Whenever I see a new motorcycle, regardless of its brand, the first thing I look at is its engine. Naturally, the engine is what will dictate a huge part of how a certain bike will ride. And if you’re anything like me, then chances are you associate the bike’s identity with its engine.
Now, I’m not gonna lie, whenever I see a BMW F 900 or F 850, the first thing that comes to my mind is its Chinese-made Loncin engine. The same goes for any CFMoto with an 800cc engine, as I think KTM LC8c. Whether or not that’s a good thing is entirely up to you.
And so, logic would dictate that when Kawasaki magically transformed into Bimota in the WorldSBK, and unveiled the KB998 superbike, I automatically thought that this thing was an evolution of the Ninja ZX-10RR. And now that the bike has been unveiled in all its glory—and even homologated for street use—I’m standing by my statement: the Bimota KB998 Rimini is really just a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR on steroids.
Yep, I said it. Go on, I’m ready for one of you to throw the first punch.
This is by no means a bad thing, though. The ZX-10RR is one of the sharpest, most high-performance superbikes on the market today. Don’t forget, it’s also the winningest machine in the entire WorldSBK paddock, with former Team Green racer Jonathan Rea piloting it to back to back to back titles.
And so I’m almost certain that the new Bimota KB998 Rimini will be nothing short of a stellar machine, and one die-hard superbike fans and collectors will undoubtedly fight tooth and nail to have it sitting in their garage. As of the moment, Bimota has yet to announce how many KB998s will enter production, but if WSBK’s homologation rules are anything to go by, at least 500 will have to be produced and sold to the public.
As for the bike’s inner workings, well, it’s really just the engine that comes from the ZX-10R. Its frame, swingarm, suspension, wheels, and pretty much everything else has been engineered and designed by Bimota. Nevertheless, its styling is a sleek and elegant blend of Ninja (just look at that front fascia) and Italian superbike. Plus, its slightly exposed trellis frame and raw aluminum subframe and swingarm just give it a built-for-the-racetrack aesthetic.
And yeah, if this thing’s really all Bimota and Kawasaki are hyping it up to be, well, it’ll surely be a force to be reckoned with both on track and on your favorite set of twisty roads.
Source: WorldSBK
