RACCOLTA RIVISTE BIMOTA GB1 - Gilera Bi4 750cc

[CFASD]

   

[Filippo]

Grazie a Duranti
www.gilera-bi4.it/download/Riviste/Bimota_GB1_MO_DE_June_1993.pdf

Motorrad magazin (Giugno 93) Bimota GB1 (in tedesco)

RPM (Aprile 93) Bimota GB1 (in INGLESE)


SUBERBIKE (OTTOBRE 93) Bimota GB1 (in INGLESE)

[CFASD]

TKY to Mister "Duranti" from SVEZIA, for his magazines condivision!
bye.

In particular, i had not never seen the complete Bimota DB1 magazines pages, but only the two images insert at start topic, so tky.

[CFASD]

Gilera Bimota GB1 - "COSA NOSTRA" - MOTOCICLISMO - Spagna 6 Maggio 1993
By Paco Román (Valencia, Spagna) on http://issuu.com

LINK to DOWNLOAD:
Bimota GB1 750 - "Cosa nostra" - MOTOCICLISMO - Spagna 6 Maggio 1993 - PDF (in Spagnolo)

[Duranti]

I went through my old Moto Sprint from 1993 to see if I could find reviews of the races that the Bimota GB1 participated in; and put together a pdf with all the races 

It's interesting to see how the GB1 development refined the performance from race to race, and of course it won the last race ahead of the Ducati Supermono!   
I dream every day of what would have happened if a GB2 (for the street) was created instead of the BB1.

[siplitaro]

  

[RC_true]

Good races' patchwork Duranti...thanks!!
I think I explained somewere inside Forum the GB1 evolution during the only one season it raced:
-On the first 2 races the engine was exactly in "Africa Version"...means with Mikuni depression carburators and power was just little bit higher than 72 Hp...the power expressed on the RC750 African Rally machines; it was just due to no filter in the air box.
-On the third race Bimota equipped the engine with Kehin FCR carbs and power went up some HP more
-On the last race the engine was finally equipped with Fuel Injection system ( a TDD system based on the system Bimota was using at that time on their Ducati based vehicle, the Tesi!) and, even though the EFI setting on that engine was only started, they overcome the 80 HP barrier...and finally Galasso was able to beat Lucchiari with the Ducati Supermono 550...the vehicle which dominated that season.
For a complete truth's respect, we have to remember that on the last race Lucchiari raced in a not perfect physical condition, due to a fall occurred on the Superbike race in the same day, but from the 42 seconds Galasso payed him on the first race.....the 22 seconds gained on the last one it's a real big step up!!!
According to Mr. Pierluigi Marconi (at that time Bimota's Technical Director) comments, when the material come back from Bimota to Velate (the agreement taken between Bimota and Piaggio was ended...that's way they sent back the material) at the end of 1994 season, during the bench test the 750 engines was not showing yet his  limits: as more they was able to improve the intake charge...as more the engine was loading up the bench gauge and revving more and was not showing any condition close to a treshold!
That means that the head's design would have accepted more "meal" increasing output and rev trend!!!
Of course the real limit would have been the mechanical one ( maybe conroad or crankcase would have started to breack!!)...but Marconi's feeling was that thermodynamic limit of that engine was  still very far!!!
Unfortunately...no one would never discover that limit!!!!

[Duranti]

Good evening Romolo,
Thank you for the fantastic information on the GB1 development, much if this info is brand new to me, this is like Christmas!!!

I might be the biggest GB1 fan on the planet, I've spent every year since 1993 collecting info on the GB1, but it is sadly very limited, and magazines only tell a tiny bit of the story!
In 2009 I visited the Piaggio Museum and was able to see both the GB1 and RC750R in real life, and it was like meeting old friends, truly wonderful to say the least 

Mr. Marconi did an absolute fantastic job on the design of the GB1, also the integration of the RC750R engine into that very small bike, but when you study the design it is a match made in heaven (or Italy I should say)! To me the GB1 and RC750R are the finest bikes ever made, and still to this day whenever I see new information regarding these bikes, it gives that special warm feeling in my heart! 

[Duranti]

For fans of the GB1! 

[Matte]

Interesting stories and nice pictures, thanks a lot

[RC_true]

Good evening Romolo,
Thank you for the fantastic information on the GB1 development, much if this info is brand new to me, this is like Christmas!!!

I might be the biggest GB1 fan on the planet, I've spent every year since 1993 collecting info on the GB1, but it is sadly very limited, and magazines only tell a tiny bit of the story!
In 2009 I visited the Piaggio Museum and was able to see both the GB1 and RC750R in real life, and it was like meeting old friends, truly wonderful to say the least 

Mr. Marconi did an absolute fantastic job on the design of the GB1, also the integration of the RC750R engine into that very small bike, but when you study the design it is a match made in heaven (or Italy I should say)! To me the GB1 and RC750R are the finest bikes ever made, and still to this day whenever I see new information regarding these bikes, it gives that special warm feeling in my heart! 

Hi Trond

I knew that information because Mr. Marconi was in touch with me at that time...unfortunately I do not have any more info on this very interesting machine.
He used the experience done with this machine to build the BB1 (using the BMW single engine) which they used after stopping the 750 "liaison"; I think you know that machine...even if it was much less performant that GB1!

Unfortunately, during the years, I lost my contacts with Pierluigi but, if I'd ever have opportunity to found any of his contacts...I'll share with you; I think Pierluigi might give you more details! 

[Duranti]

Hi Romolo,

Thank you for another excellent post!

The main reason why I am spellbound by the GB1 is the combination of the RC750R engine, and the beautiful and timeless design & engineering of the bike itself, it looks just as good today as it did 25 years ago!
I remember waiting with great anticipation for a street bike to be designed, and when things turned out as they did, and Bimota released the BB1, I must admit that I was disappointed, the BMW engine could never compare to the Gilera engine in any aspect, especially not the 750 (which would probably never have been an option for a street bike either way).

I've done alot of research on the first BB1 Factory bike (1994) because it shared quite a few components with the GB1, the BB1 Factory bike was a beautiful machine, and it had great potential, but I agree with you 100% with regards to the higher potential of the GB1, the RC750R engine was (and still is) something truly special! 

Another aspect I've always loved about the Bi4 engines (and the 750) is the one piece crank, it gives the most solid foundation for a high output single cylinder engine in my opinion, would you agree?
I remember the time (approx. 1994 and onwards) when KTM started getting serious about Desert racing, and the retirement rate of the KTMs where massive, so many engine failures, even in short special stages. With that in mind; I can't remember seeing a single Gilera engine have a catastrophic engine failure in the African rallies!

Regarding Mr. Marconi, he is a significant part of motorcycle engineering history, and I would be very honoured to receive his contact details if you find them.