During the presentation of the new colors, the 2023 Ninja ZX-10R and ZX-10RR were presented as “carry-over” models last year, but Team Green appears to have given Jonathan Rea’s new tools a small update under the skin.
In terms of sales figures, the one-litre supersport manufacturers, which were still incredibly popular fifteen years ago, are no longer profitable at all – since the credit crisis, sales numbers have been decimated enormously – but of course they remain the showcases of what is technically possible and have an extremely important value as a homologation model to to race with.
For almost ten years, Kawasaki was the dominant factor in the Superbike World Championship, but was penalized with new rev regulations in 2019, since then the Kawasaki ZX-10RR has had the lowest maximum revs of all five brands.
Kawasaki thought two years ago with an update of the ZX-10RR launched in 2019 that it could raise the speed again to the level before the new regulations, but Dorna put the lid on the nose. According to Dorna, the modifications to the block were not innovative enough to be able to speak of a new engine block, so the old – much too low – maximum speed remained in force.
At the end of 2021, Rea already indicated that Kawasaki would have to make significant improvements to the ZX-10RR in order to fight for the title again, which Kawasaki also promised to do when the new contract was signed. There was already talk in the corridors of a completely new ZX-10RR for 2024, which would be used as a homologation model in the Superbike World Championship as early as 2023.
This turned out not to be the case during the winter tests at Jerez and Portimao in the past two weeks, but it has now been announced that Kawasaki has made a small adjustment to the 2023 ZX-10RR.
The big news is that the 2023 model has been equipped with a VAI (Variable Air Intake) system. The airbox-mounted VAI system uses sliding intake manifolds to adjust the length of the intake manifold.
When the air intake is lifted, the intake air is sucked in from below for optimum performance at high revs, while in a low position the longer intake cup provides optimum performance in the lower and midrange.
By the way, the VAI system is only reserved for race bikes, requiring the race kit ECU, wiring and sub-controller to activate the system, but it will undoubtedly help Rea in the hunt for an improvement in acceleration and top speed.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.