Massimo Tamburini needs no introduction. For years his name has crossed national boundaries. Aletta Oro, Paso, 916, Mito, F4, Brutale are just some of the creatures designed by Massimo Tamburini. Bimota founded, after he created masterpieces like the Ducati 916 and MV Agusta F4.

"One of the dogmas of Tamburini is: a motorcycle to be beautiful has to be functional and to give satisfaction to those driving it."

This simple recipe was one of the keys to the success of Bimota.
With Tamburini we will go over again with the most important stages - and, believe it, are many - of a long career marked by genuine, visceral towards the two wheels.

Where comes the passion for motorcycles?
Massimo Tamburini: "All the fault of my father, he was a lover of motorcyle racing. And the barber."

At barber?
Massimo Tamburini: "As a child every Sunday I wanted to go and cut my hair in the barber shop there were pictures of motorcycling champions on the walls, particularly those of the Gilera. It seemed to me impossible that there were so beautiful bike. The evening I attacked at the radio to hear the results of the Gilera pilots. I did't like when the MV Agusta win, but you look at the fate ...".

What is the first motorcycle that you put on your hands?
Massimo Tamburini: "The first motorcycle that I work out was a MV Agusta 600, I have always been fond of 4 cylinders. In 1971 I found an ad on Motociclismo and purchase the MV Agusta 600 from a boy of Cuneo. I rebuilded the whole bike, from the chassis to discharge,I did mount on the same that had the 4-cylinder Benelli which used to ran with Pasolini.I took the engine to 750, I worked on the aspiration, the Dell'Orto carburettors on the tray with a suitcase the one used by the MV Agusta of Agostini. I removed the shaft and I assembled the chain. It was not a easy work, I was forced to redo the carter. "

A real prototype. What did the first special of Tamburini's bike?
Massimo Tamburini: "In Rimini we were 4 cats to have powerful bike and it was beginning to turn the "rumor" into the country of a crazy boy with a super-prepared bike. As long as the "rumor" did arrived to the Carabinieri. The Carabinieri did control me all the time and I decided to sell it and buy a Honda CB 750 ".

How long did stay original the Honda?
Massimo Tamburini: "In the beginning I did not tuch it. Then I did a bad accident at Misano and during the convalescence, with Morri and Bianchi (co-founders of Bimota) we thought to play around with these Japanese prestant engines The engines were in fact very well, while some frames left 'to be desired. There was the potential to make special parts such as alloy wheels, controls, and more outstanding. "

You started to make chassis for motorcycle racing, Harley in the beginig.
Massimo Tamburini: "I did courses of Tig welding, something rare for those times, and build the first frame. I remember the first racing frame for Paton. After Peppino Pattoni followed Walter Villa, but the Harley Davidson forced him to use the standard chassis.Then my chassis went to Gianfranco Bursi that with the Harley 250, won the Italian championship. "

Then after arrived the first road bike.
Massimo Tamburini: "The impetus came from Suzuki Italia, the commercial director at the time, Zanetti. Fulfilled the first road bike with a derivation of racing cycling, the SB2 750th An innovative motorcycle, with the core coaxial with the swingarm for a pinion chain constant shooting. Another innovation was the rear suspension for the first time with a progressive geometry. Then came the others. "

In the Ducati 916 you have given free rein to your fancy. As you come to draw one of the most beautiful motorcycle in the history of motorcycling?
Massimo Tamburini: "The intuition of our president (Castiglioni) was determinant in the success of the 916 We wanted to make a sport bike that was instantly recognizable as Ducati, different from the usual Japanese.We also explored the way to make the chassis type deltabox in aluminum, but in the end was the decisive choice of Claudio Castiglioni that guides us towards the classic trestle-chassis .It was difficult to given personality at the front, I wanted the bike had a small lantern, but the suppliers were opposed. At the end, our choice has been rewarded and has traced the way to Japan. Secondly views are front and rear to make recognizable a motorcycle. "

An incredible success of design result of the hand of a designer?
Massimo Tamburini: "My great passion is the mechanical, it's not so much the part in plastic. When I was in Bimota I could not count on anyone, I began to look also to design and saw that I could do it pretty well. I would had stopped at the metal. "