B-Boz says 'arrivederci' and heads stateside.

Ben Bostrom will move back to America in the next few days after three years racing in Europe for Ducati - and has been saying his "emotional" goodbyes' to the team and his fans before heading stateside.

"The (Imola) weekend was just great all over - except for the racing, it just worked out terrible and wasn't the way I wanted to say goodbye to all the European fans I'm lucky enough to have behind me," wrote Bostrom on his official website. "But I know that I'll be seeing them all again and I know that I can do better than this.

"You know that life is changing for B-Boz," he added. "I'm moving on and leaving this wonderful Italian family to visit pastures new. I'm (in Italy) to see all the guys in the factory, to look them in the eye, shake their hand and tell them from the bottom of my heart just how much I've appreciated everything they've done for me. You've all kinda heard how there's just too many people to thank, but it's true.

"It's been an emotional three years for me and in Italian they'd say, 'Arrivederci' which sort of means, bye for now, see you soon," concluded the ever-popular American.

Bostrom returns to the AMA Superbike championship next season where he'll race a Honda against, among others, his younger brother Eric in what could be a battle of the Bostrom's - but many motorcycle fans worldwide will hope BB regains his world beating form and makes a swift comeback to the elite championships.