Since its launch in 2024, the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR has received rave reviews across the globe, and visitors to the 2023 Motorcycle Live Show were treated to a special display of the all-new supersport machine. Alongside road-ready versions to sit on, the Kawasaki stand partnered with Moto Trainer to have four machines linked up to their innovative simulator and launched the exciting new Tracker Kawasaki British Superteen series. 

For a chance to enter the competition, visitors simply needed to visit the Motorcycle Live website and answer a multiple-choice question. Following thousands of entries, new motorcyclist Rachel McFarlane was chosen at random, and the bike will now be sitting in pride of place in her garage while she completes her full test! 

Rachel said:
“I still can't believe I've won! This is such an amazing opportunity, and I'm still pinching myself that I've won my dream motorbike. I've only just begun my motorcycle journey and am currently working towards my full licence so while it's still a little while until I can take it out, I go into the garage every day to just sit on it and imagine riding it!

I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone involved at Kawasaki. From the first phone call from Craig saying I'd won to my prize being delivered by Lawrence (who was so lovely and put me at ease and answered all my questions), they have done everything they can to ensure I could keep the bike stored until I'm able to ride it and I cannot thank you enough. I'm so grateful!” 

Craig Watson, Sales and Marketing Manager for Kawasaki Motors UK:
“The response to our Motorcycle Live stand, the Ninja ZX-4RR, and our competition has been incredible, and it's fantastic to see that a brand new rider was our winner. Rachel is already making plans for how she'll use the bike, and we look forward to seeing how she gets on with her biking journey!”

Based at its impressive workshop near the Lommel track in Belgium, the new enterprise will come under the responsibility of existing KRT Manager, Antti Pyrhönen, while team staffing will evolve and expand according to the extra demands of an additional championship.

Initially utilising the direct relationship that the team has with the KMC factory engineers in Japan - including their wealth of design knowledge and engineering insight relating to the production KX250 machine - the KRT MX2 team will be working on an all new specification across the coming months gearing towards a fully developed race machine for 2025 season.

With no decision at this time being made on who may ride for the team, KRT are targeting those with both podium potential allied to the skill to provide accurate feedback during the important pre-season testing phase. 

Speaking of the new challenge, Antti Pyrhönen, KRT MXGP Manager, was in characteristically optimistic mood.

“When I discussed with our Team Principle, Kimi Räikkönen, the possibility to raise our game to another level and enter MX2 he immediately saw the potential and agreed this was our next logical step. We have built up an incredible working relationship with Kawasaki in Japan and we are determined to repay their trust in us by making an impact with this new project”.

For Kawasaki Motors Europe, Race Planning Manager, Steve Guttridge, emphasised the potential of the new initiative in terms of guiding young talent to the very top.

“Having both MXGP and MX2 run by our factory team offers Kawasaki the opportunity to offer young, very talented riders a dream seat in MX2. Being inside KRT means they can also be well prepared for future MXGP duties within a familiar team environment. We want to win World titles with home grown talent; the structure that Antti and Kimi have built alongside our factory staff offers just that”.

Concluding, Shigemi Tanaka, General Manager, Marketing & Sales Division, Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. commented.

“This is an important step for Kawasaki and it reflects our long established ethos of growing and encouraging talent from green shoots to green wins. It is fundamental to our off road philosophy to provide not just hardware in terms of competitive KX machinery but also the “software” historically manifested by our legendary Team Green race and rider support programme.

The best way to lead is by example, so the establishment of this factory attack on MX2 honours within the highly professional and proven race-winning structure of the Kawasaki Racing Team will provide a stable base for rider and championship success. We hope youth riders will see this as something to aspire to and, in turn, to graduate from MX2 experience and success towards MXGP, the very pinnacle of motocross.”