Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1119655
P40 KTM's Moto2 Woes W hile the MotoGP project, now in its third year, continues to show steady progress, KTM is facing its own problems in Moto2, with the steel-tube chassis having adapted less suc- cessfully to the new Triumph power than rivals. Not only Kalex but also Speed Up, and to an extent, NTS has shown prowess, while official KTM Red Bull rider Brad Binder's sometimes su- perhuman efforts have left him trailing in eighth overall after Le Mans. An all-new chassis arrived at Le Mans, with immediate benefits. "The previous chassis had problems at the front and the back. This is completely new, and the front is really good. I think it's the first time I've ridden a KTM without any chatter," he said. "But as soon as the tire goes down a bit the back is really bad. It's hard to get out of the corners. It's a good direction, but not the answer." Binder was penalized in Argentina for unchar- acteristically rough riding—but had an explana- tion. "The way I had to ride that bike was dif- ferent: braking really hard then make a V of the corner." It meant he was unavoidably rubbing up against other fast riders with higher corner speed. "I'll have to be careful, or I'll get into trouble soon," he said. Michael Scott Brad Binder has been riding the wheels off the KTM in 2019 but is yet to have a chassis that works for him in all conditions. PHOTO: GOLD & GOOSE Pedrosa To Ride KTM In June D ani Pedrosa should be fit to start his testing role with KTM in June after an exploratory ride on the RC16 at Mugello showed that his recovery from collarbone surgery was on course. This was revealed by technical chief Mike Leitner who was Pedrosa's crew chief for many years in both 250 and MotoGP class at Honda. Thirty-one-time GP winner Pedrosa was wearing KTM livery at the Spanish GP a fort- night ago, when a corner was named in his honor, and had a first outing on the bike last year, before the collarbone stress fracture was diagnosed, requiring stem-cell treatment for the oft-injured bone. Pedrosa's input will be especially welcome to Johann Zarco, whose similarly smooth riding style has not gelled with the Austrian bike. Michael Scott IN THE WIND Dani Pedrosa, with KTM boss Stefan Pierer, will be back in the saddle in June. PHOTO: GOLD & GOOSE