If you haven’t heard the name Massimo Tamburini, you probably aren’t born yet, or probably haven’t started riding motorcycles. Tamburini had designed motorcycles for Cagiva, Ducati, and MV Agusta, and Bimota. He was one of the founders of Bimota. His Ducati 916 and MV Agusta F4 are true icons of motorcycling history and were included in the Guggenheim Museum’s The Art of the Motorcycle exhibit. After a long and successful career as one of the most respected motorcycle designers, Tamburini had to leave his years long relationship with one of his most beloved brands, MV Agusta, in 2008. After signing a contract to not work with other companies in the motorcycling domain, Tamburini retired to his home in the hills of the Republic of San Marino.
The retirement gave him a chance to work on his dream project, a sports bike that would not be bound by homologation regulations, budget ceilings and limits of production standards. His aim was to create a pure, superbly refined racer that could be put into regular, though limited production. The motorcycle had to be the lightest and most compact in its displacement class along with being absolutely innovative in terms of technical performances and design. With this dream, Tamburini selected a small group of technicians to whom he passed the guidelines of his project.
Tamburini passed away in 2014 but left a legacy behind him, along with his last project, a very well defined motorbike in every detail. Now, his last project – a pure, extreme, race-track-only sport bike tagged as T2 Massimo – has turned into the most beautiful reality one can imagine.
Words have always fallen short to describe Tamburini’s designs and the T2 Massimo is no different. Built around the classic Massimo Tamburini’s trellis design, the frame is made from high tensile steel alloy tubing, impeccably welded. In fact, the frame was hand-welded by Tamburini himself in the first prototype version. The final motorcycle gets an adjustable steering angle and offset, along with a patented system that allows to modulate and adjust the flectional rigidity of the structure with no need to replace any element.
The steering tube is a magnesium casting clamped by the steel tubing trellis. Components have been carved out from magnesium and carbon fibre to keep the weight as light as possible. All this helps the T12 Tamburini tip the weighing scale at slightly over 150 kg (dry).
And then there is that S1000RR’s World Superbike spec well-engineered motor that delivers a mighty 230+ hp of power. That gives the T12 Massimo a massive power-to-weight ratio of over 1500 hp per tonne. Check out the video of this beauty in action below
Heroes, they say, are remembered, but legends never die. Tamburini has been inspiring the current breed of motorcycle designers and motorcycling enthusiasts for ages. Seems like they just got another masterpiece to admire. The T2 Massimo will be a limited production motorcycle and you can lay your hands on one if you can shell out USD 330,000 or about INR 2.2 crore. Here are the Tech Specs of the T12 Massimo along with some more images of the motorcycle. Do let us know your thoughts about the T2 Massimo through the comments section below.
ENGINE
- Type: BMW S1000RR SBK
- Displacement: 999cc
- Bore: 80mm
- Stroke: 49,7mm
- Compression ratio: N.A.
- Distribution: gear driven DOHC
- Induction: 4 valve per cylinder
- Cooling: by fluid
- Power: 230+ Hp
- Torque: N.A.
- Electronics: MOTEC M170
- Lubrication: forced, wet sump
- Exhaust system: T12 4-into-1 by Arrow
- Primary transmission: by gears
- Clutch: oilbath
- Gearbox: 6 speed, quick shift race type
- Final transmission: chain
CHASSIS
- Patent: Adjustable lateral stiffness
- Frame: high tensile steel tubing trellis with cast magnesium plates
- Front suspension: Öhlins GP type
- Rear suspension: Öhlins GP type
- Front brake: Brembo Racing
- Master cylinder: PR 19-18 GP type
- Front calipers: GP type, four pistons P4.34/38 Monoblock radial mount with fluid lines Staubli quick release connection
- Front rotors: 320mm steel
- Rear brake: Brembo racing
- Master cylinder: PS13 GP type
- Caliper: GP type, monoblock P2.34
- Rear rotor: 218mm steel
- Front wheel: forged magnesium
- Rear wheel: forged magnesium
- Front radial: Pirelli Diablo SBK racing 120/70-17
- Rear radial: Pirelli Diablo SBK racing 200/60-17
- Steering axis rake: adjustable
- Teleforks tri-clamps offset: adjustable
- Trail: adjustable
- Wheelbase: N.A.
- Fuel tank capacity: N.A.
- Dry weight: 154.5 kilos
You can read more about Tamburini’s dream and the T2 Massimo on their official website
