Bimota tries “extreme” direction as 2026 WorldSBK preparation begins

After a positive first season for Bimota in WorldSBK with the KB998, it tried some “extreme” changes during the first test of 2026, says Alex Lowes.

Lowes was the only Bimota rider on the podium in thr 2025 World Superbike season, finishing third three times at Magny-Cours after finishing second in the Superpole Race at Misano.

The British rider clearly adapted well to the new bike, but Kawasaki’s rebranding project in the production derivative series was not intended to peak at sixth in the world standings, and so development continues.

In the week after the final round of 2025, Bimota was back on-track in the post-race test at Jerez, with Lowes trying a more “extreme chassis direction”.

“Positive, honestly,” Alex Lowes told WorldSBK.com on Wednesday (22 October) at the post-race Jerez test.

“Basically, from everything we’ve learnt in the first year, we had a few things to try in terms of more extreme chassis direction, a different swingarm, some stuff from Showa. 

“It’s hard to change during the year – especially when you’re going to circuits for the first time with the bike, you need to keep close to the base setting. 

“So, we had some ideas from that and we tried them this morning [Wednesday 22 October], back-to-back, and I felt some good steps. 

“We were hoping the temperature was going to be a bit warmer, [...] because we need to try the bike and the new setting in hot conditions. But everything we tried was quite positive. 

“A year’s worth of development on the bike helps, with good direction, and I think we have another clear direction for the winter. So, a positive morning, I enjoyed riding the bike. 

“It’s always difficult to say in Jerez because the track felt really fast this morning. So, is the setting good or is the track just fast? It’s difficult to say. But, in general, I enjoyed it. It was quite positive.”

Lowes was able to be specific about where on the Jerez layout he found some positive aspects with the new changes.

“It was a bit easier to ride,” he said. “Obviously, the bike has been a pleasure to ride anyway, but a few parts of the track – especially sector one – I really felt some good benefits.

“Stopping the bike, changing direction from [turn] two to three to four, the bike felt a lot easier to manage and I hope this is something we can keep for next year, obviously on different circuits.”

Perhaps the key issue for Bimota in 2025 has been straight line speed, with the same engine that powers the Kawasaki ZX-10RR behind a fairing that has a larger drag coefficient than the Kawasaki’s thanks to the front wings.

While there does not seem to be a new engine coming for next year, Lowes suggested that there could be things he could do himself to improve corner exit performance.

“We still need to focus on this area during the winter,” Lowes admitted.

“There’s a few things we can do; obviously, the rules are quite restrictive in World Superbike, but we’ll be focusing on that area to try to accelerate better, me as well to try to be better.

“Maximise our potential in the straights is what we have to try to do for next year.”