Like it or not, Kawasaki is an exception in the world of motorcycle speed. An environment made up of two flagship disciplines: MotoGP and Superbike. Two starting grids which however have the same promoter: Dorna. In idea, the Grands Prix are the top of the pyramid. As for the world championship, if we don't quite speak of a second division with regard to it, many think so, and the manufacturers involved see it first of all as an opportunity to show off their sports machine available in dealerships. But there is a manufacturer who considers this WSBK as the obverse and the reverse of everything. This is Kawasaki, which has made this paddock its private preserve, superbly ignoring the Grands Prix.
In fact, with its Ninja ZX-10R, Kawasaki can boast of toughening up its direct competitors on the market. Most of whose resources are mobilized in MotoGP. A discipline that the Greens officially left in 2009, citing the economic crisis. 2010 was the last representation of an Akashi machine in Grand Prix, under the Hayate label, with Melandri above.
All the power of Kawasaki Heavy Industrie was focused on the Superbike. Since 2012, no manufacturer has ever had such success there. The title was won in 2013 with Tom Sykes and the last three campaigns have been crushed by Jonathan Rhea. So why look elsewhere?
A situation that makes rival brands cringe and, in 2018, the technical regulations in Superbike changed, penalizing Kawasaki in particular. Among the Greens, we agree to toast without ever changing our minds on sports policy: “ I don't agree with these new rules, but I accept them » commented the leader of the ZX-10R project Yoshimoto Matsuda. “ But we want to continue in Superbike and if these rules are a handicap for Kawasaki, then we have a new challenge to take on. They want to slow us down and if we win anyway, it will be a demonstration of our merit. ».
What if these changes were in fact a message to Kawasaki to get involved in MotoGP? “ Maybe it's possible » concedes Matsuda who, however, slams the door: “ But MotoGP is not the right path for us. You have to ask yourself what MotoGP asks of you and gives you, what kind of technology you need. If we add all of this up, MotoGP does not enter into our selection criteria ».
The Superbike season begins on February 25 at Phillip Island.
