Bimota presents 2026 factory WorldSBK team ahead of second season

Bimota has launched its 2026 WorldSBK campaign, revealing a new livery which retains many of the key design points as the 2025 bike.

Bimota made its return to World Superbike in 2025 with the new Kawasaki-powered KB998 bike. It took front row starts and four podium finishes in 2025, all of the latter number thanks to Alex Lowes who was on the rostrum in Misano and then three times at Magny-Cours.

Lowes remains on the team in 2026, although his contract expires at the end of the year. The same is true of Axel Bassani, whose 2025 started positively but dropped off dramatically after his controversial collision with Nicolo Bulega in the first corner of the Misano Superpole race – ironically the same incident that cleared the path to the podium for Lowes.

The colours also remain largely the same this year as last, with the white and red joined by the green that introduced at Misano last year. The deep blue of 2025 is replaced by black, though.

Although it does not have an all-new bike to develop this year, Bimota has still been hampered by the lack of dry running in preseason testing. Both the Jerez and Portimao tests were washed out by rain, leaving both Bassani and Lowes lap-less in the latter test where all running was done by test rider Xavi Fores.

The final test of the winter takes place on 16–17 February at Phillip Island, while the first round takes place at the same venue a few days later on 20–22 February. With both seats available for 2027, progress like that shown in 2025 by Bimota will make it an attractive option for top riders looking for a change of scene at the end of this year.