First fruit after the Rimini, Italy based firm’s acquisition by Japanese motorcycle maker Kawasaki is the Bimota Tesi H2 concept motorcycle. Taking the underpinnings of Kawasaki’s hyperbike, the Kawasaki H2, Bimota added it’s trademark hub centre steering to create, well, opinions are somewhat divided on the matter.
Hub centre steering is not new and has been tried in one form or another across the decades, including the Yamaha GTS1000 with Radd front steering, the Vyrus 985 C3 and the Bimota Tesi of the early 90s. Kawasaki itself was somewhat involved in the periphery of hub-centre steering in the 70s, when a four-cylinder Kawasaki inline-four mill was used in the Mead and Tomkinson “Nessie” race bike.
In the case of the Tesi H2 – Tesi meaning “thesis” in Italian – Bimota’s formula of taking a production street bike and adding it’s own design touches to it holds true. Keeping the frame and supercharger from the Kawasaki H2, the front end now sports a massive aluminium alloy swingarm with hub centre steering activated by Heim joints.
The single-sided swingarm of the H2 is gone, replaced with a conventional swingarm though the massive dual-canister exhaust from the hyperbike is retained. Also missing is the Kawasaki trellis frame, with what appears to be a beam frame in its place.
Carbon-fibre is liberally used throughout the Tesi H2, including two massive wings on either side of the front cowl and the supercharger intake runner. Via wholly-owned Kawasaki Motors Europe and subsidiary investment company Italian Motorcycle Investment, Kawasaki will be selling high-end motorcycles, probably built as a boutique brand and in limited numbers, under the revived Bimota brand name.
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Kesian. Italy have to rebadge Japanese bike. Something must be wrong with them.
“First fruit after the Rimini, Italy based firm’s acquisition by Japanese motorcycle maker Kawasaki is the Bimota Tesi H2 concept motorcycle.”
Bimota is apparently a subsidiary of Kawasaki.
Obviously you don’t know Bimota. They have always made custom bikes from existing ones from the beginning. They also don’t simply rebadge. If you read the article and have a basic comprehension skill, you’d know that the Tesi H2 only took the engine and drive train. Everything else, including the frame is made by Bimota.
Wow…an beautiful bike wt potent engine!
This will be the next Baja hitam bike..
An an Italian design, this is significantly…… Bland…
Back in da days, the Japs used to take inspiration for their works.. Now the other way round..
Wif that swing arm replacing common forks, wonder how the front end would fell n respond.. could see a steering rack too..
I use to dream of owning Bimota Tesi when I was in form 1, and 30 years later still can’t afford it…meh
Hell of a come back. Well done and thank you Bimota/Kawasaki.
Has not heard about Bimota for such a long time.
Was my dream bike when i was a teen.
Italian design, japanese tech and build, whats not to like?
Hope they can join the WSPK on its own to build back the past glory.
That exhaust is Kwaka all the way. So fugly. Still would love to be able to afford one.