Bimota DB1

The DB1 is a motorcycle designed by Federico Martini and made by the small motorcycle maker Bimota in Rimini, Italy. Made in the mid-1980s, it had a 750cc Ducati L-Twin engine (a 90° V-Twin).

DB1 stands for Ducati-Bimota one i.e. the first Bimota made with a Ducati engine. The frame and running gear by Bimota and motor supplied from Ducati.

They were the first production bike to have fully enclosing bodywork since the Vincent Black Knight of the 1950s.

The DB1 came along when the company was in real money trouble and the sales of the DB1 were what saved the company at that time.

They have 16-inch wheels and were one of the first road bikes (if not the first) to use radial tyres. They featured only the BEST of what parts were available in Italy at the time and were very expensive bikes built to a very high standard of finish. Brembo goldline brake calipers, floating discs. Marzzochi M1R forks. And many Bimota made light aluminum parts machined from solid.

There were three road-going versions of the DB1:

# DB1 1985-87 standard model. Red green and mostly pearl white bodywork. 453 made. Some 400 cc machines were made for Japan and are included in that number.
# DB1S with freer exhausts and larger carburetors and no air cleaners. Same body colours as DB1 but with an "S" in the name. 63 made.
# DB1SR with a very highly tuned engine, and different two-piece wheels made by Marvic/Akront. Same colours as the DB1 but mostly red. 153 made.

There were also a very limited number of DB1R factory race bikes built.

All DB1 machines are highly prized collectors' items now.