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Every manufacturer in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship will be looking for upgrades to make the best possible bike and rider package, and Kawasaki are no exception to this as they look to re-gain the Manufacturers’ Championship and Riders’ Championship they last won in 2020. Part of this process for the Japanese manufacturer has been to bring a new upgraded engine with the aim of improving acceleration out of corners.

THE PROCESS: how bringing an updated engine spec works

The new upgrades that Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and teammate Alex Lowes will fight for victory on includes a “Variable Air Intake” system which uses a series of movable intake funnels to modify the height of them designed to improve performance at different rpm levels. At a higher rpm level, the intake funnels are raised, and intake air is bypassed from the system while, when in their lowest positions, the plan is to improve low- and-mid range performance. In order to maximise performance at all speeds, the movement of the funnels is monitored and regulated by servos.

Discussing the process of bringing the upgrade, Team Principal at Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK, Guim Roda, said: “Because the rules of the Championship don’t allow certain steps on the race bikes, manufacturers need to work on the mass production bikes to make upgrades needed to perform better on track. Kawasaki used the base bike, introduced certain changes on this bike, made an updated engine specification and, with this, can run it in the Championship.

“Our bike is quite good on the chassis side. We need to improve a little bit with the engine side. Not because the engine itself can’t perform better, but according to the rules in the Championship, our mass production bike is a very gentle bike with very good feeling on the road. Sometimes, to use in races, we need some tuning on the engine. We know quite well what we have to do to make this upgrade on the engine but, according to the rules, we cannot so we need to work more on the mass production.”

THE RESULT ON TRACK: what will the difference be?

Roda was also on hand to explain why the Japanese manufacturer have decided to make the changes to the ZX-10RR machine as well as how it will benefit riders Rea and Lowes throughout 2023 as they look to take back the titles they last won in 2020. Rea won six races in 2022, his lowest since joining Kawasaki in 2015 when he won nine, while Lowes scored four podiums; down on his tally in 2021 and matching his total in 2020 in his first season with Kawasaki.

Explaining what the changes will be, Roda said: “We don’t know exactly how much we’re going to gain with that because, in the end, it’s something we need to put it on track and understand how to take the benefit. But I think we’re going to get a smoother controlled bike with an easier engine to escape from the corners with a bit more acceleration. Let’s see if this can give us a small advantage compared to last year and especially a combination of a powerful Ducati with the weight of Bautista makes it complicated to win the two or three tenths, he takes on the straight only. We need to minimise this difference in all the other corners so let’s see if we can do that. At the same time, stay at the same level of acceleration that Yamaha and Toprak have. Top speed is a consequence of aerodynamics and acceleration out of the corner as well. It’s not only power. Let’s see if we can minimise this difference this year.”

THE GOLDEN ERA CONTINUES: who will come out on top in 2023? Watch it unfold using the WorldSBK VideoPass!