Today’s Featured Listing Bimota HB1 is a bit older than we generally list on this site and isn’t technically the real thing: it’s a lovingly-crafted replica. Considering Bimota only made a handful of the original HB1s, that’s pretty much the best way to get your hands on one anyway… And while Bimota has been has struggled to find financial success and has been in-and-out of bankruptcy, there’s no questioning their racing pedigree and commitment to the sportbike art, so it seems fitting to showcase this machine here on our site.
Fans of RSBFS might be most familiar with their recent offerings that seem to offer up more bling and exclusivity than outright performance, but the decline of Bimota is more about the major manufacturers catching up to Bimota than any real failure in terms of concept or design. Bimota’s beginning was pretty unlikely, since the company was originally founded to manufacture heating and air-conditioning systems, But it’s hard to imagine that founders Valerio BIanchi, Giuseppe MOrri, and Massimo TAmburini didn’t at least have motorcycles in the back of their mind. Especially since the original HB1 prototype was built around the remains of a Honda CB750 crashed by Mr. Tamburini.
The reliable, powerful CB750 engine suited Bimota’s mission to a “T”: in the early 1970s, the Japanese manufacturers had definitely sorted their engines and were selling like hotcakes, but handling sometimes bordered on lethal, owing to frames with the approximate stiffness of al dente pasta. Instead of trying to build an entire motorcycle from scratch, Bimota simply took those powerful, reliable engines and fitted them with very few updates to lightweight, stiff frames and wrapped them in sleek, aerodynamic bodywork. They were fast, uncompromising, and very expensive.
Only ten original HB1s were ever made, although the HB2 that followed was nearly mass-produced, with 200 built. It may not be original, but this recreation, or replica, or tribute, or whatever you choose to call it was clearly a labor of love.
From the Seller: 1975 Bimota HB1 Clone for Sale
1 of 1 and only one in USA
Photography by Ryan Handt Ryan Handt
Completed Sept 27, 2016
Lots detail on my Instagram
Bimota HB1 (Honda – Bimota 1) CB750 Clone
Bimota’s first Japanese / Italian hybrid
HB1 custom frame by Framecrafters
Carbon fiber tank, Seat fender and front fender
Over 50 custom designed parts all hand made
This is a true Stressed-member frame.
Photo below is of 1 of only 10 original Bimota HB1 750 ever built from BX-1 kit.
It appears there may only be 4 in existence and this clone.
Specifications:
Engine:
- Engine 1974 Honda CB750K4 100% Rebuilt
- Engine detailed by Rob
- Megacycle Cam
- K&N Air Filter
- Custom Oil Pressure Gauge by Rob
- Custom oil tank by Ian Halcott Twinline Motorcycles
- Custom oil lines with custom CNC engine adaptors by Rob
- Dynatek Electronic Ignition
- 4X4 Custom Mandrel bent exhaust with hand bent megaphone silencers, Magni Style
- Custom CNC exhaust hangers by Rob
- Titanium and Stainless Steel fasteners
Frame:
- Custom HB1 stressed-member frame by FrameCrafters.net, CNC frame parts by Rob
- HB1 Carbon Fiber tank
- Ducati petcocks
- Carbon Fiber seat with leather upholstery and tail glove compartment
- Carbon Fiber front fender
- Paint and decals as original
- Custom front and rear axles
- Original type custom CNC eccentric chain adjuster by Rob
- Custom axle spacer by Rob
- Custom CNC brake disc spacers by Rob
Suspension+
- Marzocchi shocks
- Brembo front calipers
- Caliper mounts designed and CNC by Rob
- Dual front disc brakes with modified hub by Rob
- Drilled rotors by Rob
- Brembo caliper- rear disc brakes
- Brembo rear master cylinder
- Brembo master cylinder mount by Rob
- New CB750 Front brake master cylinder
- Custom made brake lines front and rear by Hel Performance
- Fully tuneable Ceriani GP35R forks. Compression, rebound and preload adjustable
- Custom adjustable offset triple tree, 45mm +/- 2.5mm or +/- 5mm by Rob
- Tommaselli clip-ons
- Tarozzi rear sets
- Custom shift and brake rods by Rob
- Excel aluminum shoulder rim
- Stainless Steel spokes by Buchanan
- Bridgestone BT45 tires
- Road race grips
- Electrical
- MotoGadget M-Unit with Custom wiring
- Micro Processor operated supervised circuits
- Hazard warning lights
- Internal fusing with current monitoring with automatic circuit shut down
- Semiconductor switching
- Automatic turn signal shut-off
- Programmable flasher Digital brake light modulator with flashing sequence
- Integrated Starter relay Automatic headlight turn off during starter routine
- Integrated horn relay
- Integrated alarm system
- LED circuit indicators for active circuits
- Ceriani headlight mount with integrated led turn signals
- Custom Front LED turn signals by Rob
- Classic tail light housing with LED lighting and signals
- Original CB750 headlight with Halogen Tri-Bar lamp
- Original CB750 handle bar controls
- Original CB750 tachometer with custom Bimota HB1 dial by Rob
- Dakota Digital speedometer
- Custom dashboard and indicators by Rob
- Anti-Gravity lithium battery
- Custom CNC battery/solenoid tray by Rob
- Solid State regulator/rectifier integrated into custom CNC starter cover
The seller also provided links to a few articles that feature the bike here and here that are definitely worth a look as well. It may not be the real thing, but this kind of detailed recreation is alright by me, considering the passion and craftsmanship that are clearly in evidence. Keep in mind that the original Bimotas were basically kit-bikes, especially in their earliest days, and probably into the 1980s and 1990s as well... so this painstaking Bimota HB1 tribute is probably better-built and much better-finished than the original, and a modern electrical system means it will surely be more reliable. What price perfection? Well the seller is asking $33,000 for this stunning HB1 replica, which seems almost a bargain, considering the work and high-quality components that have gone into it.
Contact Rob with your interest by email: artrob1@optonline.net
-tad
The post Featured Listing: 1974 Bimota HB1 Clone for Sale appeared first on Rare SportBikes For Sale.