ZX-10R. Worth the weight?

The whisper on pit lane is that 2011 will be a good year for the green K.

Our moles within the racing circles tell us that apart from more power and less weight (always handy), the new ZX-10R's main advantage is not these two factors but rather its improved weight distribution, weight transference qualities and grip levels.

Studying Tom Syke's lap time data from Kawasaki's public test sessions it seems it's much easier for him to maintain consistent fast lap times back-to-back over the whole range of tyre degradation and fuel load changes. This would suggest that the alterations to weight distribution and the fitment of a super-long swingarm appear to work. Where Sykes was having to ride out of his skin to achieve race-pace lap times on the 2010 bike, the 2011 version appears to reward similar inputs with not just one or two good lap times but dozens, back-to-back.

If the Kawasaki PR machine is to be believed, Sykes conducted his tests at Autopolis using the standard engine fitted with a free flowing race pipe. The public tests at Aragon where Sykes set the third fastest time of 1:58.6 on the final day were, we are told, set on race rubber not qualifying tyres. His time was just half a second slower than pace setter Max Biaggi.

Whilst it's hard to identify exactly what changes have been made to Sykes' race bike by his Paul Bird Motorsport team, one thing is clear. The changes they've been asking for have obviously been made to address the issues that held the existing model back.

Check back in for Ben Cope's Qatar track test of the new ZX-10 later on today.

By mark forsyth