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Bellissimo Bimota: 1975 Bimota-Yamaha 350 YB1

042016 Barn Finds - 1975 Bimota 350 YB1 - 1

Get your leathers on, you’ll need them for this ride. This is a 1975 Bimota YB1 with a Yamaha TZ350 engine. It’s listed on eBay with the bid currently just under $1,300. Wait, what, the bid is just under $1,300?! I wonder if the reason for that ridiculously low bid total so far is that it’s located in Alcheda, Italy, which means fairly stiff shipping costs for those bidders who aren’t in Italy. This bike about as rare is it gets so get your bid in if you have been looking for one of these for your collection. Thanks to Barn Finds fan, Mr. Jim S., for sending this tip in!

042016 Barn Finds - 1975 Bimota 350 YB1 - 2

Bimota had some racing success with the 350 Yamaha engine version of the YB1 including a 350cc Grand Prix World Championship in 1975. This frame was used for both the Yamaha TZ250 and 350 version of the YB1. You probably know by now that I’m a Yamaha fan/fanatic.

042016 Barn Finds - 1975 Bimota 350 YB1 - 5

This is a hard-edged, pragmatic racing machine that only weighs about 240 pounds; exactly 1.5 of me. This raucous racer has about 72 hp at 11,000 rpm!

042016 Barn Finds - 1975 Bimota 350 YB1 - 3

Kids, cover your eyes as this bellissimo Bimota sheds its clothing!

042016 Barn Finds - 1975 Bimota 350 YB1 - 4

Oddly enough, this bike even looks like me; sort of bony and spindly, but wiry and agile at the same time – sort of like Barney Fife on Red Bull. That’s a 23-liter (6-gallon) aluminum fuel tank that’ll be good for a few laps at your local race track.

042016 Barn Finds - 1975 Bimota 350 YB1 - 6

The seller says that this “bike was last paraded at the main Italian event in 2012, kept in collection completely dry since.” This is a race bike, hence there is no kick starter and there are no turn signals or any other user-friendly, street-friendly items. This bike is meant to be used by tough, skilled riders who want to go as fast as they can on a controlled course. I wouldn’t recommend driving this on public streets to go to the local coffee shop and diagonal-parking it in front next to the poseur-cafe-racers that are already parked there, with their skinny-jeans-wearing, latte-sipping riders discussing the latest edition of Dwell. Yeah, those guys. You know you want this bike! Would a full-blown racing bike like this interest you, or do you require your motorcycles to be more street-friendly?

 

Comments

  1. Avatar Francisco

    Bid up to $4500. This bike has great value in Italy, too.

    Like 0
  2. Avatar Jamie Staff

    Hey, I like Dwell ;-)

    Like 0
    • Avatar Scotty G Staff

      Ha! Sorry, a bit of poetic license there (I used to subscribe to Dwell).

      Like 0
  3. Avatar FZR Moto

    I’m a Yamaha guy and love Bimotas. When they get together it is pure motorcycle bliss. Bimota makes bliss with any manufacturer though! One of my favorite Bimotas is the YB6 since I have the bike it was based on. Biased!

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Shilo

    Would be a great bike to race in Historic racing anywhere.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Leo

    I LOVE this bike. This is the kind of bike you build a collection AROUND as it is the centerpiece!!

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Jeff Staff

    Jeez, this looks like bags of fun. It’d look pretty parked in the living room, too.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar stillrunners

    Jim stop it…..at my age my go nads are getting smaller…………kinda why my triples need to go down the road…..these are scary fast !

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Tirefriar

    The first official racing Bimota designed by the master himself, Massimo Tamburini. Quite a rare bike with only 12 frames built. These were released as kits to privateers. Bimota also offered these as individual parrots, i.e. the frame, swing arm, fairing and the body’s hell could all be purchased separately. This model was still called Bimota-Yamaha.

    Bimota’s success is due to Massimo Tamburini’s engineering genius. For example, YB1 handle bars had almost infinite adjustment, the rear swing arm could be adjusted to align the wheels depending on wheel rations and chain lengths. Yes, the Japanese built great engines but their chassis blew chunks when compared to Bimota. Bimota is truly one of the best creations in the motorcycle world, the first real Superbike for the streets…

    Scotty, Bimota won its first World 350 championship in 1980 with John Ekerold piloting the YB3. YB1 had some racing success but it never achieved a world title. Although Yamaha did take the 350 title in 1975…

    Like 0
  9. Avatar erikj

    had a 72 250 2 stroke the rd was the next a year or so later. Total street look ,but fast.very nice bike

    Like 0

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