the EVO class is still uncertain, at least until Jerez.
On the other hand, according to visordown, the first Bimota dealership in the UK became operational. Aberdeen-based Moto Meccanica is not just the only Bimota dealer in Scotland but the single distributor in the UK, importing bikes directly from Italy. So far Moto Meccanica offers the BB3, the 40th anniversary hub center-steering Tesi 3D, a standard Biposto Tesi and the 500cc 2-stroke V-Due. The BB3 retails for £31,750, which is €39,600 or $52,860.
Now, it looks like only 40 or so machines have been manufactured (or parts commissioned) to date, even though some voices claim that more than 80 firm orders have been made. The Bimota BB3 is sold for under €40,000 ($53,385) and it has received a rather warm welcome in the market segment. However, the Italians seem to be unable to prove that they have at least commissioned the parts for the rest of the batch needed for homologation.
Alstare Bimota’s rider Ayrton Badovini says that the failure to meet the required homologation numbers is no surprise to him, after seeing how slow the progress is at Bimota’s plant, even at full capacity. In the absence of any official statement from Bimota, BMW, Alstare, or Dorna, it’s hard to say what will happen to the racing program.
Gpone however mentions that a WSBK official video mentions an extra term to have the bikes ready, the Jerez round on September 7. Dorna could allegedly choose to accept the proof of purchase or similar agreements for the parts needed to build the requested bikes, but it looks like the future of Bimota’s presence in the EVO class is still uncertain, at least until Jerez.
On the other hand, according to visordown, the first Bimota dealership in the UK became operational. Aberdeen-based Moto Meccanica is not just the only Bimota dealer in Scotland but the single distributor in the UK, importing bikes directly from Italy. So far Moto Meccanica offers the BB3, the 40th anniversary hub center-steering Tesi 3D, a standard Biposto Tesi and the 500cc 2-stroke V-Due. The BB3 retails for £31,750, which is €39,600 or $52,860.
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