A second off-season test of the World SBK Superbike will soon take place for the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team (BbKRT) and the official Ninja ZX-10RR in Jerez, Spain, between November 26 and 27.
After a first public appearance of the new bimota just two days after the end of the 2024 WorldSBK season, the full team returns to Andalusia to take part in a two-day test alongside some of its main 2025 WorldSBK rivals.
The pilot duo alex lowes et Axel Bassani are both eager to get back on track with their new machine, to ensure the exciting BbKRT project gets off to the best possible start when the new season kicks off in Australia at the end of February.
Fast, encouraging times and positive reactions from the riders were the main takeaways from the Jerez post-season test and everyone in the BbKRT project will be working hard to ensure the next test ends in the same positive vein.
After this November test session, the bimota by Kawasaki Racing team will take a break until 2025. Two European tests will take place in January before the machines and equipment are transported to Australia.
alex lowes said : “I’m looking forward to getting back to work on our new project. Of course, the most important thing we need now is to spend time on the bike, so I hope we have two dry days to get a lot of information. The first sensations with the bike have been very positive and I’m looking forward to continuing to explore our potential. There are also a few riding points I want to work on to be as ready as possible for the 2025 season, and this Jerez test is the perfect time to do that.”
Axel Bassani, said : “The last test of 2024 is really important because we will have to understand what direction we have to take during the winter break, and understand in which areas we have to improve the bike. So I think it will be two very important days in Jerez. It is not important to go for a fast lap, because for me it is more important to understand what we have to do during the winter break. We have to be very focused. For sure the first test was good in October, and my feelings with the bike were also good, so I hope to find those feelings again.”
Guim Roda, BbKRT Team Director, said: “Since the last test in October, after the last round of the season, we have been working hard to update some parts of the bike, and above all to build the necessary parts and complete bikes to make a good test possible. Now each rider has two bikes in the garage, which allows us to work and quickly compare the different settings to better understand the bike. We started with a promising test session last time in Jerez and now we have to continue working hard. At the EICMA show in Milan, the bimota KB998 Rimini road bike model was unveiled and many people were excited about this bike. Now we have to make it perform on the racetrack.”
The BbKRT team will be accompanied by the official Ninja ZX-10RR of Garrett gerloff (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) for his second test on the machine with which he will compete in the 2025 FIM Superbike World Championship.
Garrett gerloff, who recently signed a contract with his newly-official Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team, will be hoping to continue the good work he and his team did in their first test together, when he was the fourth fastest rider in October testing at Jerez, with a time of 1'39.229 on day two.
Lap times will not be the main focus of the November test, as it is the American's last chance to ride the ZX-10RR before the start of the long winter break.
Garrett gerloff said : “I am really happy to be back in Jerez for another test on the Ninja ZX-10RR. In the last test I felt really good on the bike straight away. I also felt that the pace wasn’t too bad, even though it was my first time riding the bike. I am looking forward to seeing what is possible in this test and I know I will find other elements that will help us find a good path before the Christmas break. I can’t wait to get to Jerez and see the whole team again.”
Manuel Puccetti, Team Principal, said: “These two days of testing in Jerez are the logical continuation of those we carried out at the end of October, also at the Andalusian circuit. The next tests will be important because they will allow Garrett to adapt even better to our 10 Ninja ZX-2025RR and will give our technicians the opportunity to start working on its performance potential. The bike will wear the 2025 livery, as will the rider's clothing. We have identified some aspects of the bike's set-up that we want to work on and we are looking forward to getting back on track to prepare for next season.”
