Press Release
Powered up on Two Wheels: ZF Named Tech Partner of the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM)
- Starting this season, ZF supports racing series as official technology partner
- Light and durable: new telescopic fork, developed jointly by ZF and Wilbers, set to make its racing debut
- New suspension component will be used in championships such as IDM Superbike, EWC and WSBK
Schweinfurt, Germany. Starting with the 2022 season, ZF is an official technology partner of the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM). To celebrate its collaboration with the racing series, the company is launching a new product: ZF has teamed up with Wilbers to develop a new telescopic fork. With a highly precise response, optimized stiffness and bending behaviour, the closed-cartridge damping system promises top-class grip and handling. The telescopic fork is currently being homologated for the next three racing seasons and will additionally be approved for the road as an aftermarket product.
No action is as intense as motorcycle racing. At high speed, every bend is a feat of strength, and every straight becomes a knife fight with the headwind. A few hundredths of a second can make the difference between victory and defeat. Here, everyone must be able to rely on each other – and on their technology. Good news, then, for teams competing in the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM): starting this season, ZF Race Engineering is an official technology partner of the racing series. "Motorcycles evoke more emotions than almost any other vehicle," says Sascha Ricanek, Managing Director of ZF Race Engineering. "And nowhere are riders closer to the technology. No chance of window dressing here, only top performance counts. And through the partnership with the IDM, we can showcase the kind of high-end performance ZF is capable of.”
Greater grip, faster to the finish: new Superbike suspension fork
To kick off its involvement in motorcycle racing, ZF Race Engineering is setting benchmarks in the areas where most of the forces act in the race. Working with Wilbers, the company has developed a new aluminum telescopic fork. Its core feature is the system's structure. Optimized for stiffness, it provides improved wheel control and steering precision. Combined with a closed-cartridge damping system, this delivers a highly precise response. The individually adjustable gas spring rate also offers more flexibility. With vehicle-specific triple clamps, steering shaft tubes and axle mounts, the telescopic fork system can be used for all bikes in the IDM. "Bend or straight, the new fork feels damn good – and damn fast," says Florian Alt, rider at Wilbers BMW Racing. Initial test runs have confirmed this: on the race track, Florian Alt and test drivers from ZF recorded noticeably better lap times. The new product is currently undergoing homologation for the current and the next two racing seasons. It will then be available to all teams as a retrofit option. A release for the aftermarket is also scheduled. The new fork will make its debut at the IDM season-opening race at the Lausitzring (Brandenburg) from May 6 to 8.
Systematic approach to motorcycle engineering
Technological top performance is par for the course at ZF. "Behind the new suspension fork lies the combined know-how of our Group," says Rainer Kirchner, Head of Development at ZF Race Engineering. "Production-proven systems combined with motorsport-specific components and assemblies makes all the difference when it comes to pushing the limits. The partnership with the IDM allows us to test our developments at the absolute frontier of driving dynamics. In addition, the knowledge gained from motorsport feeds back into series applications. This interaction enables a product transfer to the aftermarket that benefits every sports-oriented motorcyclist." Further products from the ZF portfolio are expected to be adapted for Superbike use in the near future.
ZF Race Engineering is a subsidiary of ZF. The Group bundles its motorsport, motorcycle, special series and heritage activities under this brand. Its aim is to make the company's products and systems available to the high-performance market and new automotive customer (NAC). ZF Race Engineering currently employs around 250 people at three locations in Germany, the UK and the USA.
