Kawasaki presents a whole new range of ‘Special Edition’ versions of its 2012 line up. The models that received this ‘Special Edition’ treatment are the Versys 1000 Grand Tourer, City and Tourer, the VN1700 and VN900 Light Tourer, Ninja ZX-6R Performance, W800 SE, 1400 GTR Grand Tourer, Z1000SX Tourer, Z750R Black Edition and Z1000 Black Edition. At the moment, all we know about this new series is what we can make out of the pictures released by the Japanese manufacturer, but no information about technical details or pricing is currently available.

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Kawasaki has announced that their rider line-up will not change in 2012, thus confirming Tom Sykes and Joan Lascorz for the upcoming World Superbike championship.

While Lascorz was anticipated to remain with the Superbike team after Kawasaki decided to get more actively involved in the championship and decided to assign the factory effort to Spanish Provec Motocard.com run by Guim Roda and drop Paul Bird, so the British rider’s future was slightly less certain, but the negotiations now have confirmed a much rosier 2012 for Sykes.

“I’m very happy to be continuing with Kawasaki and the Ninja ZX-10R in 2012. I believe the bike has good potential and we saw some of that come through in 2011 with a race win in Germany and Superpole at Misano. These are the kind of results I am looking to achieve in the coming season on a regular basis and I really believe we can do this. I have a lot of confidence in Kawasaki and the team around me, so if we can improve a couple of points with the set-up of the bike on the track which I feel are restricting performance this would be a big step forward for us in the final results. I am looking forward to re-starting our test programme again very soon, ” said Sykes.

Continue reading: Tom Sykes to stay with Kawasaki in 2012

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When Randy de Puniet climbed on board the Ducati Desmosedici for the first tests everyone was saying how well his loose riding style seemed suited for the beast from Borgo Panigale; which statistically has overwhelmed more riders than we can count (including a certain 9 times World Champion), but even the French rider hasn’t gelled with the machine.

De Puniet has crashed out five times in nine races so far this season (he and Marco Simoncelli are gunning for that dubious record) his previous injuries have hampered him and now he’s picked up a more serious one at Laguna Seca, but it seems that the Pramac Ducati rider may not be in MotoGP next season and may be heading to new and ‘greener’ pastures.

According to the lowdown from our French cousins at Motosblog, de Puniet has been offered a Kawasaki to ride in the World Superbikes championship in lieu of the constantly injured Chris Vermeulen. De Puniet debuted in MotoGP in 2006 with Kawasaki, spending two seasons with them and his best result was a 2nd place in 2007 at a very wet Motegi.

Whether de Puniet will go to WSBK’s remains to be seen but judging from the results that MotoGP refugees have been having in the series (Checa, Biaggi, Melandri) it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to think about it.

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Teams Pedercini and Supersonic are just two of the squads that have put forward requests to become the official Kawaski factory team next season in World Superbikes.

Paul Bird Motorsports is the current factory team, however Kawasaki’s technical director, Ichiro Yoda speaking to Italy’s Motosprint, revealed that Alstare Suzuki’s Francis Batta has also put in a request, as has WSS Motocard team and MSS Colchester (British Superbikes).

“We has received six requests, all from high caliber teams, which we are currently evaluating,” said Yoda, speaking from the Brno round. “We’ll make our decision in August because we want to start early in the organization. The ZX-10R is the novelty of the 2011 championship and is getting encouraging results and in 2012 we want to aim even higher. “

Continue reading: Everyone wants to be an official Kawasaki team in WSBK

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Chris Vermeulen has decided not to take part in the opening WSBK round at Phillip Island and will be replaced by 39-year old Akira Yanagawa, Kawasaki’s test rider.

Vermeulen has been struggling for year to recover from his knee injury and the subsequent two surgeries after his crash during race two at Phillip Island.

The Aussie tried to take part in the massive Kawasaki test at Sepang, in the middle of January, but managed to ride for only a few laps of the first day before pain and swelling in his knee forced him to pull out of the test and further concentrate on his physical rehab. Vermeulen and his doctors are hoping that with another four weeks of treatment and training he’ll be 100% fit for the Donington Park round.

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The four day Kawasaki Cup ehm .. test at Sepang has come to an end and the 2011 Ninja has apparently made big strides forward for the 2o11 season. The Kawasaki team worked on suspensions, geometry settings, and tried out the final bodywork spec.

Despite the usual rain showers that Sepang has, Tom Sykes (check out the Grinner’s blue gloves in the pic) and Joan Lascorz, (Chris Vermeulen pulled out with knee problems) were able to lap unofficially inside the 2.04s mark with Pirelli race tires, which would make them faster than Mika Kallio’s, Aleix Espargaro and Loris Capirossi’s best laps during the 2010 Sepang GP race.

Here’s what the two riders had to say after the test

“I felt really good at this test and overall I am quite pleased with how things went,” said Tom Sykes. “We did well in the first couple of days and reached a high level, but even on the final day we made a big step and picked up more momentum. The step came from the geometry and chassis side, and we have such a good balance on the bike now for my riding style. This good direction should take us through to the start of the season. We did not have the chance to try and get a real fast lap but our pace was good and it was a really positive test. I’m looking forward to the Portimao sessions now, and we will have completed a lot of testing by the time the season starts.”

Continue reading: Tom Sykes and Joan Lascorz talk about Kawasaki Sepang test

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Chris Vermeulen has made it and is finally back on his Kawasaki superbike. The Australian after being out of action following his knee reconstruction surgery six months ago, had his first taste of the Ninja ZX-10R that he’ll be using this 2011 season

Kawasaki brought a platoon of riders to Sepang for the four day test, and while team mates Tom Sykes and Joan Lascorz, were learning the track and finding base set-ups, Vermeulen who already knows the Malaysian circuit from his MotoGP days, just concentrated riding and getting rid of the rust. Here’s what he had to say:

“I eased into it today and only did a limited number of laps, over three separate runs. I stopped before lunch today and then the rains came later in the afternoon, but we will go out again tomorrow. The new bike feels really good. The last bike I rode around Sepang was a GP machine, so to be impressed with this motorbike already shows it is a very good start. All the guys have done a great job in developing it. I was happy to come away with that positive impression, even after a relatively short number of laps so far. Right now I cannot quite bend my knee enough when going round right hand corners, but my knee has improved a lot over the last couple of weeks. Everything in the recovery of my knee is going to plan, and in fact I am quite a bit ahead of what the doctors expected. My muscle growth is good, particularly considering I have only been walking for three weeks.”

Kawasaki testing continues on Tuesday with a break on Wednesday, to resume Thursday and Friday.

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You can’t help admire the sheer grit and determination that a professional rider summons up after being injured and going through big time surgery and their rocky road to recovery.

Chris Vermeulen is certainly a tough s.o.b. and despite only now being able to move around without crutches, and still undergoing a strict training regime of swimming and cycling, in a race against time trying to get fit again, he still plans to be at Sepang in January to test his Kawasaki.

Hopefully Vermeulen will be able to take part in the test, even if PBM team manager Paul Bird recently admitted that he’s planning to have Stuart Easton take Vermeulen’s place in Sepang, as the Australian will only be 80% fit.

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After spending half of 2009 riding a Moto2 in the Spanish CEV with Siemens Gigaset Laglisse team and taking part in the inaugural Moto2 championship with S.T.R, Italtrans team, Roberto Rolfo is returning to the big bikes and the World Superbike Championship with the Pedercini team.

Roberto Rolfo will ride the new ZX-10R in 2011 and it looks like Kawasaki believes in their new machine and it will finally make a difference on the grid.

Roberto Rolfo :“I’m really very happy to return to the Superbike championship. My three years’ experience in this fascinating and competitive championship was unforgettable and I will try my best to improve my preceding results. I immediately established a good feeling with the entire Pedercini family. They are reputable professionals and we are on the same wavelength concerning next year’s targets. I decided to leave Moto2 because I’m eager to ride the new Kawasaki ZX10R and take advantage of all its great power. It feels grand to be back in Superbike and I’m determined to put a good season together next year. I’m looking forward to testing the new bike very soon and getting familiar with it while also getting to better know my new team. This will be my very first time on a Kawasaki bike”.

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Chris Vermeulen underwent reconstructive knee surgery at the end of July after further damaging his already injured knee during the Brno round and that finally made him decide pull out of the current World Superbike season to try to fix his problems for once and for all.

Here’s the likeable Australian from his home in Andorra informing fans on the progess of his knee and how his rehabiliation recovery is going.

Chris even let us on that the new 2011 ZX-10R Ninja will be in Valencia testing in a couple of weeks and that he’s going to finally get a look at the finished machine, even if can’t ride it yet.

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After his ride with Kawasaki during the Brands Hatch BSB round where he scored at 10th place and two 11th places, 23- year old Ian Lowry has been confirmed by Kawasaki to replace the now recovering Chris Vermeulen at round 11 of the World Superbike championship at Nurburgring September 5th.

Ian Lowry: “I am really grateful for this opportunity to ride for the Factory Kawasaki squad. It was always a dream of mine to compete in the World Superbike Championship and now this is becoming a reality. I enjoyed my outing at Brands Hatch and working with such a professional team, and was surprised at how comfortable I felt on the Kawasaki. I know how competitive the World Superbike Championship is and I intend to make the most of this opportunity and repay the team with two strong finishes. I’m really looking forward to getting a full spin out in the bike again and am really excited about the race. “

Lowry has had a difficult 2010 season unable to find a team to race with. He was supposed to ride in the Spanish CEV Buckler Moto2 series with the JMWe FOGI Team, but the deal fizzled out and he then was called by Motorpoint Yamaha’s Superbike team to replace retiring Neil Hodgson and then was dropped for Andrew Pitt. The Irishman also made a wildcard appearance during the Silverstone World Supersport round with an IFS/Lowe Yamaha R6 managed by ex MotoGP racer Jeremy McWilliams finishing 20th.

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motosblog.fr have picked up a hot rumor regarding Noriyuki Haga that we can add to our WSBK silly season.

Haga is having a torrid 2010 season and has become a pale shadow of the rider, who just last year challenged Ben Spies in his title conquest. The Japanese rider is still struggling to find form and has clearly lost confidence in his 1198 and his place in the Xerox Ducati factory team is now on the line, but according to our French cousins, Haga has sounded out his former team manager Davide Tardozzi, who now runs the BMW Motorrad team, for a ride on the BMW 1000 RR next season.

Haga was also linked to a return to his old Yamaha team, but the lastest news as reported by GPone, the Japanese rider has also an offer from Kawasaki to team up with the currently injured Chris Vermeulen and give the new Ninja Superbike a fighting chance in the series that has seen the green team constantly struggle for results over the years.

If Haga should refuse the offer, the team still has Tom Sykes who hasn’t had a bad season and they can also count on Kawasaki Supersport rider Joan Lascorz, who is ready to make the jump to the World Superbike championship.

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