Polimi Motorcycle Factory: from the workshop to the MotoStudent 2025 podium

Two years of relentless work. Hundreds of hours spent in laboratories, CAD design rooms, and on test benches. Countless nights in the workshop, driven by a shared dream: to build a motorcycle that would make its mark.

In October, that dream came to life on the asphalt of MotorLand Aragón (Spain), where the Polimi Motorcycle Factory (PMF) wrote one of the most important chapters in its history.

At the 8th edition of MotoStudent - the world’s largest university competition dedicated to motorcycle innovation - the Politecnico di Milano team claimed the award for Best Project (MS1) and finished third overall in the Electric category, confirming its place among the global elite of academic motorsport.

Held every two years, MotoStudent brings together more than 70 universities from around the world, challenging students to design, build, and race a real competition prototype.

It’s a test of engineering skill, creativity, and teamwork, mirroring the real-world dynamics of the motorcycle industry.

The competition is divided into two stages: MS1, focused on design, innovation, and technical documentation; and MS2, the on-track phase featuring dynamic tests and the final race.

The 2025 edition proved to be one of the most competitive ever.

Two Italian teams - from Bologna and Milan - fought for the podium alongside the University of Málaga in a thrilling finale: out of 1,100 total points, only 30 separated the top three.

Once again, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna and the Politecnico di Milano proudly represented Italy at the highest level of university motorsport.

Thanks to Bambara, the fully electric prototype designed and built in the Politecnico di Milano’s laboratories, ready to set the track on fire.

Weighing just 119 kilograms, the bike amazed the paddock with record-breaking performance: a top speed of 230.3 km/h, the highest ever recorded in MotoStudent history, and a stunning acceleration run - 180.9 km/h over just 150 meters, a full 27 km/h faster than the second-best competitor.

Yet beyond the numbers and the trophies, MotoStudent represents something deeper.

PMF’s result embodies the true spirit of the competition - a perfect blend of engineering precision, innovation, and passion.

Every component of Bambara tells the story of a team that treated a university project as a professional racing program: from the design of a custom powertrain to the optimization of aerodynamics and the fine-tuning of energy management.

When the engines finally went silent at Aragón, one message was clear: Italy has reaffirmed its role as a leader in academic motorcycle innovation.

Italian universities aren’t just building race bikes - they are developing real technologies that can shape the future of mobility.

The coexistence of high-level efuel and electric prototypes showcases an educational excellence that combines sustainability, experimentation, and immediate industrial impact.

For Polimi Motorcycle Factory, MotoStudent 2025 wasn’t just the end of a competition - it was the confirmation of a vision: when education, passion, and technology come together, even a racetrack can become a true classroom of innovation.

Italian universities aren’t just building race bikes — they are developing real technologies that can shape the future of mobility.

The coexistence of high-level efuel and electric prototypes showcases an educational excellence that combines sustainability, experimentation, and immediate industrial impact.

For Polimi Motorcycle Factory, MotoStudent 2025 wasn’t just the end of a competition — it was the confirmation of a vision: when education, passion, and technology come together, even a racetrack can become a true classroom of innovation.