Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/456427
TOM SYKES' KAWASAKI ZX-10R RACER TEST P82 had the rear Pirelli moving around through that second-gear first turn after the pits. By then, though, I was back in screamer mode, because as soon as you've got the Kawasaki most of the way upright exiting a turn, the sec- ond pair of cylinders chimes smoothly back in, and now you're riding a four-cylinder bike again. Will bringing differential throttle mapping to the street–as must surely happen sooner rather than later–render traction control defunct? Once you learn that it pays to pull the Kawa- saki upright as soon as possible, to optimize the switch to screamer mode, this dual personality is addictively effective. The only caveat being that you mustn't be deluded into thinking you're riding a twin. Also don't get tempted into surf- ing the torque curve as you might aboard an old-style pre-Panigale Ducati, rather than rev the Kawasaki out in every gear as you must, because there is serious extra performance available the higher you spin the motor. Seven-thousand rpm is really the performance threshold. Above there the Kawasaki motor has unbelievably strong ac- celeration, albeit via a deceptively smooth and linear build of power from way low to way, way high. The wide-open race-pattern gearshift was easier to shift and less notchy than last year. Plus backing down through the gears with the aid of the fabulous auto-blipper means you need never touch the clutch lever again after leaving the pits. Riding this motorcycle, the ultimate traditional-style Japanese Superbike, is such a thrilling experience. Everything happens so, so fast in the way that Sykes ZX-10R explodes out of a turn, building speed so irresistibly up to its 15,200 rpm limiter, where by the way, there's still a fierce cutout. So it doesn't just peter out as is more usual with RBW throttles. Yet it was here that the Kawasaki's biggest handicap made itself felt last season, ac- cording to Tom Sykes. "The biggest difference against the Aprilia rid- ers 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," Sykes said. "The trouble for me was that I could make the connection. I'd have to wait and then try to compensate on the fat part of the tire. So this in itself is physically more demanding for me, and more demanding on the tire." I can truthfully say I noticed this riding the two bikes soon after each other. Even at my reduced pace, you can get harder on the throttle earlier on the Aprilia than on the Kawasaki. Though I must admit I thought this was partly because of the even more refined electronic mapping of the Ital- ian bike's ECU, rather than a mechanical traction issue as Tom seemed to suggest. I destroyed a soft compound Pirelli rear slick in just a handful of laps on the Aprilia at Mugello, but was told that this was because I was using too much throttle on the angle, not lifting it up to use the fat part of the tire sooner, as Sykes says he had to do with the Kawasaki. But it seems the Aprilia riders had the same issue, just that their setup made the tire last longer. Go figure! It seemed this time around as if the Kawasaki Sykes (left) and Duinker (right) have enjoyed a very successful relationship so far, with a world title and two runner- up finishes in three seasons.