First ride: Bimota DB7 in Misano

MCN Senior Road Tester Michael Neeves has just ridden the new Bimota DB7 round Misano for the first time, this is what he has to say:

“It’s surprisingly roomy given how small it looks, the brakes are superb and the engine has got more mid-range power than the Ducati 1098 thanks to Bimota’s new fuel injection and exhaust system.

“ There is a but though, for a bike like this with high quality suspension if it’s not set specifically for the rider it can be awkward to ride, this is definitely the case here. The steering is slow and heavy; the stability is not great in the corners because of too soft rear suspension.

“Also I’m finding it hard to find gears as the multi adjustable rear sets aren’t set up for my size 10s. Hopefully we can dial all this out for my next session and I’m sure this will transform the motorcycle because even with these problems the bike is light and agile.

“One thing that isn’t fixable are the Continental tyres, which are appalling. They have very low grip at the rear and zero feel at the front. If I was paying over £21,000 for a bike I’d expect the latest hot poop tyres.”

To see if we get the Bimota DB7 dialled in read next week’s MCN, out Wednesday, June 11, 2008