Bimota Happenings

BIMOTA HAPPENINGS

BIMOTA MAY BE OUT OE business, but enthusiasm for the exclusive Italian marque remains high. As evidence of that. Bob Smith of U.S. importer Moto Point organized a Bimota rally and parade in conjunction with the AHRMA roadraces held at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this

past July, and no fewer than 23 machines showed up.

Among the more notable were the YB4/R on which Virginio Ferrari won the 1987 TT/F1 World Championship and a rare SB1 500cc Grand Prix bike, both owned by American Bob Stcinbugler. Also on hand were a number of Bimota luminaries, including former factory racer/test rider Gianluca Galasso and noted tuner Shin Kondo, who hand-delivered his beautiful Corse SB8RSC (CIV, April, 2000) to its new owner, American Jim Leonard.

Meanwhile back in Rimini, the plans of a group of American investors led by Smith to acquire Bimota have been put on hold awaiting the findings of a court-appointed advisor charged with determining the defunct manufacturer’s worth. Bimota is said to have amassed some S8.5 million in debt, and the court is looking for a buyer willing to pay a portion of that figure while promising to restart the company in the region with as many former factory workers as possible.

Should such a deal fail to be struck, Bimota’s assets would likely be auctioned off, at which point a larger manufacturer might snap up the name, if only to sit on it as Cagiva has done with Moto Morini and Aprilia with Laverda.

“This result will surely put Bimota as we know it on the shelf for a long time,” commented Smith. “We are still committed to following the Bimota opportunity to the bitter end, with the hope that we can restart the company in the near future.”

Brian Catterson