Anzen Kawasaki Mumbai organised a drag race event for its customers at the Aamby Valley airstrip, over the weekend.
-
Event held at the Aamby Valley air strip near Lonavala
-
Owners experienced the full performance potential of their Kawasakis
-
More events planned in the future
Need for speed!
The idea behind holding the drag race event at the Aamby Valley airstrip was to give owners a chance to experience the sheer performance potential of their motorcycles, in a safe and controlled environment.
The line-up
Almost every Kawasaki model sold in India was present at the event, with the owners turning up with their motorcycles bright and early in the morning. From the Z900 to the Ninja 650, Ninja 1000SX and the Ninja ZX-10RR Winter edition, there was a diverse mix of motorcycles tearing down the drag strip. A Versys 650 also joined in the fun but the cherry on top of this green cake was the Kawasaki Ninja ZX14R, a motorcycle built to decimate quarter-mile drag races.
Fire away!
The event began with a quick scrutiny to ensure that each motorcycle was in the right condition to tear down the runway. It involved checking the chain tension, setting the tyre pressure, and a quick check of the brake pads to ensure that there was enough life in them to come to a stop safely, at the end of the run.
The first hour of the event was dedicated to evaluating and understanding the surface of the runway, followed by individual practise starts. This gave riders a chance to understand their motorcycle clutch’s bite point and how many revs to feed without ending up causing a wheelie and losing time in the process. On the other hand, launch control on motorcycles like the ZX-10RR made light work of getting the perfect launch off the start.
After a few unintended wheelspins, wheelies and conservative launches in the beginning, the owners got a hang of the correct technique of launching their motorcycles. And from then on, they made the most of their time and got better at it with each run.
The excitement in the air was palpable, as we watched Kawasakis rocket down the track, easily crossing 200kph before the finish line. Our ride at the event was the 2020 Z900 that had an Akrapovic, full-system exhaust for better performance and, not to forget, a hair-raising soundtrack. In fact, a number of ZX-10Rs, a ZX-6R and ZX-14R were kitted out with aftermarket Akrapovic and SC Project exhausts. To say that the sound of these motorcycles was astonishing and music to the ears of enthusiasts would be an understatement.
Have a good day
In the end, the main objective of the event was to let owners experience the full potential of their motorcycle’s performance, and the beaming smiles were proof of the fun they had in the process. The aim, says Anzen Kawasaki, is to conduct some more events like this in the future as it allows owners to interact with each other and bond over a quarter-mile drag.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
