Racing test: Ten Kate Honda CBR 600 RR and Ten Kate Honda CBR 1000 RR
Will I be able to shift gears correctly with the transmission engaged? If I shake the bike of a world champion on the ground, what will the other journalists think of me, who are still waiting for their few laps in these two race cars?
Responsibility was a heavy burden that I could bear only by quietly withdrawing into myself and calming my thoughts. “You have already ridden a superbike race bike and also a 600cc Hondo CBR for supersport racing. It will work,” were feigned and comforting thoughts. "Sofa! Car showroom! The voice of the Honda representative interrupted my thoughts. 'Your turn. You will first go to Sebastian Charpentier's Ten Kate Hondo CBR 600 RR."
At that moment, the tremor has passed, now is the time to act. “Hey, this is the dream of every sports biker, take advantage of this opportunity,” were the last thoughts before I became the first Slovenian to make history on a world champion motorcycle in the Supersport 600 class. Yes, it was a historic moment, well at least measure for me.
When I got on the racing Honda, I was amazed at how comfortable I felt from the first moment. The seat is perfect for my height of 180 inches. Everything was in place, the clutch lever, the brakes, the gear lever. This undoubtedly broke the ice between me and the bike to the end. Starting through the pits was easy and very similar to a production bike. The only difference was the higher revs as the Ten Kate CBR600 idles at 2.500 rpm (standard at 1.300).
When I open the throttle, the racing sound of a folded-up 9.500 comes out of the Arrow's single exhaust. On the first corners of the track in Losail (Qatar), I of course drove through the tips and, above all, I tried to find the right gear, given the nature of the engine. This one is almost anemic up to 140rpm, putting out enough power to propel the bike, but what follows those revs in a tight range is pure poetry. The 250-cylinder, four-cylinder engine on the rear wheel spins with such ease and agility that it almost feels like a two-stroke. This is where Honda shows its wild value. Superb Pirelli racing tires in harmony with the full WP suspension (the bike runs a lot stiffer than stock without being too heavy), all the engine power is transferred to the pavement without any problems. The ease with which the little CBR obeys my commands is almost unbelievable. The reaction time of the motorcycle is almost half that of a production motorcycle. In other words: its lightness and handling are close to those of a XNUMXcc two-stroke GP race car.
I have never experienced such a speed with which he makes a turn. When fully tilted, it still offers perfect accuracy and reliability. Riding fast on this bike is much easier than on a standard bike, even though the engine has to run at much higher rpms. But the real surprise came only at the end of the first round. The target aircraft is very long here, a whole kilometer of single acceleration and hides behind aerodynamic armor. The HRC gearbox and the HRC engine electronics really come to the fore here. The engine spins like crazy and the gears spin like a bet, without the slightest effort or error. The only filigree precision.
Impressed with a day's testing of the production CBR 1000 RR Fireblade, I hit the brake pedal in the same place as on all previous laps. Wow, how it slows down! I slowed down to the speed I intended to enter the first corner, at least half the time! I had to accelerate a little more before turning, only then I leaned into the right turn. The dry weight of 162 kilograms, together with superb corrugated brake discs (310 mm front, 220 mm rear) and SBS carbon brake pads, provide incredible stopping power for the normal world. After four laps, while the invited journalists were able to test the car, crowned with the prestigious world title, a wide smile was hidden under the helmet. And not only because I returned the bike to the boxes safe and sound, but also because of the unforgettable experience, with what ease and precision you can ride a production bike with HRC racing kit and Ten Kate tuning. Last but not least, according to Ronaldo Ten Keith, anyone with € 62.000 can buy just such a motorcycle.
Ten Kate Honda CBR 1000 RR Superbike
How many horses does he have on the bike? 210! How many kilograms? 165! This is data that is literally breathtaking. If the experience with a 600cc supersport race car was enjoyable and I started to enjoy it on a motorcycle, so I wouldn't mind thinking about it during my sport days on the race track, a superbike racer is a whole different story. There is no kindness in him! This is a garage machine for well-trained riders with above-average keen senses.
The difference is obvious as soon as the liter engine starts to rumble, signaling with a sound that it is running out of power. The location on the bike is the only thing that makes it look like a 1. However, everything that happens from the moment the clutch is released can only be described with the word "crazy"! The motorcycle is more demanding, more difficult to handle, it needs a dedicated rider who is ready to work on it. Why such difference? Because the biggest problem on this bike is keeping the front wheel on the pavement. I didn't expect or experience anything like this (despite the fact that I already have experience with Camlek's Yamaha RXNUMX, which is not a greedy sheep at all).
What it looks like behind the wheel: Still leaning into the left turn, I released the furious horses with a slight increase in gas, but as the red lines on the tachometer approached the last third of the screen, something unusual happened to the bike. The front wheel has become lighter, and handling is strange. Yes, the engine accelerated over the rear wheel with such ease that I could only say words under the helmet that were not intended for this magazine. Okay, I slow down a bit and tell myself I'm just going to crank the engine all the way out on some longer plane. Coming out of the last corner before the finish line was a moment of truth. Now I can turn the engine without problems. But keeping the front wheel on the ground is "an impossible task." The Honda Vermuel accelerates in third, fourth and fifth gears and well over 200 kilometers per hour. The brakes are top notch, of course, with great feel and performance, but interestingly, after the feel, I would swear the Supersport 600 brakes harder.
The difference when I got off the superbike racing car in boxing was that I took a break here and from that moment I started to respect the racers even more. Do you know what James Toseland told me when I asked him how to keep the bike on the ground? Never release the throttle, apply the rear brake! Okay guys, I'm leaving this to you because you get paid to do it.
Ten Kate HONDA CBR 600 RR Supersport
engine: 4-stroke, four-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 599 cm3, 140 hp, adjustable el. fuel injection - HRC kit
Energy transfer: 6-speed HRC, chain, STM traction clutch
Suspension and frame: USD WP RCMA 4800 front adjustable fork, WP BAVP 4618 rear single adjustable shock, aluminum frame
Tires: front Pirelli 120/70 R17, rear Pirelli 190/50 R17
brakes: front 2 discs ø 310 mm (braking), rear disc diameter 220 mm (braking), SBS Dual carbon brake pads
Wheelbase: NP
Fuel tank: 19
Dry weight: 162 kg
Ten Kate HONDA CBR 1000 RR Superbike
engine: 4-stroke, four-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 998 cm3, 210 hp, adjustable el. fuel injection - HRC kit
Energy transfer: 6-speed HRC, chain, STM traction clutch
Suspension and frame: USD WP RCMA 4800 front adjustable fork, WP BAVP 4618 rear single adjustable shock, aluminum frame
Tires: front Pirelli 120/70 R17, rear Pirelli 190/50 R17
brakes: front 2 discs ø 310 mm (braking), rear disc diameter 220 mm (braking), SBS Dual carbon brake pads
Wheelbase: adaptable
Fuel tank: 20
Dry weight: 165 kg
text: Petr Kavchich
photo: Honda
