TOM SYKES' win at Monza and Chris Walker and Shane Byrne's BSB victories at Oulton underlined that the Kawasaki ZX-10R has become a real contender. Now an electric version of the BSB machine is out to make its mark on the TT Zero in a couple of weeks.

The Bournemouth Kawasaki bike, prepared by the same team that runs Walker in BSB, is out to rival the all-conquering Motoczysz (winner of TT Zero in 2010 an 2011) and the other hot favourite, the Mugen Shingen – seen by many as a Honda entry in disguise and carrying none other than John McGuinness in the rider's seat.

On the face of it the Kawasaki, which is simply a ZX-10R with an electric motor bolted in the place of the stock bike's 200bhp four-cyinder, doesn't have the qualities of its purpose-made rivals. But it's actually got some big names behind it. Kawasaki UK itself is supporting the effort, and the electronics are supplied by Zytec Automotive, one of the firms that pioneered the KERS systems used in F1 racing.

The motor itself is taken from a KERS system – one used in a Le Mans car – and makes 134bhp. Unusually, it's been bolted directly to the existing clutch and gearbox of the ZX-10R; most electric bikes do without gears or a clutch, but this is a six-speed. The bike's makers reckons this will help give the torque boost needed to give decent acceleration up the Mountain and out of slow sections like Ramsey Hairpin.

Specially-made batteries packing a total of 240 cells and storing a total of 11.8kWh of electricity fill the space normally taken up by engine, airbox, tank and radiator.

BSB regular James Hillier will be riding the bike in the race on Wednesday 6 June.