Description
Additional photos of this Bimota DB5 are available here for your perusal.
After years of trying to make fast track weapons, Bimota switched things around with the DB5 Mille. They started with the 92 horsepower Ducati air-cooled twin and instead built an exclusive Italian sport bike that was specifically geared towards enjoyment on the street rather than the track.
But don’t think that means the DB5 was slow – thanks to a dry weight of just 363 pounds, this Bimota was the “lightest open-class bike on the market”, according to Visor Down. More importantly, it singled the rebirth of the company after the V-Due debacle, and the DB5 encouragingly won the Motorcycle Design Award in the Superspot category at Intermot when it debuted.
The beautiful hybrid steel/aluminum trellis frame was paired with Ohlins suspension front/rear, Brembo brakes, and Magneti Marelli fuel injection. MSRP for all of this goodness was a hefty $39,800.
This specific DB5 (VIN: ZESD599226R00016) used to be part of a large collection that we sourced from State 8 Motorcycles.
The owner of the dealership had a beautiful selection of Italian exotics that he sold off to fund an expansion of his dealership. It was well kept, stored dry, and on display at his dealership for visitors to admire. We acquired it a couple of years ago and it was quickly snapped up by a local friend who is now letting go of most of his bikes as he’s planning on leaving the country.
The odometer shows 1,197 miles.
When the owner acquired it from us in 2018, it had approximately 980 miles. He wanted to ride it so he had it serviced with new belts, the fluids flushed, and new tires (Pirelli Rosso II). At the time the Iconic shop was brand new and not fully set up so we handled the tires and farmed out the motor work to a local Ducati expert.
It is almost completely stock with no known damage of any sort. It is offered with a clean California title and the registration is current through October 2020.
The only thing to note cosmetically is a bit of road grime on the engine.
The only non-stock parts are some wide-angle mirrors added on top of the original pieces.
This is an excellent example of a rare bike that can be enjoyed on display or on the road – what will you choose?
