Superb transformation

Bimota transforms Kawasaki's Ninja 1000SX into the sportiest ever sports tourer. Here is our first ride report

- Adam Child 'Chad'

BACK IN PRE-COVID 2019, JAPANESE giant Kawasaki bought a 49.9 per cent stake in the Italian chassis specialists, Bimota, and this, the KB4, follows the £60,000 (Rs 60 lakh) TESI H2 to become the second model to emerge from their burgeoning partnership.

It is nothing new for Bimota to use Kawasaki engines the first time was the Z-powered KBI way back in 1977-so, it feels quite natural that the KB4 is built around a Kawasaki in-line four; fitting, too, that its retro look and "liquid red" paint act as evocative tributes to the now highly collectible early KB (for Kawasaki and Bimota) machines.

Today's relationship with Kawasaki is, however, very different from that of yesteryears. Since the 2019 deal Bimota has had access to the Japanese manufacturer's range of engines and ancillaries. Not only is the K4's engine from Kawasaki, but so also are the electronic rider aids, fuelling system, exhaust, air-box, switchgear, clocks, and headlight even (stolen, in case you had not worked it out for yourself, from the Zgoo).

That means huge development-cost savings for Bimota, who is now free to pull fully tested, proven, and homologated parts from the Kawasaki shelf and focus on what it does best: designing and building sublime rolling chassis.

The KB4 frame is all Bimota and uses the Kawasaki 1000SX engine as a stressed member. An aluminium swingarm gets bolted directly to the engine via a machined mounting plate. At the front, a steel trellis support gets bolted to the Japanese motor and holds the fully adjustable Ohlins NIX30 forks. Bimota wanted a short wheelbase, shorter than a Kawasaki ZX-6R, which means the engine is positioned as far forward as possible with the radiator mounted beneath the seat unit as there was not room between the front wheel and traditional radiator position. The radiator is fed cooling air via two unmissable carbon air scoops that run along both sides of the bike.