Bimota has taken the superbike world by surprise with the introduction of the KB998 model for the World Superbike Championship (WSBK). This new model stands out as the only bike on the grid without a road-going counterpart—at least, for now.
Known for its exclusive designs and high-performance machines, Bimota appears to be undergoing a phase of reinvention. Recently, the Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT) announced its rebranding as Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team (BbRT), giving the Italian brand more visibility in the motorcycle racing world.
With this new partnership, it was unlikely that Bimota would simply modify a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR. So, the collaboration led to the creation of an entirely new machine: the KB998. This bike was unveiled during testing for the 2025 WSBK season and features a frame developed by Bimota and a Kawasaki 998cc engine—the same one used in the ZX-10RR, delivering over 200 horsepower.
Piloted by Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani, the KB998 has already demonstrated its potential, achieving impressive laps on the Jerez circuit and showcasing its unique design and explosive performance.
However, there’s an intriguing detail: unlike most of the bikes competing in the WSBK, the KB998 currently has no homologated version available to the public. While other superbikes such as the BMW M 1000 RR, Ducati Panigale V4 R, and Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP are available for purchase, a Bimota KB998 in a customer’s hands is still a distant possibility.
To comply with WSBK’s homologation rules, Bimota will eventually have to produce a limited series of this model—at least 500 units for the public. This homologation requirement raises a host of possibilities: could the KB998 become central to Bimota’s strategy, allowing it to compete with the top European and Japanese superbikes? Or will it be launched as a special race edition, a rare model that might one day take pride of place in superbike enthusiasts’ collections?
