Bimota bestowed the name of “Super Leggera” on the YB11 – you can probably guess that the phrase translates to “Super Light.” How light is super? Dry weight was 403 pounds, an impressive 32 pounds lighter than the bike that the motor was taken from: a Yamaha YZF1000R Thunderace. Snagging a Japanese 4-cylinder motor and wrapping it in an exotic frame and bodywork is the classic Bimota formula going back to the 70s, but this bike was arguably more of a sports tourer than a road racer. 600 were built, and 87 were sold in the US.
The 1,002cc Yamaha motor produced 145 horsepower stock, but Bimota bumped that up a little with a larger airbox, new exhaust, and a carb re-jet. The original MSRP was approximately $30,000, and that bought you revisions to the usual Bimota frame – the main crossmember was relocated towards the steering head and the swingarm pivot point was revised. Paioli supplied the suspension, including gigantic 51mm front forks that were fully adjustable. For more on the Super Leggera, check out this story on Carole Nash.
This example (VIN: ZES1YB111VRZES024) has 2,623 and the seller says it’s immaculate condition. The photos generally seem to support that claim. Find this YB11 for sale in Richmond, Texas with bidding up to $8,600 and the reserve not yet met
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