Has Kawasaki Bought Italian Manufacturer Bimota?

News agencies across Europe seem to think that Kawasaki Heavy Industries has bought the defunct Italian brand Bimota and its intellectual property. So, who or what is Bimota and what does any of this mean for the motorcycle industry? Let’s dive in and take a look.

Bimota is a small Italian manufacturer set up in 1973, co-founded by Massimo Tamburini, the man behind numerous Cagiva, Ducati and MV Agusta designs. The brand has a storied and troubled past, with a pattern of financial difficulties, bankruptcy and rebirth. The company most recently changed hands in 2013 when it was bought by two Swiss investors.

However, it has not produced any motorcycles for a few years now. The only recent activity has been a few motorcycles assembled in Switzerland from leftover inventory parts, and for all intents and purposes, Bimota is now defunct. Its website was last updated in 2015 — the same year that it last attended EICMA.

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So why is Kawasaki interested in buying this brand? Well, this has to do with the European motorcycle market and Kawasaki’s performance in the said market. European buyers are flocking towards large-capacity motorcycles with heaps of electronic features, and are also displaying a preference for European manufacturers. Kawasaki has struggled to compete here, failing to instil a premium perception amongst European buyers.

The Japanese manufacturer could give Bimota a new lease of life, using its resources to help restart production of low-volume, high-margin motorcycles for the Italian brand, and recover some market share in Europe. A more likely scenario, however, is that this is a defensive business decision by Kawasaki, to prevent other manufacturers from buying rights to the Bimota brand and resuming production.

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Another aspect is the technology and intellectual property. Bimota has always been an innovative brand, avant-garde by nature and excellent at designing chassis. Their most distinctive creation was the Tesi 3D, which featured hub-centered steering — a piece of technology that is non-existent in mainstream motorcycling. Perhaps, Kawasaki could be looking to get its hands on some of Bimota’s chassis-building expertise.

We have no official confirmation from either of the parties involved, but an official press conference is expected soon, after which Kawasaki’s plans should become clearer. Stay tuned for updates.