Most of you are aware that our current racetrack tool is a Kawasaki ZX-10R. You guys are also aware that our racetrack ‘Kwacker’ is powered by Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE, the engine oil that powers some of the fastest motorcycles in the world as we saw during the BharatGP. Talking about that, witnessing the pinnacle of racing and trying to capture the fastest rider in the world through our lens changed something. It lit a fire under us to hit the racetrack again and this time, with the express purpose of being quicker. Here’s how it unfolded.
We have been to the Buddh International Circuit quite a few times and yet, it felt surreal. Riding on the same piece of tarmac where the fastest motorcycles were ridden by the fastest riders; it was bound to be. Our ZX-10R has had the taste of this tarmac a fair few times but we decided to make some changes to it. We were shooting for some hot laps so it was necessary. We will detail the changes but first, a bit about our litre-class contender.
When we were out looking for a motorcycle for the racetrack, we had quite a few options. Some truly phenomenal machines have made it to our shores. Some of them are a tad too expensive and some have just lost the sheen. The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R seemed perfect as it balanced the two. It won’t break the bank and yet, you can rest assured that you have got a motorcycle that has been doing well, to say the least, in WSBK. With our time on the racetrack curated by Apex Racing Academy and our motorcycle powered by Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE, we well and truly went for it out on the track!
“Tested on roads, racetracks, and deserts of sand and snow, we rely on Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE to take care of our motorcycles and our Kawasaki ZX-10R is no different. Powered by Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE 10W40, our motorcycle felt quicker and more responsive and retained these attributes lap after lap. Moreover, because our ZX-10R was under the protection of Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE’s Full-Synthetic 5-in-1 Formula, we knew that we could keep pushing it harder and harder every session.”
What makes the ZX-10R so great is its modularity. More than being a winner right out of the showroom, it is a platform. A platform that can be developed and tuned by the rider to make it fit their riding style. That is why we love our ‘Kwacker’ so much. After all, the perfect motorcycle that is not in sync with the perfect rider, one cannot expect much. The communication between the rider and the motorcycle is important and that is where the ZX-10R excels.
Talking about the changes we made, we decided to do everyhing gradually. We did not want to alter the dynamics too much in one go so the first thing we did was to change the exhaust. Our ZX-10R already has titanium headers so going for the full system seemed like too big a change for now. That is why we stuck with the mid-pipe and end can from Arrow.
“With different levels from beginner to expert and everything else you need to go racing, Apex Racing Academy is the place for you if you ever find the racetrack calling!”
The result was a modest gain in power but a considerable loss of weight. Another thing that we changed was the air filter. We went with the one from BMC and with that, the delivery has smoothened out quite a bit as our ZX-10R can breathe more freely. These two have had an impact on the sound as well, of course. How much? To put it mildly, we cannot fire her up in the MotoVilla anymore!
On the racetrack, we warmed her up and knowing that there was going to be some dew on the racetrack early in the morning, we took it a little easy. Then, as the temperatures rose and we got better used to the slightly altered layout and power delivery, we decided to wring it to hell and back. Overall, our motorcycle felt faster but it also made us realize how important fitness is for a rider who frequents a racetrack. We hit our limits before the motorcycle did and with improved fitness, we believe that there are a few more seconds that we can shave off of our lap times.
Nonetheless, we had a great time on the Buddh International Circuit and we cannot forget to thank Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE 10W40 for that. Engine oil is often overlooked but it is one of the most important components in ensuring not only optimum performance but protection of the engine as well. Few things can excite one more than unleashing over 200 horses propelling a machine with a sub-200 kg weight (almost). And with the Full Synthetic 5-in-1 Formula of Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE backing us, we did just that… and with confidence.
During this stint, we had 12 sessions of 20 minutes each. That is a lot of time spent in the very top of the rev range which translates to the engine working its pistons off! Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE 10W40 handled every second of that with aplomb and we can say that our ZX-10R never felt better on the racetrack. It helps the engine run smoother and cooler which not only aids performance but mitigates the wear and tear as well. Moreover, the performance remains consistent throughout fortifying the enduring performance aspect of Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE.
“After our Mini Cooper S, we gave our Kawasaki ZX-10R the BMC treatment as well and once it started to breathe freely with the BMC Air Filter, it taught us exactly why we call superbikes ‘fire-breathers’!”
Overall, we can say that we have just started playing around with our ZX- 10R. There’s much more to do and much more to come. Race fairings, full-system exhaust with an ECU remap and also, some sessions with slicks on! And while we get fitter to better our lap times, we can rely on Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE 10W40 to ensure that our ‘Kwacker’ is ready for all the upcoming challenges that we are going to throw at it!
