2025 Bimota KB998 Rimini – First Look

Bimota officially revealed the KB998 Rimini, the production version of its Kawasaki-powered World Superbike race machine. We say production, but Bimota will be doing just the bare minimum to comply with FIM homologation rules, producing 125 units by Feb. 24, 2025, another 125 before Dec. 31, 2025, and a grand total of 500 units by the end of 2026.

But, as a wise man once said, technically correct is the best kind of correct, and if Bimota can reach those numbers, then the KB998 Rimini will be allowed to race.

The KB998 is powered by the same 998cc Inline-Four engine as the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR, with Bimota claiming 197 hp at 13,600 rpm and 81.9 lb-ft. at 11,700 rpm. The chassis, however, is a new Bimota design, consisting of an oval section steel trellis and billet aluminum alloy side plates.

Showa provides its Balance Free Front Fork, with 5.1 inches of travel. Bimota did not identify what the rear suspension is, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it was a Showa BFRC similar to the one on the Ninja. The braking components were also not identified, but on visual inspection, the front wheel appears to use dual Brembo Stylemas similar to the ones on the ZX-10RR.

Meanwhile, the Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team is hard at work analyzing the data from the recent WSBK tests at Jerez. The KB998 superbike did pretty well in the hands of riders Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani, with the team claiming the second and third best lap time of the teams participating in the test. A second test was scheduled for Aragon in late October, but heavy rain prevented them from making any progress.