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2006-09-25 Day 1 of Motegi test - new 800cc machines in action
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 Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa returned to the Motegi circuit today for a useful test following yesterday’s Grand Prix of Japan. Hayden completed 54 laps testing clutch parts and chassis adjustments to his RC211V, while Dani Pedrosa gave Honda’s new V4 800cc prototype its first public outing. They were joined on the track by Honda test riders Tady Okada and Gaku Kamada.
Hayden and Pedrosa were satisfied with their progress today. Hayden undertook some practice starts and recorded a series of consistently quick lap-times. Pedrosa’s test was aimed at getting a basic feel for the new machine, and in the process the Spaniard was able to set an impressive time of 1m 48.210s.
Hayden will return to Motegi tomorrow for further testing and his first taste of the new bike which is designed to comply with 2007’s new 800cc MotoGP regulations. Dani Pedrosa meanwhile returns home to complete his recovery from the injuries he sustained in a crash at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Nicky Hayden Lap time: 1m 47.755s Laps completed: 54
Overall it was a pretty good day – I was able to run 1m 47s laps easier than I had been over the weekend so even though the bike hadn’t changed I feel like I was riding a bit better. Today we mostly tested some different parts for the clutch, I did some practice starts and tried to find something that worked into the corners and can still handle the starts. We don’t want to use anything that’s too risky because the last thing we can afford right now is a DNF. I didn’t try the 800 because I’ve got plenty of work to do with the current bike and I don’t need to take on too many new projects right now. It looked really cool though and I’m looking forward to getting a crack on the 800 tomorrow.
Dani Pedrosa Lap time: 1m 48.210s Laps completed: 30
The first feeling is that the new bike runs well and this is very important - it works normally and everything feels fine. The engine character feels a little different and this is to be expected but the package is quite similar to the RC211V. Some things about the bike feel smaller and the rear seat is much shorter which makes the whole bike look more compact. The bike has some characteristics which are a little more like a 250cc but it’s still a MotoGP bike. The lap time today is quite good for a first test but it’s too early to say whether it will be faster than the 990. The cornering speeds feel very similar to the RCV – though the corner speed at Motegi is very low because there are many hairpins, so it’s very difficult to say definitely whether it’ll be quicker. This was a good first test though.
Unofficial lap times:
1 Colin Edwards Camel Yamaha 1m 46.68s 56 laps
2 Sete Gibernau Ducati 800 1m 47.41s 37
3 Kenny Roberts Jr Team Roberts 1m 47.64s 48
4 Nicky Hayden Repsol Honda Team 1m 47.70s 54
5 Loris Capirossi Marlboro Ducati 1m 47.89s 35
6 K. Akiyoshi Suzuki Test Rider 1m 47.89s 31
7 Dani Pedrosa Repsol Honda Team 1m 48.24s 30
8 Tady Okada HRC Test Rider 1m 48.43s 50
9 Valentino Rossi Yamaha 800 1m 48.58s 41
10 N. Aoki Rizla Suzuki 1m 50.48s 23
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