No electric bikes for Bimota: Kawasaki-backed firm sticking with high-performance petrol models

Despite Bimota’s engine and technology supplier, Kawasaki, diversifying into alternative fuels with both electric and hybrid solutions, the boutique Italian brand remains committed to combustion engines only.

“For electric, my point of view is only inside 20kW and nothing more (around 26bhp),” company COO  Pierluigi Marconi told MCN. “But Bimota cannot make a 20kW motorcycle because it’s not our aim. We are high performance bikes.”

Kawasaki own a 49.9% stake in Bimota. The Japanese powerhouse now produce a range of A1 class electric models, plus a pair of hybrids featuring an electric motor and 451cc parallel twin engine.

“Until now we don’t make any electric vehicles,” Marconi continued. “For the future, we will see if the technology becomes different. For now, if electric makes high power it needs to have high voltage. High voltage is very dangerous.”

Alongside battery power, MCN also quizzed Marconi on whether they would produce a superbike using Kawasaki’s 210.3bhp (with ram air) four cylinder ZX-10R engine.

“When we use the ZX-10R, it will be because we are going to race,” he continued. “For sure, for Bimota it’s important for us to race, but we need to make step by step. 

“We needed to make a network because if you race, you can sell a motorcycle, but you don’t have the network for what you make. So, this is why we need to build up the network. When the network is finished, also we will arrange something.”