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Lots Of Vfrs Spotted At Ten Kate Honda


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Last weekend dozens of VFRs were parked in front of Ten Kate Honda in Nieuwleusen. The riders were invited to come have a look around Ten Kate racing HQ, meet the team and have a sneak preview of the 7th gen VFR to be officially reveiled at Intermot next week. Ten Kate, being the good host, had reserved some space to accomodate the 70+ VFRs that were to attend. Good turnout despite it being very cold and foggy early in the morning.

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That's right, VFR parking only.

Ten Kate by origin is just a regular Honda motorcycle dealer (although they also have some Aprilias & MV Augustas on the showroom floor) that got involved in motorcycle racing some 15 years ago. At first they sponsored a local racer and later formed their own team that competed in both Dutch and European championships. It was about four years later that they first entered World Supersport and another 5 years before they won their first championship in 2003 with Fabien Foret. And they have clinched the championship in World Supersport every year since, and it looks this years championship too will go to Ten Kate racing. 2005 being the most succesfull year so far with first, second and third place in the championship. This year it looks both Ten Kate bikes will take the top spots again.

Some of the more well known riders that have raced with Ten Kate in WSS are Chris Vermeulen and Karl Muggeridge who won three WSS titles in a row with Ten Kate (2002-2004).

They first entered WSBK in 2004 and won the championship for the first time in 2007 with James Toseland. Former MotoGP rider Carlos Checa is not yet able to repeat last years WSBK succes and will likely finish 5th this year. The other TK WSBK rider and 2007 WSS champion Kenan Sofuoglu is having a hard time on the bigger bikes and is, with only two races left, 17th in the championship. He will return to WSS next year, switching bikes with current Ten Kate WSS rider Jonathan Rea.

The Ten Kate raceteam, that has three WSBK and two WSS bikes, currently has more staff (35) than the motorcycle shop (20). Lots of team members having multiple responsibilities. A head mechanic may very well have to be the chauffeur of one of the five trailers too. Their current sponsor Hanspree is pushing them to enter MotoGP, but TK is not very keen on being supplied a factory bike they can't tinker with as they can with the WSS and WSBK. In WSS they work with HRC but with both WSS & WSBK they can put a lot of their own expertise into the bikes. Also the budget needed to compete in MotoGP is many times that of their current race budget (€5mln.)

Below is a short photo impression of Ten Kate. And no, we didn't meet the team as they were on their way back from testing at Magny Cours, and you didn't believe there would be a 7th gen VFR did you :rolleyes:

Still I hope you enjoy the pics.

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Toys'r'not'fr'USA.

First bikes you walk into when you enter the shop, 2008 CB1000R, CB600R Hornet and DN-01. Not something you would see when entering a US Honda dealership. With my 6'3" I have absolutely no view on the DN-01s dash :huh: It is completely blocked by the low angled dark windscreen :biggrin:

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Some red 5th gens in the used bikes section of the shop. :wub:

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Gear can be found on the second floor, and in the section with leather suits sits this red 4th gen so you can get a feel of the leathers feeling comfortable when sitting on a bike.

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In the back, close to the racing department, was this line-up of Fireblades and "Hanspree Ten Kate" CBRs waiting to be delivered to their new homes.

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On the opposite side a stack of Hanspree Ten Kate CBRs waiting to be shipped to dealers around the world. Makes for a very nice wall decoration, doesn't it? They sell quite a few (hundreds) of these "Ten Kate racing" CBRs.

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As it is not uncommon for a trackbike to be crashed, lots of replacement plastics have to be kept in stock. In the pic you see mostly glassfiber body panels, the team racebikes have a full carbon set. A 600RR carbon fairing set sells at €1000.

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Replacement plastics also need new decals. This is where the decals are cut and put on the fairings. Hanspree colors in the corner.

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The very clean workshop for the team racebikes was empty as they were all at Magny Cours for testing. Some engines with the name of Carlos Checa showing on the label were sitting in a corner of the workshop. I hope they didn't forget to bring them with them to the test track +1.gif+1.gif

In all there are ten bikelifts in there.

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The bikes that won the 2007 WSS championship. One ready to be shipped to Köln for the Intermot, the other to be donated to the local motorcycle club.

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Next to that another champion. Toselands 2007 Superbike. (also donated to the local MC club).

Note the funny nickname on the locker :D Guess what he is in charge of +1.gif

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James #1 in 2007.

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Unfortunately you're not allowed to take pics inside the R&D department, so this is all I can show you. Guy wass busy building some engines.

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You can get yourself a Ten Kate race spec CBR for €90-100K. It is the same spec as the team bikes and they sell quite a few around the world. They also sell used TK racebikes for about €15K.

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Wouldn't you like to have a rack like that hanging on the wall in your shack. <insert drool emoticon here>

As the wheather turned out quite nice later in the morning, we finished our visit to Ten Kate with a scenic tour of the area and found a nice spot for lunch. Next to the harbour in the town center of Blokzijl.

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You may have seen the sixth gen in this pic before, as it was portrayed on the French(?) website that sells (sold) VFR decals. Can't find the link to that website anymore sad.gif Anyone?

A big thank you to Ten Kate and especially Jaap for showing us around :beer:

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Great Report..................thanks. Any Ten Kate mods for VFRs??????

No. But over here a VFR is not considered a sportbike so developing engine mods for more power doesn't sound rational. Just get a bigger tourer or a real sportbike.

and the results of this "sneak peak"?!?!!

fotograferenverbod.jpg All I can say it is awesome and everything we hoped for +1.gif+1.gif

....

.

and you didn't believe there would be a 7th gen VFR did you :fing02:

Still I hope you enjoy the pics.

:fing02: Sorry Tim & hawkman. Although Tim, you must be very happy with the 2009 US VFR colors :fing02:

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  • Member Contributer
and the results of this "sneak peak"?!?!!

fotograferenverbod.jpg All I can say it is awesome and everything we hoped for :fing02: :fing02:

....

.

Whoa, whoa whoa!!! Does this mean there is a 7th gen coming out? Don't leave us hanging here!!! We need info!

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