Post Sale Update: This Tesi sold for sold for $31,619 on Iconic Motorbike Auctions in Santa Monica, California.
The name Tesi comes about because this motorcycle was actually the designer’s (Pierlugi Marconi) Mechanical Engineering thesis – on paper, at least, there are technical advantages to hub-centric steering. The simplified story here is that hub-centric steering completely isolates braking forces from suspension travel, which should improve mechanical performance of both aspects. This is one of the Limited Edition “Concept” bikes. Only 29 were made, and this is number 13.
The first generation was the 1D, which utilized the 93 horsepower twin from the Ducati 851. By the third generation (3D), the Ducati-built heart was the 1,078cc dual spark engine found in machines like the Multistrada 1100 and Hypermotard 1100 (rated for 97 horsepower in the Tesi). The 3D was a vast improvement of the 2D: Blake Conner of Cycle World said “I was amazed by how much more responsive the front end was compared to the 2D.” Alan Cathcart said the “third time’s the charm” in a Motorcycle.com review. The air-cooled motor didn’t have much mass to move around – Bimota claimed a dry weight of just 370 pounds thanks to the high spec components and extensive use of carbon fiber.
This example (VIN: ZEST311D38R000013) was manufactured in June of 2007. The seller acquired it in the spring of 2010 with 28 miles on the clock. He considered it “too beautiful to ride” so he only rode it twice and left it in climate controlled storage otherwise. He lost his leg a while back so he hasn’t been able to ride it and turned it into a display piece that he sat on occasionally. The odometer shows just 137.7 miles. If the next owner is interested in riding it, it would need new belts, fluid flush, a battery, and possibly a couple of hoses. The seller used Armor All on the tires to keep them from cracking – they will also need to be replaced before it hits the road again. The sale includes the tool kit, dashboard user guide, owner’s manual, OEM cover, 2 keys, and emissions decals.
Find this Tesi 3D for sale in Santa Monica, California with bidding up to $11,100 and the reserve not yet met here on Iconic Motorbike Auctions.