Bimota YB4 / YB4R
With Phil Aynsley
The YB4ei first debuted in YB4R form at the 1986 Bol d’or before contesting the 1987 World Championship Formula TT with great success – Virginio Ferrari winning with team-mate Davide Tardozzi finishing fourth in the eight-round series.
![Oran Park WSBK Mertens Tardozzi PA WSBK Oran Park WSBK Mertens Tardozzi PA WSBK](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Oran-Park-WSBK-Mertens6-Tardozzi2-PA-WSBK88-223-1024x712.jpg)
![Oran Park WSBK Mertens Tardozzi PA WSBK Oran Park WSBK Mertens Tardozzi PA WSBK](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Oran-Park-WSBK-Mertens6-Tardozzi2-PA-WSBK88-263-1-909x1024.jpg)
The YB4 was one of the first motorcycles to use an aluminium twin-beam frame. Designer Federico Martini also added an aluminium swingarm, and for the road version, fuel injection. The motor was from Yamaha’s FZ750.
![Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Bimota-YB4-PA-NZ_BimotaYB4-015-1024x684.jpg)
![Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Bimota-YB4-PA-NZ_BimotaYB4-003-1024x718.jpg)
Tardozzi narrowly lost the inaugural 1988 WSB Championship after a crash in the last round in New Zealand, eventually placing third in the championship.
![Oran Park WSBK Mertens Tardozzi PA WSBK Oran Park WSBK Mertens Tardozzi PA WSBK](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Oran-Park-WSBK-Mertens6-Tardozzi2-PA-WSBK88-244-706x1024.jpg)
![Oran Park WSBK Mertens Tardozzi PA WSBK Oran Park WSBK Mertens Tardozzi PA WSBK](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Oran-Park-WSBK-Mertens6-Tardozzi2-PA-WSBK88-227-683x1024.jpg)
303 YB4 machines were supposedly produced during 1988-89, plus a further 15 SP models. However it is very likely that the 303 number was inflated to meet WSB homologation. Bimota later claimed that 200 were destroyed in testing!
![Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Bimota-YB4-PA-NZ_BimotaYB4-008-1024x763.jpg)
![Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Bimota-YB4-PA-NZ_BimotaYB4-004-1024x683.jpg)
![Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Bimota-YB4-PA-NZ_BimotaYB4-013-1024x666.jpg)
![Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Bimota-YB4-PA-NZ_BimotaYB4-016-683x1024.jpg)
Output was 122 hp at 10,500 pm, while weight was 180 kg. This bike was originally exported to Japan before finding its way to Perth, then NZ.
![Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Bimota-YB4-PA-NZ_BimotaYB4-010-800x1024.jpg)
![Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Bimota-YB4-PA-NZ_BimotaYB4-011-1024x712.jpg)
![Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Bimota-YB4-PA-NZ_BimotaYB4-001-1024x683.jpg)
The images of the factory YB4R were taken at Oran Park WSB round in 1988. The riders were Stephane Mertens (6) and Davide Tardozzi (2).
![Oran Park WSBK Mertens Tardozzi PA WSBK Oran Park WSBK Mertens Tardozzi PA WSBK](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Oran-Park-WSBK-Mertens6-Tardozzi2-PA-WSBK88-213-1024x690.jpg)
![Oran Park WSBK Mertens Tardozzi PA WSBK Oran Park WSBK Mertens Tardozzi PA WSBK](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Oran-Park-WSBK-Mertens6-Tardozzi2-PA-WSBK88-228-665x1024.jpg)
![Oran Park WSBK Mertens Tardozzi PA WSBK Oran Park WSBK Mertens Tardozzi PA WSBK](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Oran-Park-WSBK-Mertens6-Tardozzi2-PA-WSBK88-210-1024x633.jpg)
![Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Bimota-YB4-PA-NZ_BimotaYB4-009-721x1024.jpg)
![Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Bimota-YB4-PA-NZ_BimotaYB4-005-1024x683.jpg)
![Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB Bimota YB PA NZ BimotaYB](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/1988-Bimota-YB4-PA-NZ_BimotaYB4-002-683x1024.jpg)