Bimota KB399 Breaks Cover — Based On Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR

The name ‘Bimota’ will not be familiar to most of our readers in India. For reference, it’s an Italian brand that focuses on middleweight performance motorcycles by leveraging technologies from other well-known names like Kawasaki. Bimota has now unveiled its latest offering called KB399.

This bike is significant because it is based on the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR. This one follows the path of the larger Bimota KB998, which was developed specifically for the WorldSBK championship, where it effectively replaced the Kawasaki ZX-10RR while sharing its engine. While the foundation is definitely Japanese, Bimota has added its own touches to make it more Italian.

Bimota KB399: Styling

The KB399 features bespoke Bimota bodywork, complete with integrated winglets, billet upper and lower triple clamps, and a machined steering stem top cap. It is finished in the brand’s signature black, red, and white colour scheme, complemented by a red frame. It also receives a custom Akrapovic silencer as standard to better support the engine’s high-rpm output and soundtrack. 

For buyers seeking a more premium offering, there’s an Edizione Speciale (ES) variant that takes things further. It adds carbon fibre fairings, along with clip-on handlebars, billet brake and gear pedals, adjustable billet footpegs, and dedicated mounting stays. 

Bimota KB399: Hardware

As mentioned earlier, underneath it's very much a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR. It is built on the same steel trellis frame as the fully-faired Kawasaki. This chassis rests on a fully-adjustable 41 mm Showa SFF-BP front suspension that is paired with a Showa BFRC lite rear shock on the standard model and an Ohlins STX46 unit on the ES version for super sharp control. Braking is carried out by twin Brembo Stylema radial-mount monobloc front callipers.

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Bimota KB399: Powertrain

Powering the Bimota 399cc liquid-cooled, inline-four cylinder engine is a 399 cc liquid-cooled, inline-four engine that produces close to 79 bhp. Electronics aiding performance are three-mode traction control, selectable power modes, integrated riding modes and a quickshifter fitted as standard. 

Right now, there’s no sign of Bimota entering the Indian market but its donor model — Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR — was on sale in India until recently. Its last price recorded was ₹ 10,06,676 (ex-showroom).