World Superbike 2025: the season starts now!

October 22, 2024 will remain a key date in the history of the World Superbike Championship (WSBK), marking the official launch of the Bimota KB998. After several years' absence, the Italian brand returns to the highest level of competition, supported by Kawasaki.

Kawasaki and Bimota give birth to the KB998

We continue to sand down the World Superbike news with, this time, Bimota's return to WSBK, thanks to a solid partnership with Kawasaki, which owns 49.9% of the Italian brand from 2019. This project, led by the Provec Racing team behind Kawa's successes with Jonathan Rea, goes far beyond a simple name change. The KB998 is an all-new motorcycle, powered by the powerful 998cc engine of the Kawasaki ZX-10R, renowned for its performance.

The KB998 benefits from Japanese know-how in motorization, coupled with Italian expertise in chassis design. To obtain WSBK homologation, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) requires Bimota to produce at least 250 units in the first year, then 500 in the second, while limiting the price to €44,000. This model will be marketed to an elitist public with a passion for technology and competition, although its homologation in Europe has yet to be confirmed.

An evolving design and identity

Visually, the KB998 retains some features of the Kawasaki ZX-10R, but also incorporates distinctive elements of Bimota's DNA, notably in the chassis structure.

The team's riders, Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani, recently made their first public appearance in their new tunics: overalls dominated by black and red, a clear break with Kawasaki's traditional green colors. This new visual identity has prompted mixed reactions from long-time fans. However, Kawasaki is not abandoning them altogether, as the Puccetti Racing team will continue to enter the ZX-10RR for the 2025 WSBK season, with Garrett Gerloff at its helm.

Bimota in WSBK: a new chapter opens in Jerez

The KB998 has been designed with a clear objective: pure performance. Unlike other Superbikes such as the Yamaha R1M or Honda CBR1000RR-R SP, which must also appeal to regular users, the Bimota KB998 is first and foremost a machine dedicated to racing. Could this strategic positioning upset the championship hierarchy? Gregorio Lavilla, Dorna's WSBK championship manager, is delighted with this new approach. According to him, this partnership enables Kawasaki to develop "a motorcycle with extreme performance, without worrying about the constraints imposed by the mass market".

A promising future in the World Superbike Championship?

The Jerez test, which takes place over two days with eight hours of daily riding, provides the first opportunity to see the Bimota KB998 in action. Test rider Florian Marino took the bike in hand on the first day at the Circuito de Jerez Angel Nieto, giving fans a glimpse of the performance of this promising machine.

First ride with our Test Rider @florianmarino pic.twitter.com/wt7zpepsDH
bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team (@bimotabyKRT) October 22, 2024

With this ambitious project, Kawasaki and the Italian brand are embarking on a new chapter in WSBK, and intend to rival models such as the Ducati Panigale V4R... Ducati was well and truly in action yesterday in Jerez, completing the double with Nicolo Bulega and Álvaro Bautista, ahead of Garrett Gerloff.

Toprak Razgatlioglu: well-deserved rest!

Meanwhile, Toprak Razgatlioglu, now double world champion, is enjoying a well-deserved rest. After an exceptional season, the Turkish driver received unanimous praise from his peers. Appreciated as he is, he also offered his congratulations to all the drivers. While some of them are already concentrating on next season, Razgatlioglu has chosen to recharge his batteries at home in Turkey, before returning to the track.