Tommy Gun
Tommy Gun
22 to 1, the hard way
TOMMY HAYDEN'S FACTORY KAWASAKI ZX-6RR is a proven piece of race weaponry. In 2004, the 26-year-old Kentucky resident and his well-armored team brought down the competition’s defenses and took home the AMA 600cc Supersport Championship.
Tommy-older brother of MotoGP phenom Nicky Hayden-knew what it was going to take to win a national championship and trade in his familiar number 22 for the number-one plate. He lined up his ZX-6RR at 11 series rounds and took four victories, only twice finishing off the podium. Teammate and youngest brother Roger Lee Hayden made it a banner year for the green team by scoring second in series points, winning four races and finishing off the box just three times.
Recently, I was fortunate enough to sample the firepower of Tommy Hayden’s factory ZX-6RR and chat with the champ at Willow Springs International Raceway. The temperature at the high-desert facility was just above freezing in early December, which was evident as I changed into my “business suit.” I hadn’t ridden the big track at Willow in a while, and Tommy-who had on a beanie hat and was bundled up in his Team Kawasaki parka-did little to boost my confidence. As I climbed aboard his bike, he remarked, “I only crashed once in the last two years, in the first practice season at VIR on cold tires. It was almost this cold...”
Starting down pit lane, I glanced down at the cockpit. Instrumentation consists of a simple, black-faced analog tach with no indicated redline, on top of that a shift-light set to illuminate at 14,800 rpm, and below a tiny digital engine-temperature gauge. The aluminum handlebars are 1.2 inches longer than stock for greater leverage, and also flatter, lower and less pulled back. On the left bar are a trick CRG clutch lever with a Pro Circuit perch, plus a thumbwheel adjuster for the front brake lever. The clutch lever was an easy reach due to a liberal amount of freeplay, unlike the front brake lever out at my fingertips.
On the track, the “Tommy Gun” felt more acute than a stock ZX-6RR in every sense of the word. With its lightweight race bodywork and thinly padded seat, chassis feedback is transmitted to your tush like a seat-of-thepants hotline. Suspension consists of an Öhlins model ST46 shock and stock fork equipped with Öhlins internals, the settings feeling stiff for me, even though I weigh about 20 pounds more than Tommy. The Attack Engineering footrests are small, high and tucked up out of the way, the short brake pedal and shift lever meaning ground clearance is never an issue. Seeing Tommy ride, you’d suspect his bike would be tail-happy, prone to stepping out under braking. But at my pace, stopping power and braking feel were excellent. Slowing from top speed for Tum 1, the ZX-6RR’s chassis remained fully composed.
Said Hayden of his setup, “Working with the same chassis for a couple of years now in two classes, we just needed a couple clicks here and there and we were dialed.” He also relayed that the biggest difference between the 2003 and 2004 ZX-6RRs is that the former needed more rpm, and thus necessitated more shifting. The latter pulls through from the midrange and is stronger on top. Through the fastest section of Willow Springs Raceway, the bike certainly felt fast, the motor sounding extra-crisp. But being fastest at the end of a long straight wasn’t Team Kawasaki’s advantage; Tommy attributes the winning difference to having the best package in the paddock, team included.
As for the 2005 ZX-6RR, Tommy enthuses, “It’s a brand-new bike and I think the changes Kawasaki made are in the right direction. Today’s the first time I heard it run, but I think the potential is there.”
If the ’05 ZX-6RR is anything like Tommy’s ’04 racebike, it will be easier than ever to hit your turn-in points, apexes or anything else you’re aiming for. Say, another apexes 600cc Supersport title...
Mark Cernicky
