Rennie Scaysbrook | April 24, 2024
Bimota will return to the WorldSBK grid for the first time in 25 years in 2025. The iconic Italian manufacturer, now under the financial control of majority shareholder Kawasaki Heavy Industries, will run in the championship under the name ‘Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team’, with many of the current Kawasaki Racing Team staff jumping over to help the Bimota program.
Bimota/Kawasaki has yet to unveil a machine they will use in the series, but we do know the new racer will be powered by the Kawasaki ZX-10RR inline four-cylinder motor.
Bimota will return to WorldSBK in 2025 with a new team run under the Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team banner.
Currently, Bimota offers five motorcycles for sale on its website, the sport touring Tera, KB4 and KB4 RC, BX450 and the Tesi H2, all of which are powered by Kawasaki motors but none of which would be eligible for WorldSBK competition.
“Bimota has an enviable reputation for excellence in motorcycle design and manufacture, said President and Chief Executive Officer of Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. Hiroshi Ito. “As part of our vision for the evolution of this world-famous brand we see racing as a logical next step in terms of both product development as well as brand exposure on the global stage. Our commitment to WorldSBK is as strong as ever and we hope that this new racing project will energize fans of both Bimota and Kawasaki. The passion for race success remains and we look forward to the presence of the Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team on the 2025 WorldSBK grid”.
Davide Tardozzi very nearly won the inaugural WorldSBK Championship of 1988 with the factory Bimota team.
Current Kawasaki Racing Team manager, Guim Roda, shed some light on the new project but stopped short of saying the current KRT will be shut down at the end of this season to focus on the Bimota project.
“In the past thirteen years, myself, and all of those at the KRT workshop in Granollers, have dedicated ourselves wholeheartedly to the Kawasaki Superbike project and garnered seven WorldSBK rider titles in that time plus numerous team and manufacturer awards,” Roda said. “Now—after Kawasaki competing for nearly four decades in the Superbike World Championship—we are proud to be part of a new era forming the infrastructure of the new Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team.
“For sure we will spare some time to reflect on and celebrate the heritage of Kawasaki in Superbike racing but we are also extremely excited to be a core component of this new Bimota and Kawasaki joint venture. This is an evolution for Kawasaki’s approach to the top level of production racing and we are honored to play our role in this new project. I am confident we have the technology and human resources necessary to succeed and it will be a fresh, energizing experience fielding an impressive two rider team in the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship.”
Bimota’s final WorldSBK success came at Phillip Island in 2000 via the late Anthony Gobert.
Bimota were winners of the 1980 350cc World Championship fielding Jon Ekerold on a two-cylinder, two-stroke YB3 machine. Success was also achieved in TT Formula 1 with Virginio Ferrari aboard a YB4R, taking the Championship honors in1987.
Bimota won seven races in the first World Superbike Championship year of 1988 thanks to Davide Tardozzi with five wins and Stephane Mertens with two. The company’s final WorldSBK win came via the late Anthony Gobert at Phillip Island in 2000 with the SB8R.
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