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...
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