Bimota returning to World Superbikes
Bimota will make a return to the FIM Superbike World Championship next year, replacing the Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT). After thirteen years in WorldSBK in its current form, KRT will be rebranded as ‘Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team’ (BbK) from 2025, with Kawasaki providing the engines and Bimota the chassis for the new racing programme.
Several KRT personnel will transfer over to BbK, but whether the current rider lineup – Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani – will be part of the new team is unclear. Lowes’s contract expires at the end of this season, but Bassani has a deal for “2024 and beyond” with KRT.
Bimota’s return to World Superbikes rekindles a presence that began in the inaugural season of the production bike championship in 1988. Back then, with the ‘YB4’ that combined their own chassis with a Yamaha engine, Bimota finished second in the manufacturers’ championship, while riders Davide Tardozzi and Stephane Mertens won seven races between them.
Often strapped for cash, Bimota were out of WorldSBK by 1992, but made a brief return in 2000, this time with a Suzuki powered ‘SB8K’. The comeback collapsed by mid-season, but not before Anthony Gobert achieved a memorable wet race win at Phillip Island. Bimota’s third crack was in 2014, using BMW engines for an EVO-class entry (combining Superbike and Superstock elements). However, failure to build the required amount of motorcycles for homologation saw Bimota disqualified from all rounds they contested.
According to Hiroshi Ito, CEO of Kawasaki Motors, Ltd., the creation of Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team will bring wider global recognition for Bimota (that's part-owned by Kawasaki), which in turn will translate to greater demand for Bimota’s range of roadgoing motorcycles. In Australia, Bimota made a return late last year, through Kawasaki Motors Australia, with the Kawasaki-powered KB4 and Tesi H2.
“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,” Ito said. “Our commitment to WorldSBK is as strong as ever and we hope that this new racing project will energise fans of both Bimota and Kawasaki.”
Bimota’s COO, Pierluigi Marconi, added: “The engineering, technology and day to day business support already offered by Kawasaki has put Bimota firmly back into the consciousness of the media and potential customers; now it is time to take a next step in our evolution.
“Bimota has had racing as part of its DNA from day one and to compete in WorldSBK alongside developing our new product range, while expanding the European and global dealer network, has an undeniable logic to it.
“With the unparalleled experience of the existing Kawasaki Racing Team experts plus the full support and cooperation of Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. in Japan fills us with pride and optimism. The Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team will surely form the foundations of the next chapter in the Bimota story”.
KRT’s Team Manager Guim Roda, says he’s proud to be part of a new era and the creation of the 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,” Roda said. “This is an evolution for Kawasaki’s approach to the top level of production racing and we are honoured 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, energising experience fielding an impressive two rider team in the 2025 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship.”
