HONDA unveils RC212V – 2007 MotoGP machine

Can you assess the handling characteristics?

Definitely the bike is smaller, so for me it’s better because I can control the bike more easily. I could touch my knees with my elbows while sitting on the bike and that’s something I cannot do now with the RC211V. This is helpful when you ride a race bike.

What can you say about the power delivery?

The engine character feels a little different to the RC211V, but as I said it was just my first test and development is still going on so this feeling will continue to change. And also I didn’t push so much.

Is it easier to ride than the 990cc?

Yes, it seems easier to ride because some things about the bike feel smaller and the rear seat is much shorter which makes the whole bike look more compact. The bike has some characteristics which are a little more like a 250cc but it’s still a MotoGP bike. I don’t know if it will be faster in the corners because there are many hairpins in Motegi and the corner speed is very low.

Which characteristics do you find better than the 990cc?

For me, the dimensions. I’m not tall and this machine suits my size a little better than the 990cc. Even though the height and the weight are the same as the RC211V, the bike is smaller, more compact and this is good.