Triumph Bonneville v Bimota Tesi
- Thread starter C-ZETA
- 7 comments
- 3,923 views
Woh!!!, That Bimota's a mad looking bike.
- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
Based purely upon the fact that hub-center steering is more suited to touring motorcycles than sportbikes, it's the Triumph for me.
- 5,014
- Panama City, FL
Really? Why?
The whole purpose of hub-centered steering is to remove front-end dive under braking (Braking force is transmitted directly to the frame through the front swingarm rather than up through the forks into the steering head), leaving the full suspension travel free to do what it's supposed to do, keep the front wheel under control. Sounds like a good thing for a sportbike to me!
- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
Yes, but in practice, you lose a lot of the feel that's important in a sportbike. The idea might be received better in a long-distance tourer than something meant for tearing up racetracks.
Not to mention, you add weight and complexity. I've seen a test on YouTube where they tested the Tesi 3D, (this bike's successor,) and they said that while the ride was smooth and well-sorted, it was a bit numb as well, (particularly under that braking it was supposed to improve) and really not all quite as impressive as the standard-forked DB5. However, I could see the system improving something like a Honda Goldwing, a heavy bike where steering feel isn't quite as important. (unless I'm wrong about that.)
As an Engineer, I can see the reasoning, but sometimes, particularly when dealing with irrational things like "feel," you can't engineer your way out of a problem.
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- 5,014
- Panama City, FL
Good response, thanks. I don't happen to be one of the 12 or so people who've actually ridden a TESI. 
One of the things about the TESI is the incredibly large number of heim joints in the steering! The Yamaha GTS from the '90s used a telescoping tubular bit to connect the handlbars to the hub, which was a steering connection only, which would seem more direct than the multiple rods and joints of the TESI.
I'm also wondering how much of the "numbness" referred to is simply a perception from the lack of nose dive. There's also the matter of damper tuning, could it have been done better, blah blah blah.
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One of the things about the TESI is the incredibly large number of heim joints in the steering! The Yamaha GTS from the '90s used a telescoping tubular bit to connect the handlbars to the hub, which was a steering connection only, which would seem more direct than the multiple rods and joints of the TESI.
I'm also wondering how much of the "numbness" referred to is simply a perception from the lack of nose dive. There's also the matter of damper tuning, could it have been done better, blah blah blah.
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