Motorcycle specifications BimotaKB998 Rimini E5+ 2026 Back on the Track AND on the Road

The BK998 Rimini features green trim, which is more than just a cosmetic touch. This identifies it as a Euro5+ model. One might think that’s not much, since the Bimota has changed very little: 3 chevaux less, one kilo more, slightly lower torque, a few more sensors for the engine, a reprogrammed ECU.... But the result is significant: this high-performance sports bike can finally be ridden on public roads.
That was the irony of the first version: a mass-produced hypersport bike built to meet WSBK regulations, complete with street-legal equipment, yet not approved for road use. That challenge is now a thing of the past, so let’s enjoy what this hot-blooded Italian machine has to offer.

With this bike, the Italian manufacturer aims to return to its passion: racing.

Bimota’s sport bikes have always been regarded as superb creations—for their engineering, their materials, and the intensity they exude. This model follows in that same tradition, with a design that’s rather understated yet captivating to anyone who lays eyes on its finish. Leaving behind extravagances like the Tesi 2D, the KB 998 Rimini is, quite simply, a beautiful motorcycle—in the fullest sense of the word.

A Dream Come True in Every Way

As you’d expect, this machine is a cocktail of beautiful parts. Every detail is meticulously crafted; every piece of metal exudes precision and high quality. The solid-machined aluminum swingarm is a thing of beauty—so much so that even a hint of grease on it would make you cringe. The frame plates are just as exquisite, providing a sublime connection to the body before anchoring to a trellis structure made of chrome-molybdenum tubes. Take note of the eccentric shaft embedded in the dropouts, which allows you to adjust the shock mount height. Exceptional!

The triple clamp is also the result of exquisite machining. Next, Bimota takes luxury to the next level with a full carbon fiber body: the fork crown, fairing panels, front and rear fenders, winglets, fuel tank cover, heel guards, cockpit interior, sprocket cover, and engine skid plate are all crafted from this premium material. Its wheels perfectly complete the picture: forged aluminum Marchesini rims, shod with Pirelli Supercorsa SP tires.
The Bimota is a lady who doesn’t need to bare all to captivate the curious and the passionate.

The “Rimini” does, however, surprise us with certain choices that are less impressive than the superb components we’ve just seen. Given its high-end reputation, why not have opted for Öhlins suspension? Only the steering damper comes from the Swedish manufacturer. The Showa BFF inverted fork and the BFRC Lite monoshock do a very good job, but we expected to find different components than those from the ZX-10R. The ZX-10R also provides its switchgear, instrument panel, and headlights.
The same question could even be raised about the footpegs, which look great but aren’t adjustable (except for the tips of the controls).

The same goes for the brakes. They’re no joke, and the front brakes can dislocate your collarbones with their 330-mm discs clamped by 4-piston Brembo M50 calipers. But the competition has long since switched to Stylema calipers, which are more effective; or even the Hypure calipers on the Panigale V4 and Aprilia RSV4. Is Rimini cutting corners? Certainly not. Do they count every penny when designing a carbon-fiber front fender with a cutout to channel air over the calipers and cool them more effectively?!
Bimota has offered nothing but the very best—or even the exquisite—with its KB 998—but its reputation has accustomed us to nothing short of the extraordinary in every aspect.

197 chevaux and a 10-RR heart

Housed within this admirable chassis, the engine comes from the Kawasaki ZX-10RR. Aside from the 500 V-Due’s engine block, Bimota has always used engines from other brands (Kawa, Honda, Suzuki, BMW, and especially Ducati). The four-cylinder engine is rated at 197 bourrins and 110 Nm on this street version, but the power will be about forty units higher in the machine competing in WSBK. Its exhaust gases will be expelled through a beautiful Akrapovic exhaust system, featuring a dual-tube design and an EXUP-type valve just before the titanium muffler.
The electronics are modeled after those of the 10RR, featuring S-KTRC traction control, three power modes, an Up&Down shifter, KIBS cornering ABS, launch control, engine brake control, anti-wheelie control, cruise control, and four riding modes.

Competing in the World Superbike Championship requires a minimum production run of 500 units. This isn’t a problem for major brands like Honda, Kawasaki, BMW, Suzuki, or Yamaha. It’s more complicated for a smaller manufacturer like Bimota. Hence the slower production pace. The price is particularly steep, but we’d expect nothing less from a Bimota.

M.B. – Manufacturer photos

Editor’s Note: With this machine, Bimota is breaking with its naming convention. Its motorcycles (except those with the Tesi chassis) have always been named using the first letter of the engine manufacturer (K for Kawasaki), followed by the first letter of the designer (B for Bimota), and then a number indicating the model’s release order. For example, the KB4 is the fourth collaboration between the two brands. But with the Rimini, this sequence is no longer specified; instead, it’s replaced by the engine’s displacement. Its name is none other than the city where the manufacturer is based—a clear reminder that this is indeed a Bimota.