IN
THE
WIND
P20
VALENTINO ROSSI
TO STICK WITH
2015-STYLE CHASSIS
Y
amaha's shot at a moving target appears
to have missed, at least as far as Valentino
Rossi is concerned. At the Phillip Island test, the
veteran multi-champion rejected the new-this-
year Yamaha YZR-M1 chassis with the weight
shifted backwards in favor of a development of
last year's "Bridgestone" chassis.
Aside from geometry changes, the 2016 bike most
particularly has the fuel tank mounted to the rear: the
balance shift intended to take account of the weak-
ness of Michelin's front tires at early tests last year.
At that time the bikes were designed around the
very stiff front Bridgestone tire, and there were so
many front-end slip-offs that the first race-simula-
tion tests had to be abandoned.
Yamaha's response, however, was mistimed:
Michelin beefed up the construction of the front
tire, and it seems the rubber works best without
any major changes from the Bridgestone setup.
"With the [older] bike I'm faster, but especially,
when I ride I feel better, specially the front," Rossi
said.
Rossi added that the new design felt a bit
queasy on corner entry.
Michael Scott
Out with the new, in with the old: Rossi will
use the 2015 chassis this season.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GOLD
&
GOOSE
SEAMLESS GEARBOX NOT FULLY
SEAMLESS, YET
E
cstar Suzuki riders Maverick Vinales and Aleix
Espargaro will have to wait before they get a
both-ways seamless-shift gearbox, with the facto-
ry restricting the still-experimental unit to test rider
Takuya Tsuda at the Phillip Island test.
The also pair had to wait last year for
the first version, with seamless upshifts
only, but Suzuki hopes the new two-way
shifter will be fit for purpose in time for
the next tests.
Seamless shifting helps marginally
both in acceleration and in slowing for
corners, but the greater benefit, ac-
cording to Rossi, comes in less fatigue
for both rider and tires, and improved
concentration.
Michael Scott
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GOLD
&
GOOSE
Despite not having
a fully seamless
gearbox (up- and
down-shifts),
Vinales still went
fastest at P.I.
