Exotic enduro: Boutique brand Bimota shock crowds with surprise BX450 single at Eicma show

Italian exotica brand Bimota have shocked crowds at the Eicma trade show in Milan with a new BX450 enduro model, based on the Kawasaki KX450X.

Made possible by the Japanese brand owning a 49.9% stake in the Rimini business, the BX will join the range for 2023 alongside the Ninja 1000SX-powered KB4 and KB4 RC – plus the Tesi H2 hyperbike, complete with the supercharged four-cylinder engine from the Ninja H2.

With production said to have already started, the white, red, and green off-roader is based heavily on the £8499 Kawasaki and features a 449cc DOHC liquid-cooled, single cylinder four-stroke motor.

This then sits within the same aluminium perimeter frame as the Kawasaki, with an electronic engine management system, complete with multiple maps and traction control, on hand to keep the 110.2kg machine in check.

Alongside new colours, the BX distinguishes itself from the Kawasaki with a front headlight and handguards. The fuel tank has also grown to 10.7-litres from 6.2-litres.

Power is fed to the ground via a five-speed constant mesh gearbox, with an electric start on hand for easy restarts on the tiresome trails.

The 49mm upside down forks and mono shock also appear to have been lifted from Kawasaki, sharing the same 305mm and 307mm front and rear travel, too.

Providing grip are a set of Metzeler Six Days tyres, with 335mm a ground clearance on hand to make tackling the ruts that bit easier.

Finally, unlocking a little extra aggression from the single-cylinder motor is a special Arrow exhaust can, complete with a carbon cap and Bimota engraving.

Exactly when we will see the bike remains to be seen though, with the fully faired KB4 only arriving in the UK in late September 2022, despite being revealed at the 2021 Eicma show. The naked KB4 RC also appeared last year and is yet to hit UK shores.