1998 Bimota YB11

This is my 1998 Bimota YB11. It has just over 3,000 miles on it. Totally stock, ncludes the single seat cowl and passenger seat. Bike is in showroom condition. It is coming out of my large bike collection which includes over 150 museum quality bikes, ncluding 18 Bimota's. I am only selling these Bimota's because i have decided to reduce the collection to a more managable quantity and I really don't want to sell just a few Bimota's and not have a complete collection...so they will all go. You will not be disappointed with the quality or the condiition of this particular bike. This YB11 is powered by a 1998 Yamaha YZF1000 genesis 5 valve motor, rapped in a beautifully handcrafted aluminum frame, op quality Paoli suspension front and WP rear Shock do a great job of controlling road conditions and the super strong 150 hp motor. It has been stored in a climate controlled museum and need to be recommissioned (new battery) prior to operation. I rode it about 1500 miles after I purchased it from the original owner. Then it was drained of fuel, ully served and stored in my climate controlled personal museum. It is a great sport tourer bike. Plenty of power and a unique body shape. The only flaw is a crack in the windshield which I repaired with a high strength epoxy. I would have bought a new screen but remember this is a Bimota and the parts are next to unobtainable. This crack is about 2 inches in the upper left hand corner of the windscreen and you hardly notice it. Other than that flaw it is absolutely beautiful. The body reminds me of a beautiful womens' sensual shape. So if you really want to be the rider with a very unique ride this is your bike or just put it in the living room of your house because it is truly a work of art. I can move the bike to any location in the country for $500 or less using Daily Direct because I have special deal with them, o the winner of the auction can either ship it themselves or I will ship it to you and you will be responsible for the shipping fees. I will assist overseas bidders with shipping but the expense will be all yours. I have 14 other Biota's that will be listed in the next few days so if you are serious collector stay tuned. These bikes don't come up for sale often and when they do its pretty special.
This is a short story/road test from Roland brown of Fast Bike magazine:

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, hen mass-produced Japanese superbike chassis had become so good that many were difficult to equal, et alone better. But Bimota continued to produce super-sports machines offering outstanding performance, otably the YB 11 Superleggera of 1996. Ironically, he YB 11 's twin-spar aluminium frame, ar from being futuristic in Bimota tradition, as closely based on that of the YB6 of several years earlier. But that took nothing away from the YB 11, hich was beautifully styled, itted with top quality cycle parts, nd had an uncompromisingly aggressive personality.

The YB 11 justified its Superleggera, r superlight, ame by scaling just 4031b (183kg), 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, he top cross-member was located nearer the steering head, dding 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, iquid-cooled Thunderace motor, hich in standard form produced 145bhp. But the Rimini firm fitted a larger airbox, ed 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, he two bikes feltdistinctly different.

The Bimota was more racy, ith firmer suspension, hinner seat and stretched-out riding position. The Italian bike's reduced weight gave a slight edge to straight-line performance, s 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 10000rpm. and the acceleration at high revs was vicious. But its Yamaha engine's greatest strength was mid-range response, nd 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, ut on smooth surfaces the bike handled superbly. Its Brembo brakes were wrist-punishingly powerful, nd its levels of steering agility, oadholding 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, he hand-built Italian bike was hugely expensive as well as impractical. But it was beautiful and rare as well as seriously fast, nd enough people were prepared to pay the premium to make the Superleggera a success.

Source: Fast Bikes by Roland Brown

Also published at eBay.com