Honda CBR 1000 RR Factory TEN KATE SUPERBIKE 2009 — Specifications

What happened to the Ten Kate team in 2009? After seasons where the Dutch squad had the competition shaking in Superbike, the CBR 1000 RR Factory seemed to take a back seat, almost overshadowed by the Ducatis and Yamahas that were hogging the podiums. Yet make no mistake: this machine remains a circuit beast, the product of expertise that few privateer outfits can claim. Ten Kate is the team that managed to transform a stock Japanese sportbike into a homologated weapon of war, capable of flirting with 300 km/h at the end of the straights. And that, even during an underwhelming season, commands respect.

Beneath the fairings, the 999.8 cc inline four-cylinder was reworked with the precision of a watchmaker. The dimensions remain those of the Honda block — 76 mm bore by 55.1 mm stroke — but the HRC kit changes the game entirely. The dedicated six-speed gearbox, the extensive engine preparation: we're talking 215 horsepower here, a figure that placed this CBR on par with the best in the Superbike field at the time. All housed in a Diamond-type aluminum twin-spar frame weighing 166 kg dry. It's light, it's rigid, it's exactly what you need to carve through the curves of Phillip Island or attack the braking zones at Monza.

On the chassis side, Ten Kate spared no expense. The WP suspension — 43 mm inverted fork up front and a monoshock at the rear — provides a sophisticated setup base, engineered for top-level riding. The braking follows the same philosophy: twin 320 mm discs with four-piston radial calipers at the front, a 220 mm disc at the rear. Race-grade equipment, no compromises. The 22-liter fuel tank allows covering a full race distance without penny-pinching calculations — a detail that matters when every second spent in the pits costs dearly in the standings.

Of course, at 100,000 euros, this is no longer an everyman's motorcycle. That price tag reserves it for teams competing in championships or wealthy collectors who want a piece of Superbike history. Against it, the Ducati 1098 R dominated the field with its supercharged twin, while Ben Spies' Yamaha YZF-R1 was gaining momentum. The Honda Ten Kate, despite its track record and the solidity of its structure, lacked that extra bit of development that makes the difference at the highest level. The potential was there — the results didn't always follow.

This 2009 CBR 1000 RR Factory Ten Kate nonetheless remains a valuable testament to what the collaboration between a Japanese manufacturer and a passionate European team can produce. It embodies a craftsman's approach to racing, at a time when factory team budgets were already opening a gap that was increasingly difficult to bridge. For anyone interested in Superbike history, this is a machine that deserves far more than the anonymity in which it finished that season.