ITALIAN brand Bimota has been grabbing its fair share of headlines in the last couple of years. From the news that the two firms were joining forces, to the bonkers Tesi H2 and now KB4 and KB4 CR, it seems like pretty much everything the company does is a BIG news story.
The KB4 and its café racer CR sibling were just such a news story, as the covers were pulled off at Italy’s biggest motorcycle show. Despite the KB4 not being much of a surprise, pictures were widely circulated showing the bike prior to its launch, Bimota’s short hiatus from motorcycle manufacturing seems to keep people interested.
Powered by the inline four-cylinder engine from the Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX, the rest of the bike is a typically stunning affair. With carbon fibre in abundance and lashings of machined billet aluminium, everywhere you look, it’s a literal feast for your eyes.
And like any Bimota, the bike has its own quirky USP, something to set it apart from the competition. With a conventional front end shod with Öhlins forks, the KB4’s wackiness is located at the rear of the bike, in the form of under-seat radiators. Great for those nippy sinter mornings!
‘And the price?’ I hear you all collectively cry! Well, it’s quite a bit. 4,378,000 yen to be precise. That translates to an eye-watering £30,000. While that still isn’t an indication of what it’ll cost once it lands on these shores! Admittedly, that’s quite a bit of cash for a specially bodied and high-spec Ninja 1000!
And yes, it’s probably too late to write a letter to Santa!
