IN
THE
WIND
P26
AOYAMA RIDES UPGRADED OPEN HONDA
H
onda's upgraded Open bike
broke cover at Valencia, rid-
den by newly appointed 2015
factory tester Hiro Aoyama.
The new machine, dubbed
RC213V-RS, is handsomely more
powerful than the underwhelm-
ing first attempt, the RCV1000R,
which was outfoxed by Yamaha's
Open bike, running virtually full
factory spec.
Unlike the predecessor, it has
the pneumatic valve springs of
the factory RCV, although lack-
ing the seamless-shift gearbox.
With steel valve springs, the
RCV1000R was short of top-end
horsepower.
But it was not the gift that fel-
low production Honda riders
thought. Both the quantity and
the range of the power were suf-
ficiently different to need virtually
a fresh start in settings, and from
the first day of practice Aoyama's
teammate Nicky Hayden was
quicker. In qualifying, Aoyama
ended up 18th, with the off-form
Karel Abraham the only produc-
tion Honda not to go faster.
"It was confusing," said the
Japanese rider.
The problems, according to
Aoyama, were wide-ranging,
starting with having to adapt
the control electronics to the
different engine. One mistake
had been to knock back the
power too much in midrange,
spoiling acceleration, although
the top speed figures remained
impressive.
"Also the gearing needs to be
different," said the former 250cc
Champion, likewise with sus-
pension settings, as they were
still seeking the best balance by
race time.
With Aoyama retiring from full-
time racing after this GP, the bike
was to be tested after the race
by the other RCV1000R riders.
Michael Scott
BOBBITT BACK TO KTM
K
TM Motorsports announced its 2015 Factory
FMF/KTM Team, which includes the return of
four-time National Enduro Champion Russell Bob-
bitt, who spent the 2014 season with Husqvarna.
Before that, Bobbitt rode for KTM.
Kailub Russell, Charlie Mullins, Taylor Robert, Ivan
Ramirez and Kacy Martinez return to the lineup for 2015.
Hiro Aoyama got
the first crack at
Honda's upgraded
production racer—
RC213V-RS—over the
Valencia MotoGP race
weekend.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GOLD
&
GOOSE
Russell Bobbitt hopes to claim his fifth
National Enduro title next year on KTM.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
SHAN
MOORE
