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Rumors of a partnership (actually, most speculated it would be an outright acquisition) between Kawasaki and Bimota have been making the rounds of the internet as each website copied the rumors published by another. Now, at the EICMA show, we got to see the physical offspring that results when you do cross a Kawasaki and a Bimota: this new Tesi H2.
Kawasaki UK confirmed the partnership in a tweet as the Tesi H2 went on display.
*** Unveiled at EICMA 2019 ***
— Kawasaki UK (@Kawasaki_News) November 6, 2019
The Kawasaki Heavy Industries group considers it a privilege to be able to, through Italian Motorcycle Investment, support the BIMOTA brand in its revival. More info to follow on our website soon. pic.twitter.com/mdArXCEoc2
The Tesi H2 displayed at EICMA follows the past practice of Bimota: Use a bigger company's engine and slot it into a Bimota frame with innovative suspension and steering. In this case, the engine is the supercharged inline-four from Kawasaki's H2 line, which is a good match for what will certainly be an expensive Bimota (assuming it really makes it to production). The Tesi H2 revives the hub steering from the original Tesi, separating suspension and steering inputs at the front wheel.
Details range from scarce to non-existent, so the best look I can give you is this walk-around video shot at EICMA by motovlogger Motolixious:
Bimota, originally founded in the 1970s by Valerio Bianchi, Giuseppe Morri and Massimo Tamburini (Bi, Mo and Ta from their names) suffered through numerous ownership changes over the years and was basically reduced to nothing more than a name, with the factory in Rimini, Italy, closed. If the new Tesi H2 does go into production, it will revive a well known name with a turbulent history and give Kawasaki yet another platform for its supercharged engine, which is now used in four Kawasaki models after the recent introduction of the Z H2.
Does anyone want an H2 with an Italian name and a strange front end? That's another question entirely.
