there's a wider spread of strong power
than there was before, with more on tap
down low, it's only at the expense of a
jerky throttle response and vivid power
delivery which takes some getting used
to, 'and delivers real problems of rearwheel grip.
Still, the engine also revs out a little
more, with the limiter cutting in 200·
rpm higher than before, at 14,700 revs,
and there's a little more top-end power
as a result, too, just easing through the
170 bhp barrier - though the 15,000 rpm
version presented for preseason Phillip
Island testing, which started to make
proper use at last of the short-stroke
engine configuration, had to be reined
in a little, for reliability reasons.
But though Kawasaki concentrated
on improving acceleration for '98, the
fact is that the Honda still allows you to
get hard on the gas five yards earlier
exiting a turn than the green bikes can,
and it's perhaps that rather than outright power which gives the RC45 its
crucial edge in acceleration - that, and
the fact that the Honda's extractable
gearbox allows them to dial in ideal
ratios for each circuit, and thus'maximize acceleration: a GP-derived luxury
that the Kawasaki doesn't have. The GPpattern speed-shifter on Akira's bike is
positive and precise, by the way, though
slightly notchy - and there's no chance
you'll miss the change-up point, thanks
to the junior searchlight mounted on the
dash that flashes in your face each time
the tacho needle hits the 13,800-rev
mark. It's an effective wake-up call, just
in case your attention was diverted to
trying to persuade 'the back tire to stay
in line...
"I have to say we were very surprised with the biJ
