The Bimota Tesi started life as a concept from a young Pierluigi Marconi, then studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bologna. The great Massimo Tamburini, then well in command of Bimota, was fascinated by the idea that both the front and the rear suspension of the bike would follow the same laws of motion, so he hired Marconi. The first Tesi prototype was created in 1983, built around the Honda VF400F V-4 engine. It was a very compact bike, the promise of a new era in motorcycling. That first Tesi already included all the landmarks of a concept that evolved through the years, but never gave up its original layout. The frame was replaced by beautifully machined billet-aluminum plates that clamped the engine, while the suspension was based on swingarms, front and rear. The actual steering axis was hidden inside the front wheel hub. Given the minimal space inside the wheel hub, the steering geometry was solely based on the steering axis caster, with no possibility to play with the offset of it in relation to the wheel axle. It was amazing for its time, and it looked very clean and effective. That first prototype incorporated all the basic parameters of the theoretical concept. The next year a second prototype followed, based on the Honda VF750F and using carbon fiber for the construction of the frame/plates. A lack of experience with the then-new exotic material led to the prompt return to machined aluminum plates the next year, in 1986. 
At the time, the Tesi was still a work in progress. It ever really went into production, remaining at idle as Bimota went through ups and downs and as Tamburini was forced out of the firm by his partner. In 1989, a prototype was built around the then very promising Yamaha FZ750 five-valver that Bimota was using in its brilliant YB4. But an inline-four was not the ideal engine for the Tesi’s structure. Production began when Bimota finally had access to the Ducati 851 Desmo 4-valver, the slim and powerful 90-degree v-twin sandwiched nicely between the aluminum plates. Bimota stroked the engine and obtained a very strong 907cc unit that delivered great performance, especially given the limited weight of the bike. This Ducati-powered Tesi was raced in the Superbike Series, but with limited success, proving slower than the Ducati 851/888 of the time, with which it shared the power unit. The Tesi concept had not come to full maturity yet, especially in terms of steering geometry and weight distribution bias, though its natural anti-dive characteristic gave it a great advantage in braking. There was also a Tesi concept powered by the unfortunate two-stroke 500cc twin, but was never run. From the early 1990s to the early 2000s, the Bimota Tesi remained in suspended animation, until it was re-scheduled for production starting in 2003. 
This was a vastly revised Tesi project, called Tesi 2 and powered by the Ducati 1000cc SOHC twin. The present edition, the Tesi 3, arrived in 2007, powered by the 1100cc evolution of the same Ducati SOHC twin, but different in a number of structural and geometric factors. The Tesi 3 represents the original concept evolved to full maturity. In the 1990s, I had the opportunity to ride the Tesi powered by the Ducati 851 Desmo 4-valve v-twin. At the time, the front-end geometry had a radical 28 degrees of steering rake and plenty of trail. Weight distribution was no better than that of the Ducati 851 from which the engine was derived, which means that no more than 46 percent of the weight was on the front wheel. The Tesi 3 I just tested on the Pirelli test track in Italy lives a very happy life, thanks to 23 degrees of caster and 4.1 in. of trail, along with 52/48 weight distribution and a compact 54.7-in. wheelbase. With this Tesi 3, Pierluigi Marconi’s original concept has come to life. The version I rode years ago, powered by the Desmo 4-valve powered, was slow diving into corners, and it had an obvious tendency to understeer. This latest Tesi 3, by contrast, works wonderfully. And now that Marconi is back in command of Bimota, we can expect the Tesi concept to gain momentum and progress more rapidly. 
After all, the Tesi has grown into an icon, and the Italo-Swiss property will let the good people who kept their faith high through ll the storms do their job. The current Bimota Tesi 3 is a super compact sportbike with a unique personality, beginning from its razor sharp, edgy design. Tesi 3 is a naked bike, though it does not look like one because of the machined billet plates that sandwich the engine and almost completely hide it. A hawkish mini fairing pierces the air and offers a better than expected shield, in spite of the relatively wide and tall handlebar that looks odd given the racy other components like the tanks, seat and rearset mini-footpegs. I felt in command in a matter of seconds, the amount of time needed to bring the Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa radials up to an appropriate working temperature. The seat is set at a friendly 30.7 inches above the tarmac, and the narrow tank is well shaped where it joins the well-padded seat. The riding posture is good, although I wish the handlebar was narrower. The SOHC Ducati 1100 V-twin is fed by a Bimota-developed/Athena-executed injection system. Once the engine is up to its natural working temperature, the injection does a good job of limiting the traditional shudder below 3500 rpm. At 375 lb. dry, the Bimota Tesi 3, with a claimed 98 horsepower, is fast. What’s more, the compact wheelbase, excellent weight distribution, and good steering geometry make for a bike that’s sharp, incredibly quick into line, and totally surefooted. 
The structure is simple and solid: The engine and machined plates create a very rigid “frame,” and the suspension is entrusted to two swingarms directly actuating cantilevered Öhlins shock absorbers. In the 40th anniversary Tesi I tested, the bike sported black-painted plates and swingarms. The regular Tesi 3 sports aluminum-anodized plates along with red-painted swingarms and trellis subframes that keep the body components in place. The only problem I had with the Tesi 3? I didn’t realize how fast I was going around corners, and you don’t have much time to check the speedometer while you are canted over. But who cares! The natural anti-dive effect of the front suspension lets you brake so much later than with any other bike, and in absolute safety. The reduced weight transfer means a greater sense of security and control, plus a perfectly neutral and totally surefooted dynamic response. The Tesi 3 proved to me that hub-steerers have great potential, and that all Bimota needs to stay at the forefront of development is a more solid foundation. Pierluigi Marconi deserves respect and attention, because his next Tesi may very well be a long-awaited revolution in motorcycle layout. 
Gadget Reviews: mamaktalk.com
Car Reviews: automoview.com
Entertainment News: 38now.com
Today's Promotions: freepromotoday.com
