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/ - frame, but with a much shorter 1398mm wheelbase, in spite of the Mondial's very long 552mm R1-type swingarm, which enhances traction and helps deliver a more ideal 52/48percent static weight distribution compared to other 90-degree V-twins, claims designer Bragagnolo. Scaling a genuine 360.8 pounds even in heavy prototype form, it's certain that the Piega will have to be ballasted to meet the 356.4-pound World Superbike weight limit, even while retaining its electric start - but it also means that the street Mondial will be very light (385 pounds is the target weight, with full street equipment). This is also a more compact bike than Colin Edwards' world-title-winning Castrol Honda SP-1 W, which has a rangier 1420mm wheelbase and a 24.5-degree head angle, compared to the Mondial's stock 22.75-degree rake. But while the Piega's ability to vary the fork angle via eccentrics is nothing new, what is unusual is the way the fork stem can be moved forward or back without disturbing the head-angle setting, in order to alter the wheelbase and thus weight distribution from the front of the bike, by effectively altering the position of the engine relative to the axles. Coupled with the Piega's innovative capability of varying the position of the swingarm pivot via inserts over an 8mm range in any direction, in spite of this pivoting in the Honda engine's crankcases as well as the frame, the result is a V-twin Superbike chassis package that has the same degree of adjustability as a 500cc GP bike - a flexibility only matched by its Aprilia RSV1000 rival. In developing the Piega, Bragagnolo and his team has also fitted Mondial's own design of 45mm upside-down forks and rear shock with the lower mounts bolted to the rear of the Honda engine, to save space - as well as the company's own brake package. This comprises a pair of 310mm cast-iron front discs gripped by six-pot calipers machined from solid blocks of Ergal aircraft alloy, and a 200mm ventilated rear disc matched to a four-piston Ergal caliper. This is linked to the bike's ECU - for the name Piega is a play on words, since, in Italian, it means both 'fold,' as in the Mondial's sharpedged styling, and 'leans,' as in cranked over into a turn. Amongst the Formula One-derived technology which liletti says the new Mondial V-twin Superbike will incorporate is a sophisticated engine-management system which will be partly governed by sensors monitoring the bike's lean angle in turns, linked to a system of traction control via the rear brake. The Piega's promise to 'estabIish a new concept in motorcycle technology,' in term~electToniC 22 APRIL 18, 2001 • cue I The invitation to ride the new Mondial Piega in Valencia, Spain, in its public debut in prototype form for a five-lap demonstration in front of 35,000 spectators in between the two legs of the opening round of the 2001 World Superbike Championship, certainly answered any skeptics' doubts that this might be a showbike rather than a sportbike, aimed more at gathering off-track attention, rather than ontrack success. It works - and while still very green, and at the start of its development cycle, with the added security represented by a Honda engine, the Piega already promises to deliver that dreamteam package of Japanese engineering dressed up in Italian styling, with European chassis expertise complementing Japanese engine technology. In fact, its first lap at Valencia was the first time the Piega had ever visited a racetrack, after the team's projected test with the freshly finished prototype the week before on home ground in Italy had been snowed out. This meant they hadn't been able to dial in the fuel-injection mapping properly for track use - in tum resulting in the oversize 60mm throttle bodies causing the engine to splutter and cough if I got too eager with my right hand exiting one of Valencia's many tight turns in too Iowa gear. I had to guess at engine revs, too - for the (British-made: ouch!) tachometer broke as we were warming the bike up in pit lane. But I could feel the engine was also running too lean in fifth gear down the main straight - all stuff that a serious test session would have sorted out and mechanical design features, shows every indication of being met and all this high-tech stuff will be featured on the road bikes as weJl as the racers, says liletti. Production of the Piega will be restricted to a total of 250 individually numbered bikes built in anyone year, and will take place at the company's manufacturing base north of Milan. Mondial will take a leaf from Aprilia's book in sub-contracting manufacture of all components to outside suppliers, lea'ving only final assembly to be completed in-house but commercially, the company will follow instead in the MH900e and 996R Ducatis' tire tracks by marketing the Piega outside Italy exclusively via the Internet, with the order book opening on May 1 via their website: www.mondialmoto.it. For home-market buyers, though, liletti has forged a unique link with Italy's largest retail ban\<, Banco di Roma: this will enable Italian customers to walk into their local branch and order one of the 100 Piega streetbikes Mondial has reserved for its home market, at a retail price of about $25,000, including 19-percent loca I tax not payable on export _orders, to be delivered via one of the 68 dealers Mondial is appointing e n _ vv s in advance, had it been possible. Such are the hazards of R&D - but it is a Honda engine, after all, so we know it'll work well when they get it dialed in properly. However, there are no such reservations about the Mondial chassis package, which immediately gives tile impression of having been born well. With the smaller 4.8-gallon carbon fuel tank fitted for my ride, the Piega feels small and agile - just as a one-liter V-twin should be. It feels more like a 650cc bike than a bigger one-liter job. Fitting the larger 6.2-gallon tank the Mondjal will need for race distance largely negates this impression, though. Because it's so broad across the top, it makes the Piega seem much bigger, and less nimble rather like a Suzuki TLl OOOR. That will need some attention but, in the form that I rode it, the Mondial feels slim and contained, yet balanced and responsive - the sort of bike you feel a part of, rather than merely perched on, in spite of being so slim and compact. The riding position is comfortable, with not too much weight on your wrists, and quite spacious - maybe too much so: it needs a squab to the seat to stop you being pushed backward under hard acceleration. Yet, when you start riding it hard, the Mondial feels tight and taut, with precise steering and handling that generates lots of confidence. Because of the problems with the engine mapping, I found myself having to take many comers at Valencia a gear higher than I'd expected, in order to get a clean drive with the engine "carbureting" properly, and thus maintain momentum. That placed extra demands on the space-frame chassis and Mondial's own front suspension, which were successfuliy answered - thanks surely in part to the very rational 52/48-percent frontward weight bias, which is unusually good for a twin and helped the front Michelin slick tire stick well under high cornering loads. This is a bike that invites you to maintain turn speeds, and is certain to be fun to ride hard on the street. The brakes need work - I never use the rear one on a twin-cylinder bike, anyway, but the front felt rather soggy and had a very long lever travel. Doubtless this could be dialed out, but I remain to be convinced this is an appropriate use of Mondial's valuable resources in terms of time and personnel - especially when they have Brembo, the world's benchmark brake maker, on their doorstep. When I did brake hard, though, at the end of the pit straight, the Piega was extremely stable, with very little excess weight transfer, and good suspension response. I liked the chassis setup a lot: this has real potential. I look forward to testing the Mondial again with the engine dialed in right, and the fuel injection correctly mapped - because even in the raw form I rode it. the Piega is bristling with promise. This is a bike that has the potential to honor its promise, and to prove itself worthy of the historic Italian, and Japanese, brands whose badges it bears. throughout Europe. Further afield, the local importers Mondial is seeking will also guarantee full after-sales service and dealer backup following delivery. At the Milan Show in September, Mondial will launch a new Naked version of the Piega, to be called the Nuda (too late, Aprilia: liletti has registered the name!), which will be based on the Piega and use the Honda RC51 engine, but with a planned production level of 1000 bikes in 2002, representing the longawaited 'Honda Monster' V-twin streetrod. Thereafter, liletti plans to build the brand via the introduction of a new model every year - and conceivably, in the future, these may be powered by Mondial's own engine. "Mondial's philosophy is not to be big in volume, only in terms of quality - of performance, of design, of manufacture, and of materials," he says. "Our products will be expensive, but worth paying extra for." Mondial plans to announce the composition of its race team at the first Italian round of the 2001 World Superbike Championship at Monza on May 13 - and if Ziletti succeeds in firming up the names he's understood to have reached provisional agreement with, he'll have some very ~lIus- trious help in bringing Mondial back to the race track. Already he has Oscar Rumi at his side - the doyen of Italian World Superbike team owners, for whom Fred Merkel won the first two World Superbike titles in 1988/89, and for more than a decade closely linked with Honda: he's on board as an advisor to the project. But amongst those liletti's also rumored to be lining up are Virginio Ferrari as team manager, and Aaron Slight as chief test rider, in between his British Touring Car Championship commitments. If it comes off, this link will give Mondial a crucial edge, given the Kiwi's near-unique experience of bringing the Honda RC51, using the same engine, to title-winning pitch. Whoever ends up aboard the bike, Mondial plans to begin serious testing of the Superbike racer in June, with a view to making the Piega's competition debut in the fina I three rounds of the 2001 World series, starting at Ochersleben in September: SBK promoters Octagon Motorsport has already reserved the team a firm pl(lce on the grid from then on, in recognition of becoming the eighth marque in the World Superbike lineup. A full two-man Mondial team will contest the World Superbike Championship in 2002. eN --