Massimo Tamburini immortalised with bronze bust unveiled in Rimini

Massimo Tamburini, the daddy of the Ducati 916, has had a bronze bust unveiled in his honour in his hometown of Rimini

Tamburini tribute

ACCLAIMED Italian motorcycle designer, and all-round petrol head, Massimo Tamburini has been commemorated with a bust being created interpreting his most famous pose.

The unveiling ceremony took place in the shadow of the stunning Castel Sismondo in Tamburini’s beachside hometown of Rimini, just a few kilometers from the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.

Pulling the covers off the statue were Morena and Simona Tamburini, during what must have been a very emotional event.

Massimo's bust was unveiled with some of his most famous creations surrounding the stage at a stunning open-air ceremony on the Adriatic Riviera.

With the San Marino Grand Prix taking place just down the road at Misano, Cycle World reported that many former racers were in attendance at the ceremony, including Virginio Ferrari, Massimo Matteoni, PierPaolo Bianchi, Manuel Poggiali, Mattia Pasini, Thomas Rossi, and Igor Antonelli.

The design of the bust fell to a man that Tamburini himself had worked with during his time at Cagiva Research Centre, Renzo Jarno Vandi.

Tamburini’s work didn’t end with the Ducati 916 either. To be honest, the self-taught farmer's son had only just got going. In later years he went on to work with Bimota, Yamaha and MV Agusta to name but a few. It’s fair to say that no other single person has ever had such a lasting effect on the way that motorcycles are designed and developed.

Massimo Tamburini passed away in April 2014 after a yearlong battle with cancer. It’s reported that over 500 people attended his funeral, including the mayor of Rimini.