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Motorcycle Investor mag

Exotic value

bimota yb11

Our bikes: Bimota YB11 Super Leggera (take 2!)

Is there such a thing as value-for-money exotica? Maybe. Bimota's YB11 Super Leggera back in 1996 cost more than double a new Honda Fireblade and promised superbike performance in a 600-size package. Now you can get a good one for Au$20k and under. Join us for a run with the one in our shed

(September 2024, Guy 'Guido' Allen)

We seem to have spent an inordinate amount of time playing with Bimota YB11 Super Leggeras in recent months, having bought two and since disposed of one of them. Before we get too deep into the bike, let’s tackle a quick backgrounder.

Always a boutique brand, Italian firm Bimota was founded in 1973 by the partnership of Valeria Bianchi, Guiseppe Morri and Massimo Tamburini. And yes the brand name was derived from the first two letters of each surname.

tamburini
twins - ducati 916, MV Agusta F4 1000 Nero

Of the three founders, Tamburini is the best known as he is the designer behind two iconic motorcycles from the 1990s: Ducati’s 916 and MV Agusta’s F4 revival model (above).

Traditionally the firm has taken an engine from a larger maker (all four major Japanese marques, plus Ducati) and wrapped it in a high-end bespoke chassis with unique bodywork.

Typically they have been small-volume productions for which the company has charged steep prices.

The 1996 YB11 Super Leggera (Super Light) you see here is typical of the breed. When new, it cost the buyer $33,500 or over double the price of a new 1996 Honda CBR900RR Fireblade.

It ran a tuned Yamaha YZF1000 Thunderace powerplant. In other words, a 1002cc inline four with five-valves per cylinder, claiming 145 horsepower.

Bimota tweaked the motor a little, claiming a lighter flywheel and slightly higher compression (up from 11.5 to 12:1) for its forged pistons, aiming for sharper throttle response. Carburetion was by four 38mm Mikunis with a throttle position sensor, via a Bimota airbox. Yamaha’s EXUP variable exhaust valve was still in place in the headers and the YB11 ran with a unique muffler with a somewhat more raspy note.

Nevertheless, the max power claim was identical to the host bike. That was matched to the Yamaha five-speed transmission.

As was typical for Bimota, the chassis was very high end, with massive for the time 51mm Paoli forks up front and four-piston Brembo brakes. Paoli also supplied the rear monoshock. Suspension at both ends had adjustment for preload plus compresseion and rebound damping.

The beefy aluminium frame was a work of art and the whole thing weighed 183kg dry – 13.5kg less than a Thunderace. For its era it was the size of a 600. Though similar under the paint to its predecessor the YB10, the eleven ran a 10mm longer wheelbase at 1430mm.

That lot claimed a 10.4 sec standing quarter time and 260km/h top speed.

When it comes to service, Yamaha engine parts are readily found and there is plenty of knowledge out there on these powerplants. The design is robust and the factory recommends long 42,000km service intervals for the valve lash. These engines have proved popular in period racing.

Bimota-specific spares for areas such as bodywork are thinner on the ground. That said, it seems most things can be found with patience and determination.

In an age of 200hp street bikes, the Bimota YB11 is no longer at the cutting edge. Nevertheless it remains fast and very competent. The engine supplies a very broad range of usable power, so you can just lope along at minimal revs, or play-race. Throttle response is sharp and it likes a little time to get up to temperature

Its seating position is very sporty and suits the young or young at heart – it is head-down and bum-up in feel and you can rule out touring on it. On that touring theme, the fuel tank carries 15lt, so range is around 200-240km.

Overall handling is light and responsive, with a particularly good front end. That fork, with its high level of feel and feedback, is better than on many current bikes. There is loads of adjustment in the suspension, while the overall effect is stiff and reasonably responsive.

Braking is strong with decent feel – not up to current sports bike standards but still very acceptable.

This was one of Bimota’s more successful models, with total production reaching 650 units. Build quality is generally good and exceptional when it comes to the frame. The bodywork is lighter and more delicate than a Japanese factory might tolerate and therefore needs to be handled with a little sympathy. That said, this one has no age-related issues.

Local supply of this model is reasonably solid, thanks in part to some recent imports.

Yamaha engine parts are readily found and there is plenty of knowledge out there on these powerplants, which have proved popular in period racing. Bimota-specific spares for areas such as bodywork are thinner on the ground. That said, it seems most things can be found with patience and determination.

This model is already eligible for club/classic registration in those states with a 25-year cut-off and will meet the 30-year criteria in other regions in a couple of years.

Style is always up for debate. The Bimota's curves and strong colours make it stand out and there's no denying the magic Italian touch in its presentation.

Bimota was bought by Kawasaki in 2019, so bikes like the YB11 represent a breed we will never see again.

As a used buy, for Au$15-20,000 (US$10-13,000, GB£5-10,000) you should be able to source one in good condition. Given it’s a fast and capable machine with the exotic name attached, and is a guaranteed talking point wherever you take it, that seems like decent value.