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| | | Road test: Bimota DB6 Delirio-Delirious and delicious from Bimota (Rimini) |  Written: 22/05/2006 : 16:55. Read 15592 times (8/day). | Delirious in the magical world of Bimota and Italian exotica translates to high wheelies and loads of fun. Delirio is Bimota’s go at a naked DB5 that already featured some highly technical chassis innovations where the trellis frame extends to both the swing arm and even the pillion footrest support on DB6. Delirio DB6 is fun to look at, fun to ride but at around 19.000 Euro not that much fun for your wallet.
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The front wheel lifts instantly commanded by a big dollop of throttle in both first and second gear in the Ducati 1000DS powered Delirio. Attached to that front wheel are some very nice bits such as a big 320mm wavy disc, 4-pot radial Brembo callipers and a top of the line Marzocchi Corsa fork. Stopping the 170kg (claimed dry weight) naked fighter was never going to be a problem and even easier so with the help of the Marzocchi 50mm USD fork with TiN treated surface on the stanchion tubes. The radial Brembo brakes bites on a stylish 320mm wavy disc and both the feel and power is nothing less than excellent. The Delirio has been stripped of anything unnecessary and a huge effort has been put in to this bike purely to make it as fun as possible to ride. Fun on a Bimota also means safe and everything from the top Brembo, Marzocchi components to the Extremetech rear shock makes sure the bike never puts a foot wrong. The Dunlop D208 RRs are sticky enough in most situations, however the front offers more grip when leant over and the rear was sliding more often than I would have liked from small throttle openings out of the hair-pins. I had some great fun sliding that rear wheel around by all means, but sometimes I did wonder whether it was too easy and that it could be a matter of side grip on the 180 Dunlop rear tyre. Steering into the tight bends could also have been improved with one of the top front tyres from Bridgestone or Pirelli. I had some funny situations on a couple of the many occasions where I entered the bends too hot and I had to brake so hard that the chassis tried to wring itself into knots over the front tyre mid-turn and still an easy save each time. The beautifully designed trellis frame and swing arm is linked together by machined aluminium plates, also beautifully done at the Rimini factory. Some flex has been designed in by the designer, Sergio Robbiano, to make you feel every little thing that is happening. Quality all around is the conclusion from those experiences.
The roads around the Rimini factory and Misano race track was, to say it mildly, narrow and offered more blind and tightening corners than there are roundabouts in Milton Keynes! I was caught out so many times that I dropped corner speed in benefit of the stop and go style the DB6 is so brilliant at. On the return on the same roads it was a bit easier as I at least remembered a couple of the dodgiest corners covered on a bed of pollen. I reckon that the Delirio has got some of the handling characteristics Ducati is aiming at with its new Hypermotard. Quick steering, loads of instant punch from the 992cc air-cooled V-twin, light CrMo trellis chassis and powerful brakes. Due to the massive cut outs in the petrol tank my knees were almost touching at the same width as the narrow engine itself. This makes for a brilliant handling bike that can be chucked about in the same way as a supermoto. Still that very same petrol tank takes 16 litres of petrol due to the high and widening design. The seat height is of 820mm and the seat itself is very short. It is short so that the rider will not slide back and forth which can happen on the DB5. When sitting upright my back protector touched the back end of the seat whilst when leaning slightly forward the seating position was perfect. The high handlebars are mounted high and the instrument panel features a digital speedometer with several other functions that can only be adjusted with two tiny buttons. The rev counter is big on a white background with the Bimota logo in the middle.
Bimota DB6 Delirio has got a mixture between sportsbike and supermotard handling which makes it nearly unbeatable if you would ever be able to measure the fun factor. Since it handles as well as it does I would not worry one bit about the power being down on other naked bikes such as Triumph Speed Triple, Ducati Monster S4R and Aprilia Tuono R. I would have loved to ride them all together, but without having done so I still think that the DB6 would out-handle the bunch. The engine is a 992cc Desmo from Ducati, 1000DS. It features 92 claimed bhp @ 8.500rpm and a healthy 88Nm @ a low 4.500rpm. The torque in particular (helped by the 2 valve Desmo design) and good fuel injection from Magnet Marelli makes you develop a very close bond between the throttle and the rear wheel-almost a direct feel that is handy everywhere really, but in town and when on narrow roads this is even more important. Bimota has a worldwide agreement with Ducati for service and spare parts so there is no need to worry about Bimota being a small Italian factory. Unless you already worry about Ducati as well that is. Bimota will only make 150-200 of the DB6 so this is real exclusivity. The triangular double underseat exhaust is Euro 3 homologated and it almost smelt like flowers the exhaust. Or maybe even I had become delirious at this point.
Conclusion
What a rider’s motorcycle this is! This is one you’ll both love to look at and ride for many years. Not the most powerful, but that engine in that chassis with those brakes and that suspension is an unbeatable combination. You can still see some of the wiring around the headlight and please Bimota stick another set of tyres on this bike. The price is expected to be around 19.000 Euro which can only be justified by the fact it is absolutely gorgeous to look at and the fact it will only be produced in very small numbers. Certainly in the MV Agusta Brutale league apart from outright top speed. And even more exclusive. With one hand on my heart I can finally say about a bike that I would have bought one if I could afford it.
+
Styling (massive plus compared to other bikes that get this mark)
Instant push from the Desmo V-twin
Handles like a dream
Brakes & Suspension
-
Some wiring visible around the headlight
So expensive that I can’t afford it
Corruption factor: Minimum
Cheap Ryan-air return flight (that I paid for myself) and 1st class train ticket
3 star “holiday inn” style hotel by the Rimini beach
Ok food, but Italy can offer better than this
Limited time on the bike and the photographers hardly knew what a wheelie was
Launch gift: Some sort of silver medallion with the Delirio logo
It is worth to mention that it is always entertaining to chat with Sergio Robbiano
DB5 Mille on the sideline
I also rode the DB5 just after riding the DB6 and the main differences are the same as on any sportsbike made streetfighter. There is a fairing that you can easily tuck behind due to the long seat and in general a more racy riding position. Not too racy though and not too much weight on the wrists. Remarkably the DB5 Mille features the same max power output at the same revs, but less torque at 1000 rpm higher than Delirio-In effect making DB6 a more powerful motorcycle than the DB5 Mille. DB5 will reach higher top speeds due to the fairing; however it will never be as fun to ride as the DB6. The dry weight is a claimed 156 kilos rather than 170 on Delirio and the suspension is full Ohlins front and back as opposed to the Marzocchi/Extremetech set up on DB6. DB5 Mille is about 3.000 Euro more expensive than the Delirio and that’s about it.
Words: Tor Sagen/Photography: Brodolini e Fotosport
The photo gallery is here
ENGINE: DUCATI 1000 DS
Engine Configuration: Twin cylinder 90°
Displacement: 992 cc
Engine Cooling: air/oil-cooling misto aria/olio
Compression Ratio: 10±0.5:1
Valves Per Cylinder: 2
Bore x Stroke: 94.0 mm x 71.5 mm
Engine Redline: 9000 rpm
Valve Angle (Included): 28° Aspirazione / 28° Scarico
Valvetrain Type: Desmodromic valve actuation
Intake Valve Diameter: Ø 40 mm
Exhaust Valve Diameter: Ø 35 mm
Intake Valve Maximum Lift: 11.2 mm
Exhaust Valve Maximum Lift: 10.78 mm
Intake Valve Timing: Open BTDC 15°, Closed ABDC 65°, duration 260°
Exhaust Valve Timing: Open BBDC 62°, Closed ATDC 19°, Duration 261°
Fuel Pump: Bitron 3.5 bar, electrical
Throttle Body Size: 45 mm
Air Filter: Spugna
Exhaust System: 2 in 1 in 2, inox
Injectors: Magneti Marelli
Lubrication System: Wet Sump
Fuel Tank: 16 l
Transmission Type: Clutch
Type: Dry, multi-plate
Cutch Actuation System: Hydraulic
Primary Drive: 32/59 teeth
Final Drive: 15/40 teeth
Transmission Gear Teeth:
- VI: (4:1)
- V: (4.5455:1)
- IV: (5.263:1)
- III: (6.25:1)
- II: (8.333:1)
- I: (12.5:1)
CICLISTICA
Claimed Wheelbase: 1430 mm
Swingarm Length: 525±20 mm
Seat Height: 820 mm
Footpeg Height: 385 mm
Handlebar Height: 1040 mm
Steering Stem to Seat Center: 708 mm
Front Suspension: UD Fork Marzocchi TiN Fully adjustable (Diametro 50 mm, Corsa 120 mm)
Rear Suspension: Extrreme Tech Mono Shock Fully adjustable
Wheel trail: 130 mm
Front Brake: Double Ø320 mm Braking disc, 4-pistons, 4-pads with radial Brembo calipers
Rear Brake: Ø220 mm Braking disc, 2-pistons, 2-pads with Brembo caliper
Wheels:
FRONT. 3.50x17.0 Al Alloy
REAR. 5.50x17.0 Al Alloy
Claimed Wet Weight: 177 kg
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