T12 Massimo: Requiem for a Dream

The T12 Massimo is Massimo Tamburini’s last piece of work and is as gorgeous as you’d expect it to be

Massimo Tamburini, the man responsible for designing machines like the MV Agusta F4, Ducati 916 and Bimota SB2, passed away in April 2014. However, after he retired from MV Agusta in December 2008 and moved to his home in the hills of San Marino, it turns out that he didn’t exactly sit around twiddling his thumbs. No, he devoted his last years to designing and building a beautifully designed, high-performance superbike that’s light, compact, powerful and high-tech. It’s called the T12 Massimo, Tamburini’s last piece of work, and a totally performance-focused track-only machine which will be built in limited numbers in Italy.

Powered by the BMW S1000RR’s 999cc inline-four, the T12 Massimo is fitted with a Motec M170 engine management system and an Arrow exhaust. The engine has been fettled to produce more than 230 horsepower and that, coupled with the bike’s dry weight figure of 154kg, should deliver eye-opening acceleration and top speed. The chassis, which is adjustable for lateral stiffness (steering axis rake, teleforks tri-clamps offset and trail are all adjustable), is a steel-tube trellis-type unit, with cast-magnesium side plates and single-sided swingarm. Race-spec, fully adjustable Öhlins fork and shock comprise the suspension, while stopping chores are handled by twin 320mm steel discs at the front, with 4-piston monobloc radial-mount calipers. The T12 gets a host of aluminium alloy billet and carbonfibre bits and rides on 17-inch forged magnesium wheels, shod with 120/70 (front) and 200/60 (rear) Pirelli Diablo SBK racing rubber.

Andrea Tamburini, Massimo’s son, along with other members of the Tamburini family, have set up Massimo Tamburini Srl, a company that will now produce the track-only T12 in limited numbers (though the exact number has not been quoted) and there are no plans to homologate the bike for street use. Prices have not been quoted on the company’s website but we suspect that for the discerning few who’ll be able to afford one, that wouldn’t really matter…
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The T12 Massimo is Massimo Tamburini's last piece of work and is as gorgeous as you'd expect it to be

Massimo Tamburini, the man responsible for designing machines like the MV Agusta F4, Ducati 916 and Bimota SB2, passed away in April 2014. However, after he retired from MV Agusta in December 2008 and moved to his home in the hills of San Marino, it turns out that he didn't exactly sit around twiddling his thumbs. No, he devoted his last years to designing and building a beautifully designed, high-performance superbike that's light, compact, powerful and high-tech. It's called the T12 Massimo, Tamburini's last piece of work, and a totally performance-focused track-only machine which will be built in limited numbers in Italy.

Powered by the BMW S1000RR's 999cc inline-four, the T12 Massimo is fitted with a Motec M170 engine management system and an Arrow exhaust. The engine has been fettled to produce more than 230 horsepower and that, coupled with the bike's dry weight figure of 154kg, should deliver eye-opening acceleration and top speed. The chassis, which is adjustable for lateral stiffness (steering axis rake, teleforks tri-clamps offset and trail are all adjustable), is a steel-tube trellis-type unit, with cast-magnesium side plates and single-sided swingarm. Race-spec, fully adjustable Öhlins fork and shock comprise the suspension, while stopping chores are handled by twin 320mm steel discs at the front, with 4-piston monobloc radial-mount calipers. The T12 gets a host of aluminium alloy billet and carbonfibre bits and rides on 17-inch forged magnesium wheels, shod with 120/70 (front) and 200/60 (rear) Pirelli Diablo SBK racing rubber.

Andrea Tamburini, Massimo's son, along with other members of the Tamburini family, have set up Massimo Tamburini Srl, a company that will now produce the track-only T12 in limited numbers (though the exact number has not been quoted) and there are no plans to homologate the bike for street use. Prices have not been quoted on the company's website but we suspect that for the discerning few who'll be able to afford one, that wouldn't really matter…
Read more »