KAWASAKI RACING TEAM ZX-10R
RACE TEST
P100
"The biggest difference between this
and last year was the engine character—
the bike required you to ride a different
way," said World Champion Rea. "So I
had to quite quickly change my riding
style to get the best out of the bike. With
grip, the bike was incredible. As soon as
the grip started to go our tire consump-
tion wasn't the best, compared to last year."
Rea's chameleon riding style was thus the key
to unlocking the extra speed required
from the new machine in order to clinch
the second title, in a season that saw nine
wins and 23 podiums notched next to his
name.
"The top riders, they are able to change
a little bit their riding style depending on
the character of the bike," says Rea's
Spanish Crew Chief, Pere Riba, himself a former
WorldSSP winner and WorldSBK rider. "Johnny
"The past two years have been incredible. I joined firstly an incredible
manufacturer, but more importantly I joined an incredible group of guys. The
bond in my team with all my crew and my crew chief, electronic engineers, and
all the mechanics, and that relationship with the factory as well was really
good from day one. Sometimes you have to pinch yourself because it's been so
good you're kind of living inside that bubble right now. But I can tell you there
were some really tough times."
– Jonathan Rea—2015, 2016 WorldSBK Champion
The champion,
stripped. Factory
Akrapovic titanium
exhaust takes
center stage,
covering up that
massive swingarm.
