WSBK team profile
Gerrit Ten Kate's life has always been about motorcycles, so it's no surprise that the Dutch tuning expert runs a top World Superbike and World Supersport team.
His life-long passion for two-wheeled machinery began on his father’s farm at the age of 12 and has led to five consecutive World Supersport titles over the last five years.“I started messing around with mopeds and scooters and found each one fascinating,” says the 49-year-old. “Everyone used bikes everyday. I remember one trip to the zoo with my father riding and my mother on the back. I sat between them in the middle!”
Following a motocross career, Ten Kate saw his hobby develop into a successful business. “When I was racing, I prepared everything myself and people began to take notice,” he explains. “Pretty soon I was selling 50 or 60 motocross bikes a year.”
While engine preparation remains a vital element of his activities, Ten Kate has developed a thorough understanding of all aspects of racing motorcycles.
"With four engine builders, we are always looking to increase the performance of the motors," he says, "But there is a lot more to it than that. I would much rather have five horsepower less in a good chassis than five horsepower more that cannot be used. For that reason we have brought data-logging and suspension specialists into the team over the past few years to help us develop the whole package."
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