Bimota YB5
With Phil Aynsley
Debuted at the Cologne Motor Show in 1986 the Bimota YB5 was Massimo Tamburini’s last design for the company he co-founded.
It went on sale the following year and 196 bikes and 12 kits were sold for a total of 208 units over its two year production span. Unusually for a Bimota it wasn’t a totally focused sports bike, but with provision for a pillion, more a very sporty sports tourer.
The motor was Yamaha’s 1188 cc air-cooled unit from the FJ1200 and provided enormous amounts of effortless torque in addition to its 130 hp at 9000 rpm. With a dry weight of 210 kg the bike was some 25 kg lighter than the FJ1200 and was good for a top speed of just over 240 km/h.
Handling was excellent with a great combination of high speed stability and quick steering and agility. The chassis’ 1455 mm wheelbase was paired with rake and trail figures of 23.5 degrees and 90 mm, both numbers more often associated with far smaller motorcycles.
The 18 inch wheels were fitted with 60 profile Michelin tyres which effectively gave the same rolling diameter as 16 inch wheels. The thin walled Chrome-moly steel frame was paired with beautifully machined alloy engine plates for a very strong chassis.
The only downside to the whole package, apart from the price (to be expected with a Bimota), was that the bike could be quite uncomfortable to ride for any distance – and I write this with experience!
I was lucky enough to have a loan of a bike for a couple of weeks, back in the day (when Ian Gowanloch was the Australian importer) and found that the combination of a very hard rear suspension setup and very thinly padded seat was not great on our typically less than smooth roads.
The real problem though was the amount of engine heat that was channelled onto the rider’s shins by the narrow gap between the fairing and the bodywork. Even in the middle of winter and wearing full leathers and high riding boots the blast was almost unbearable! The mind cringes at the thought of a long summer’s ride…
Still the YB5 is a Bimota, and one of the better looking ones to boot (third to my eye after the DB1 and YB4), so it remains a highly desirable bike to this day.
| Bimota YB5 Specifications | |
| Engine | Air-cooled, four-stroke tranverse four-cylinder, DOHC, four-valve per cylinder, 1188cc |
| Bore x stroke | 77 x 63.8 mm |
| Compression | 9.7:1 |
| Induction | Four 36 mm Mikuni carburettors |
| Power | 130 hp @ 9000 rpm |
| Torque | 108 Nm @ 7500 rpm |
| Gearbox | Five-speed |
| Frame | Double closed cradle frame, with connecting plates |
| Forks | 42 mm Marzocchi forks |
| Shock | Central shock absorber |
| Brakes | 280 mm rotors, two front, one rear |
| Dry weight | 210 kg |
