VOL. 52 ISSUE 5 FEBRUARY 3, 2015 P83
motor had even more torque than
a year ago, with power wheelies
in the bottom four gears even
more of an issue at Aragon. For
example, when accelerating out
on to the main straight where it
was really important to learn to
press the handlebar-mounted rear
brake lever with your left thumb to
keep the front wheel more or less
in contact with the ground.
It was at the other end of a
straight stretch of track that the
green bike especially excelled—
under braking. It stops so well that
even in my handful of laps I found
the confidence to start exploring
braking markers. Plus it didn't want
to understeer straight on under
heavy braking as the 2012 ZX-10R
had insisted on doing.
"Yes, it's true, the Kawasaki is
very effective slowing for a bend,
and I've worked on trying to utilize
that advantage myself to become
really strong in straight-line brak-
ing, and trail braking," said Sykes.
"We were able to take advantage
of that last season, but by sacrific-
ing performance in other areas,
especially exiting the corner."
There's a balanced feel to the
way the Kawasaki is set up, with-
out excessive rear ride height. So
not too much of your body weight
is on your arms and shoulders,
which might ultimately prove tiring.
And once again I didn't alter any
of the electronic settings on the
bike, just rode it as Sykes does.
Which was surely the right thing
to do since he says he hardly ever
alters any settings while riding the
bike. The pad on the left clipon
carries the adjuster buttons, with
the top red button being plus and
the bottom blue minus, with the
white button between them allow-
ing you to switch between the two
different engine maps carried on
"THE BIGGEST
DIFFERENCE AGAINST
THE APRILIA RIDERS
WAS THEY WERE
ABLE TO MAKE
THE CONNECTION
BETWEEN THE
THROTTLE HAND
AND REAR TIRE GRIP
VERY EARLY EXITING
A BEND, AND COULD
PICK UP QUITE A BIT OF
SPEED BEFORE LIFTING
THE BIKE UPRIGHT TO
EXIT THE TURN."
– TOM SYKES
The last of a true
fire-breathing
monster. Come
2016 the rules will
be a little different.
