Bimota's reputation as a manufacturer of top class
super-sports bikes had been based on its advanced and lightweight chassis.
This left the tiny Italian firm vulnerable during the mid-1990s, when
mass-produced Japanese superbike chassis had become so good that many were
difficult to equal, let alone better.
But Bimota continued to produce super-sports machines
offering outstanding performance, notably the YB 11 Superleggera of 1996.
Ironically, the YB 11 's twin-spar aluminium frame, far from being
futuristic in Bimota tradition, was closely based on that of the YB6 of
several years earlier. But that took nothing away from the YB 11, which was
beautifully styled, fitted with top quality cycle parts, and had an
uncompromisingly aggressive personality. The YB 11 justified its
Superleggera, or superlight, name by scaling just 4031b (183kg), a
substantial 331b (15kg) lighter than the Yamaha YZF1000R
Thunderace that
supplied its 1002cc four-cylinder engine. Although the frame's main beams
were unchanged from the YB6, the top cross-member was located nearer the
steering head, adding rigidity. A sophisticated Paioli rear shock operated a
new aluminium swingarm; Paioli also supplied the large-diameter front forks.
Bimota made no internal changes to the 20-valve, liquid-cooled
Thunderace
motor, which in standard form produced 145bhp. But the Rimini firm fitted a
larger airbox, fed via ducts in the fairing nose. According to Bimota. this
added a few horsepower in conjunction with a new four-into-one pipe and
reworked carburettors. Although the YB 11 shared its engine and chassis type
with the YZF1000R. the two bikes felt distinctly different. The
Bimota was more racy, with firmer suspension, thinner seat and stretched-out
riding position. The Italian bike's reduced weight gave a slight edge to
straight-line performance, as the Superleggera had a power-to-weight ratio
that no mass-produced rival could match. Vicious acceleration A crack
of the throttle sent the Bimota hurtling forward towards a top speed of
170mph (274km/h). Peak power was produced at 10 000 rpm. and the acceleration
at high revs was vicious. But its Yamaha engine's greatest strength was
mid-range response, and that remained true of the YB11. Ii pulled with
stunning urgency when the throttle was wound open even from below 4000rpm in
top gear. Like most Bimotas. this was not a practical motorbike. Its
suspension was too firm to work properly at low speed on bumpy roads, but on
smooth surfaces the bike handled superbly. Its Brembo brakes were
wrist-punishingly powerful, and its levels of steering agility, roadholding
and ground clearance immense. Inevitably the YB 11 could not match the
performance advantage that some of its predecessors had enjoyed over their
mass-produced contemporaries. Equally inevitably, the hand-built Italian
bike was hugely expensive as well as impractical. But it was beautiful and
rare as well as seriously fast, and enough people were prepared to pay the
premium to make the Superleggera a success.