| The late 60's and 1970's saw the big Japanese bike | | | | compression pistons. Bigger carburettors and stage 3 |
| manufacturers in competition to see who could keep | | | | Yoshimura camshafts increased power output from |
| producing motorcycles with more and more power. | | | | 60 to 78bhp. The frame was constructed from tubular |
| Sure, Japanese bikes were exciting, but sometimes | | | | steel and the machine sported a complete wrap |
| the lack of handling ability made them second best to | | | | around fairing and body kit which was a first on road |
| the more complete packages on offer from European | | | | bikes of the day. |
| manufacturers. | | | | This was a completely different machine compared to |
| Bimota were a company established in 1966 to make | | | | anything else out there at the time. Monoshock rear |
| air conditioning and heating gear. The three founders of | | | | suspension as opposed to twin shock absorbers gave |
| the company went by the names Bianchi, Morri and | | | | the bike a radical look, and the handling owed much to |
| Tamburini, hence Bi-mo-ta. Indeed Mr Tamburini is very | | | | the fact that the engine was employed as a stressed |
| much associated with the modern era, being the driving | | | | member. The frame was therefore a mere 10kg! |
| force behind the Ducati 916 and MV Agusta F4. | | | | Much of the external bikes parts were made from |
| The three men saw the potential of marrying the | | | | super light aircraft grade alloy - common in today's |
| power of the Japanese motorcycles and putting it into | | | | superbikes, but this is where it started. |
| a frame that would allow a bike to have both power | | | | In total, the SB2 was 20kg lighter than the GS750 on |
| and handling - the best of both worlds. Having | | | | which it was based. The handling and performance |
| produced a Honda-based race machine, they then | | | | were as impressive as the price, which meant that this |
| turned their attention to a street legal bike, which would | | | | machine was a true piece of Italian exotica, and |
| be the SB2. The company chose to use the engine | | | | beyond most people's reach. Only 70 SB2s were |
| from a Suzuki GS750. This was an in line four cylinder | | | | made. |
| machine that they bored out to 850cc and fitted high | | | | |