The JG Speedfit Kawasaki team have completed their final day on track at Jerez with both James Ellison and Macau GP race winner Peter Hickman reporting a positive start to their pre-season testing campaign.

Ellison continued to up the pace on the second day at Jerez, completing a race simulation and setting an impressive pace on the new 2016 ZX10R despite still running a standard engine. Ellison left feeling impressed with their initial tests on the new Kawasaki and he was joined on the second day by team-mate Peter Hickman.

Fresh from his victory at the Macau Grand Prix last weekend, Louth-based Hickman was instantly on the move, improving his pace throughout the day and was delighted with his initial impressions of the JG Speedfit Kawasaki.



Ellison said:

"It was another productive day again today. Yesterday we hit a 1m:42.3s as a best lap and today we have been doing them consistently with a best time of 1m:41.9s which would have been fifth fastest lap in race one of WSBK this year. For a standard engine with no traction control or anti-wheelie it shows the huge potential of Kawasaki's new 2016 ZX10R. We did 85 laps today and a race simulation so it has been a very successful test for us. I am excited to get back out again on track but before that I'm looking forward to meeting some race fans at Motorcycle Live at the NEC this coming weekend and the following weekend before flying back to Texas to see my wife and son."

Hickman said:

"It has been great, I had a mint day! I felt a lot more comfortable on the bike today but there's still a long way to go. I am happy enough with my pace though. I have ridden at Jerez before but only instructing so it's different to try and go fast. I've ended up 1.1 seconds slower than what James did yesterday on his first day, so considering he's ridden a Kawasaki for two years and I've just flown in from Macau, I'm happy with that!"

JG SPEEDFIT KAWASAKI COMPLETE SUCCESSFUL OPENING WINTER TESTS!

JG Speedfit Kawasaki riders James Ellison and Peter Hickman have successfully completed their opening winter tests aboard the all-new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R Superbike. Despite using a completely stock motor, both riders set impressive times that were comparative to their KRT World Superbike counterparts.  

With the GBmoto Racing prepared JG Speedfit Kawasaki squad only receiving the brand new ZX-10R shortly before they joined the official Kawasaki Racing Team at a two day test at Aragon, they worked hard to bring a strong hybrid of the 2016 machine both James Ellison and Peter Hickman will use.

With weather shortening the opening day of action at Aragon, the team were still able to work through the standard initial set-up issues, before focusing on chassis settings and adapting to the new factory Showa suspension units. Moving to Jerez a week later, where they were joined by a host of World Superbike teams, both riders found a comfortable set-up with the new chassis and suspension before working on testing different swingarms alongside looking at different braking alternatives. Despite using a stock engine and no traction control or anti-wheelie, both James and Peter impressed with their outright speed.

With valuable data, the team now return to the UK where they will complete the full Superbike build ahead of the next set of pre-season winter tests at the end of January. Both riders will be in attendance at various times throughout Motorcycle Live this coming week.

Excited by the potential of the all-new ZX-10R, James Ellison said,

Hickman gets his first taste of the JG Speedfit Kawasaki

“Considering I only got half a day on the bike at Aragon and then a day at Jerez, I’m really pleased with the feeling I’ve got with the bike. I’d never been to Aragon before, so with a new track as well as an all-new machine it was big learning curve! Although I’ve only ever instructed there, and have never tried to go fast, I was a lot more comfortable at Jerez. We were on the stock engine, so were working through various chassis and suspension set ups but my first impressions are really positive.

We never tried to go for a flying lap, so to get the time we did is really encouraging – particularly after being a little jetlagged with all the travelling! The team now know the direction they want to go in and I can’t wait to get back out on the bike in January.”

GBmoto Racing Team Manager Mike Kane added,

“It’s certainly been a whirlwind few weeks for the team, but after getting the all-new ZX-10R’s the guys in the workshop worked incredibly hard to create a hybrid of the 2016 Superbike, with Showa suspension, Superbike Triple Clamps, race wheels and brakes, an Akrapovič exhaust and Superbike swingarm, alongside the 2015 Motec system. I’m really pleased with how both tests went and after working through the normal set-up issues, we focused on finding a chassis and suspension setting that both riders were really positive about. We were also able to try various swingarms and braking alternatives, completing our entire testing schedule. 

Both James and Peter were impressive with good speed in short timescales; neither tried for a flying lap but were within touching distance of full World Superbike spec machines. They also gave fantastic feedback which has left us with a clear direction for the full Superbike build, which we’ll now complete ahead of our next scheduled tests at the end of January. It’s clear that Kawasaki has taken a big step forward with this bike and we are confident it will be a winner!”