Bimota DB8 1198 2011 — Specifications

When Ducati unveiled the 1198 with its 170 horsepower and muscular 131 Nm of torque, Bimota found itself in an awkward position: the DB7 still carried the 1098's engine, already outdated on paper. But the small manufacturer from Rimini has this particularity of never playing on the same field as Bologna. You don't buy a Bimota for its numbers. You buy it for what it says about you, and for what its chassis does to your wrists in a tight corner.

The DB8 is therefore the eighth collaboration between Rimini and Ducati, and it addresses the problem at the source by directly housing the 1198's 1198cc L-twin in its belly. The engine received minor mapping revisions to sharpen its responsiveness, resulting in a more forthright power curve, more aggressive in the mid-range. With 170 horsepower at 9,750 rpm and 131 Nm available from 8,000 rpm in a dry package of just 171 kilograms, the power-to-weight ratio is simply absurd. A standard Ducati 1198 weighs exactly the same; except the Bimota was assembled by hand by a handful of craftsmen.

What changes with this DB8 is the commercial ambition. Bimota wanted to broaden its reach, make the machine more versatile. The rear subframe now accommodates a passenger, and the price drops to around €23,390, which remains hefty but positions the machine against a 1198 S Corse in Öhlins configuration. To meet that price point, compromises were made: the carbon fiber fairings gave way to plastic, and the suspension was downgraded. The 43mm inverted fork still provides serious support with 120mm of travel, the Extreme Tech mono-shock works within the same range, and the four-piston radial Brembo calipers remain unchanged. It's not the disaster the purists announced, but the difference is felt on track, where every tenth of a second has a price.

Visually, the DB8 stays true to the DNA of the DB7. The number 8 painted in red beneath the ram-air intakes, a more subdued color scheme, and a new exhaust design are the only external signs of the evolution. It's both a strength and a limitation: the lines remain magnificent, taut, and refined, but DB7 owners will struggle to justify upgrading. For the others — those who dreamed of a Bimota without being able to afford it at full price — the DB8 may represent the most accessible window the brand has ever opened. Accessible is relative, of course. But in the Bimota universe, €23,000 for 170 horsepower in a steel tubular frame with aluminum plates is almost a bargain.