Since their formation in 1973, Bimota has been a boutique manufacturer making super exotic machines around (mainly) other manufacturers’ engines. Having experienced some hard times over the years, Kawasaki took on a 49% share in the Italian manufacturer in 2019 bringing some stability and a steady supply of engines to Bimota, as they look once again to put their distinctive stamp on the motorcycling world. Now they’re producing some (slightly) more mainstream models, moving from their pure sports bike roots to cash in on the current popularity of grand touring adventure machines.
Shown at the Milan Motorcycle Show in November, the Bimota Tera prototype is the company’s first ‘crossover’ mixing adventure bike ergonomics with sportsbike performance. It’s powered by Kawasaki’s supercharged Ninja H2 motor, which is good for 200bhp, while the chassis showcases a new version of Bimota’s Tesi front end, the hub centre steering system which has been one of the company’s signature technologies since 1991.
By replacing traditional telescopic forks with a swingarm connecting the front wheel to a pair of frame plates attached to the front of the engine, the system separates the steering, braking and damping functions – theoretically eliminating dive and providing the benefit of allowing the rider to brake later and harder, especially when leaning through a turn. The Tera’s system is a further development of the sportier TesiH2 set-up. The new chassis offers a better turning circle than the somewhat restricted ones of previous Tesi set-ups, while having the kind of short wheelbase you’d expect from a high performance supernaked.
It'll be really interesting to see how the Tera performs. Adventure crossovers have really come to the fore in recent years, with bikes like the BMW M 1000 XR and Ducati Multistrada V4 positioning themselves as two-wheeled Grand Tourers, delivering superbike levels of performance with comfort and panache.
The Tera takes much of its technical spec from the Kawasaki donor engine, with an electronics package lifted from the supercharged H2 motor, while the chassis is dripping with high quality components, like the Ohlins shock absorbers and Brembo Stylema brakes.
Bimota showed two prototypes in Milan, a sporty ‘road’ version and a more rugged ‘adventure’ example fitted with dual sport pattern rubber and SW Motech style panniers. Bimota also say Marzocchi electronic suspension will also be an option on the production versions.
We’ve no official news yet on when the Tera will go on sale, or how much it will cost, but if word on the street is to be believed, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to buy one this summer, with prices likely to start at less than £35k.
