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/776700
VOL. 54 ISSUE 3 JANUARY 24, 2017 P103 comes as a surprise. Under heavy braking the factory Brembos have exceptional feel and power and the ZX-10R's front end loads up effortlessly and gets the job of turning done with minimal fuss, and is a testament to just how good the factory Showa front end is on Rea's racer. The suspension has such a quality feel and is so, so far in front of what you or I can get on a standard ZX-10R that the two are incomparable. The second standout point for me is, you guessed it, that engine. I've no doubt this is the fastest racebike I've ever ridden, and I'd be shocked if this thing had any less than 220-230 hp at the rear wheel (the team won't say what it's got, unsurprisingly). The power comes in so smoothly when cornering thanks to the split throttle bodies, the Kawasaki burbling on its side like the traction control is operating at its maximum, but forward drive is utterly uninhibited. The engine almost feels like something I could easily ride to the shops on, not a world title winning factory motor, until you give it anything more than about 20 percent throttle. Then, hold on. Down the back straight, I let it rip on the factory ZX- 10R. The anti-wheelie kicks in and floats the front end, and it's game on. My. God. This thing is so, so fast. Any notions of the bike being one for amateurs is quickly dashed as my peripheral vision liquefies in a howl of factory four-cylinder super- bike engine at full tilt. It is one of the most glori- ous sounds I've ever heard in motorcycling. The electronics work so fluidly that it's hard to notice they are there at all. I can't tell you or not if I got the traction control work- ing because I must admit to riding conservatively due to the fact I really had no idea where I was going, having only done four previous laps of Motorland Aragon on a ZX-10RR. That's got nothing to do with the bike. It throws waves of confidence-inspir- ing feel at the rider – I wish I rode the bike at somewhere like Valencia as I know my way around there much better and would be more comfortable in really pushing it, but, hey, beggars can't be choosers! The anti-wheelie is impressive, and allows the bike to hover the front end just enough that the rear tire loads up fully and drive it as explosively as possible. The whole experience of riding the WorldSBK Champion's machine is all-consuming, and over all too early. Four laps are done, and I'm back in pit lane. I rode this bike at nowhere near what Rea's pace is. And any tester who was there that day who claims to have done so is a liar. Riding the champ's bike gave me an insight into a world I wish I had the skills to fully exploit, but was unable to do for two reasons. One, if I crashed I'd be found in a Spanish torture chamber somewhere and two, I'm not of Mr. Rea's skill. But it also gave me, and you, a look into a group of individuals operating at the top of their game, and re- ally impressed upon me the team aspect of motorcycle racing. What an experience. (Clockwise from top left) Rea's mechanic Oriol Pallarès has a slightly concerned look on his face, knowing he's about to entrust his baby to Rennie! Handling is spot on, as you'd expect from such a bike. Rennie and Rea have a chat. The latter was rather pleased the former bought his bike back in one piece!