Boutique Italian motorcycle manufacturer Bimota is about to get an injection of Swiss funds.
The Rimini company has announced it is being taken over by an as-yet-unnamed Swiss company, but says it will retain its Italian roots.
Joseph Elasmar, spokesman for Australian importer Urban Moto Imports, has welcomed the news.
“Still too early to be able to release details but it will be great to see some extra capital invested which we believe will be great for the new models such as the Supercharged model and BMW-powered model,” he says.
An official statement will be released by the company later this week.
The company has had some rough times since being launched in 1971.
In 2000, a major safety recall and the withdrawal of sponsorship support for their World Superbike entry forced the company into bankruptcy.
It was resurrected in 2003 by a group of investors.
The Ducati-powered Bimota bikes available in Australia are the dual sport DB10 Bimotar and sportsbikes DB7, Tesi 3D and three models of DB8 with prices ranging from $43,990 for the dual sport to $88,000.
Urban moto Imports which also imports fellow countryman Benelli says “it’s business as usual” in Australia with no change in staff or location.
However, Joe says he is looking forward to the next growth phase for Bimota.
“I have spoken with staff in the factory and are all very excited about what is currently taking place,” he says.
The official company statement is written in broken English, but makes for interesting reading:
“Rimini, September 12, 2013 – It’s been 40 years since the brilliant Massimo Tamburini and his partners Bianchi and Morri founded the legendary Bimota. 40 years of successes, defeats, tenacity made to serve an Italian dream, down to the known difficulties at the end of the last century. In 2002, a brave businessman from Milan took the lead of this tailored reality, uplifting it from its own ashes and giving it a new life. A new life marked by many victories and the development of cutting-edge motorcycles. Now in its 40th anniversary Bimota makes a further step forward: picks up the baton a new management for Swiss Company name, but Italian for the people in charge, and is prepared, with extraordinary enthusiasm to continue the journey in the history of Bimota. Bimota, with Italian passport, will remain illustrious citizen of a nation known and appreciated for his passion and expertise of motorbikes. In few days will be issued an official statement where will be presented the new property.”
