After almost two years of development shots, hushed conversations, and spoon-fed details, Bimota have finally revealed their finished '70s-inspired KB4 retro sportsbike at the Eicma trade show in Milan. The difficult second album from the rebirthed Italian boutique brand, the KB4 uses a 140 bhp four-cylinder engine taken from the Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX and follows the firm’s £ 59,000 Ninja H2-powered Tesi H2, revealed back in 2019.
Kawasaki now own a 49.9% stake in the
Bimota brand, which is why both machines feature the firm’s engines, but the
relationship runs deeper than simply supplying motors. Lurking behind the full
carbon fibre fairing lies a suite of Kawasaki lean-sensitive electronics,
including cornering management systems, cruise control, power modes, ABS, an up
and down quickshifter, and traction control. You also get a Kawasaki-derived
colour TFT dash with smartphone connectivity, plus the firm’s signature chunky
switchgear. Bimota claim the bodywork mirrors their early Kawasaki-powered
machines of the late 1970s and 1980s, but the bulbous design has more than a
lick of 1990s YB10 to it.
What’s more, the wide scoops that begin
below the single headlight and run along the side of the bike, below the
rider’s leather seat, drive air to the radiator, located in the base of the
rear subframe. A design likely to polarise opinions, the bodywork disguises a
steel trellis ‘front frame’, which bolts to the head of the engine and uses it
as a stressed member. A billet aluminium swingarm bolts in at the rear of the
bike and is suspended by an Öhlins TTX 36 rear shock, complete with remote
adjuster. Joining this up front are Öhlins FGRT 43 NIX30 forks – all of which
are manually adjustable.
Adding to the premium Swedish springs are
brakes from Brembo, with the front radial calipers biting onto dual 320mm discs
and the rear underslung unit biting onto a 220mm rotor, just below the bulky
end can needed to help the bike pass Euro5. Those wanting a little more noise
will be pleased to know a smaller Arrow alternative is also available, with UK
bikes set to be sold with them included in the asking price. Moving away from
the pipe, the 189 kg (dry) KB4 roles on deep red five spoke forged alloy rims,
shod with grippy Pirelli Supercorsa rubber.
Alongside revealing the KB4, Bimota have
announced a naked RC version for 2022. Sharing many parts with the bike above,
the RC will ditch the carbon front fairing for a claimed café racer experience.
There’s no official pricing on either model at this stage, however we’re told
it’s likely to be between £ 29,000 and £30,000, with the first KB4s arriving in
the UK from February.
