In a biker’s life, there are things that cannot be refused. So when Kawasaki suggested we go to Italy to try out the Bimota range, made up of the Tesi H2 and the KB4, we didn’t hesitate long. Even if the said presentation took place on the circuit, and even if we didn’t really know what to expect.
The Bimota H2 is this beast of the stage that we discovered at the shows of recent years. It is this motorcycle with a hypercharged Japanese heart, which will no longer be compatible with the new anti-pollution standards from the end of 2022. It is therefore the latest version in this form of the engine of the H2, with its excesses. The Tesi H2 is therefore the 998 cm3 4-cylinder block developing a power of 170 kW (231 hp) without additional air intake system and 178 kW, or 242 hp, once at 11,500 rpm . A fairly low engine speed value reflecting a torque of 141 Nm at 11,000 rpm. Enough to empty the 17 liters of the tank in less than 100 km through the 50 mm injection throttle bodies…
Contractually and very naturally, this block is managed by the original Japanese electronics. By benefiting from Kawasaki components and instrumentation, in short, from the entire engine operating chain, right down to the stalks, Bimota frees itself from industrial and above all legal constraints related to the engine, its operation and developments. Bimota has in fact never produced an engine, but has always used those of a brand, even if it means leaving feathers when it was necessary to program all the electronics, at the level of injections and other peripherals which are less complex than those present today. today. So everyone wins. Including at the level of approval. A particularly costly phase financially and materially which would otherwise be difficult to bear. This almost miraculous association gives free rein to Bimota to develop a motorcycle around an architecture that is also unique and specific to the brand.
Carrier, the engine serves as a support for the cycle part via two “gamma” of aluminum also supporting the linkage of the direction. The Tesi H2 is a design, an Italian dream body, inspired by the original H2 (the optics are also common). When two passions come together, we get a motorcycle limited to 250 copies worldwide, and the first of the new generation of a historic family of the brand: the Tesi (we would have guessed). Testi. A name synonymous with technological demonstration of the know-how of Italian tailors, these talented goldsmiths with clear choices. But above all, a Tesi can be recognized by its front axle, which is also particularly original, as we were able to discover at the time on the Tesi 3D. Will it still be effective?
The Bimota Tesi H2, these are still figures to make you dizzy, to make more than one motorcycle pale, whether sporty or not. The 242 hp are closer to an announced weight of 207 kg dry. We therefore add 5 liters of oil, the coolant and gasoline in the 17-litre tank, therefore, to obtain a good 228 kg when fully fueled, that is to say 10 kg less than the H2 Ninja, against more than twenty announced by the Italian brand. When we tell you that they are generous, at Bimota! Never mind, the weight loss is substantial, just like the remaining weight, and it can be important, especially on the track. On the road, this notion could not be more subsidiary.
The Bimota Tesi H2 is above all a front axle with swing arm suspending the fairing above, preventing any variation in the geometry of the motorcycle. The Tesi H2 is also peripherals signed by the big names: two Öhlins TTX 36 shock absorbers, 100% Brembo braking with Stylema radial calipers (therefore not the most high-end from the manufacturer), from the master cylinder to the discs 330 mm at the front. It is also a profusion of carbon for a “minimalist” dressing from which only the mustaches of the gigantic fins protrude. Monumental aerodynamic supports which we do not doubt the need in view of the known performance displayed by the engine block. But the carbon is found equally between the two mass-cut aluminum arms of the front axle, or even at the level of the bar of the bracelets.
The Tesi H2 is a motorcycle that you can look at thousands of times, finding a new detail, a new part with each iteration… A new possibility. Thus the footrest plates, produced by Bimota are adjustable by an eccentric step, just like the height of the seat, via specific tools naturally provided, just like those necessary for a tire change. We let you imagine the head and the anguish of the fast service of your favorite little mechanic when you see the said motorcycle arrive… even if a trip to a Bimota/kawasaki dealership seems to us to be quite appropriate.
Finally, the Tesi H2 is Oz Racing rims, forged, of course, but very curiously equipped with Bridgestone S22… puzzle piece.
Once again, more than words, action! Here we go for two 30-minute sessions on a fairly slow circuit, with only a small straight line and developing a little over 2 km…
