Post Sale Update: This Tesi H2 sold for $51,574 (including the 7% buyer’s fee) on Iconic Motorbike Auctions.
Over on Iconic, we’re selling one of the craziest motorcycles we’ve ever seen – the supercharged, hub-center-steering, way-too-loud Bimota Tesi H2.
Tesi is Italian for “thesis”, and the name reflects that this bike started as a thesis project by Pierluigi Marconi exploring hub-center steering for his mechanical engineering degree. The first generation was the 1D, which utilized the 93 horsepower twin from the Ducati 851. By the third generation (3D), the Ducati-built engine was the 1,078cc dual spark unit rated for 97 horsepower. But in November 2019, Kawasaki announced that they were supporting “Bimota’s revival” with a press release suggesting that they were going to produce 200 models of an updated Tesi. And this time, the power quotient would be going way up, because they would use the supercharged heart from a Ninja H2. For this generation, the Tesi has an engine that matches the dramatic looks. Bimota claims that with a ram-air effect, the 998cc engine produces 239 horsepower.
The H2 didn’t just give its engine for the Bimota, it gave its name, too: meet the Bimota Tesi H2.
In Bimota fashion, this weighs less than the bike that it was based on – the Tesi H2 weighs 472 pounds wet, which is 53 pounds lighter than a Ninja H2. The diet is complemented with the use of high end components throughout, including lavish use of carbon fiber and dual Öhlins shocks.
This example is VIN: ZRPBTH201ERL00019, Engine #: ZXT00NE015419. It is #6 of the production run.
The odometer shows 1,700 miles, which we’ve covered when using it as a shop/display bike over the years. We had Bob at Bimota Spirit upgrade the supercharger system with an ECU flash and a larger impeller, boosting output at the crank from ~265hp to ~295hp. If you’d like to hear the blow-off valve in action, check out this video I recorded on my commute into work from home a couple of years ago:
Since that time, we’ve performed regular maintenance to keep it on the road. Most recently, our service department changed the oil, bled the rear brake, fixed the quickshifter, and replaced the tires. The sale also includes a rear stand, the stock rear fender, as well as the stock exhaust and heat shield.
Find this Tesi H2 for sale in Santa Monica, California with bidding up to $35,600 and the reserve already met here on Iconic Motorbikes.
Disclosure: Bike-urious is a partner in Iconic Motorbikes.