An imperfect model reference adaptive control for a DC motor drive system having bounded disturbances is proposed. The discrete-time model reference adaptive control algorithm proposed by Chiang and Chen (1987) with bounded disturbances is introduced to an Elettronica Veneta Mod. IBS-4/EV DC motor. This work shows that the adaptive controller can maintain good performance during startup, anticlockwise, or clockwise winding in the regulating reference signals.