tarmac
via
an all-new chassis
for 2005
which, for the
fiBt time ever
on a factor/
Honda,
incorporates an adiustable
steer-
ing head,
allowint
any of its seven
ride.s
to \rary the
geometry in
pursuit
of
greater
turn
speed
via a dedicated
front-end
setup
-
while
still
declining to oller
the
same
adjustabiliq/
qption
of the
swingarm
pivot
that
other MotoGP bikes
do-
Howevec during
the
season it apPears
Honda
provided
each
works rider
with a
choice
of two distinct
frames - each
with
a
different
pivot
location
so that at races
they
could
experiment with
different
set-
tings in
practice. More
visible is the other
main
change in the
frame design
for 20O5,
namely the
reversion to a
more conven-
tional boftgm-link
rear-suspension
layout
as used
in the original
RC2llV
in 2002-
03.
This step
"back
to the
future" was
aimed at ridding
the
Honda of its single
biggest
problem;
the lack of
stability and
increased
vibration
that all riders e)(Peri-
enced
in 2005 under
heavy braking
from
high speed.
For unlike
a
year
ago, when terminal
front-end
chatter
occasioned
bY
Michelin's
new 20(N tire
package
deliv-
ered handling
problems for some
Honda
riders
(not
Hayden,
howeYer) which
no
guest rider
-
whether
exPerienced
iour-
nalist, former GP
racer, or
hired hotshot
-
had the
sp€ed to experience
it at
our
post-season
Press
test by not takinS
the
Honda to the last
two
percent of a laP
time
where the chattering
problem start-
ed to o
