Honda not so small

 HRC MD Satoru Horiike quoted in this week's MCN. Here's some selective
quotes from the article.

Horiike also scoffed at reports that HRC had built its new RC212V around
Spaniard Dani Pedrosa, angrily denying the new V4 was purpose built for
the triple world champion. He added, "Everybody misunderstands. The bike
looks very small because of the seat unit but the difference is almost
nothing. Basic specification like wheelbase or height of centre of
gravity is very close to the 990".

He said extensive wind tunnel testing was also continuing daily to try
and find a solution to Hayden's aerodynamic problem, with a temporary
fairing turning up in Qatar, despite reports the American had new
bodywork for the season's early clash

"Nicky has to adapt more but our engineers have had to do many things to
help him as well" said Horrike who added it would be at least 4 races
into the season before satellite riders like Marco Melandri and Carlos
Checa would get access to new parts.

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Adapt more? Yeah, like get smaller, a lot smaller...

 Julian Bond wrote:

bullshit.

if it's "essentially" the same, how come it is obviously not fitting
Nicky worth a crap, chop the tail off the 211 and Nicky fits fine, so
it is definitely smaller. Also Dani himself said it was the first GP
bike that really suited him. I'm not saying that it was a big conspiracy
or specifically for Dani, but it is definitely a smaller bike, not
just an optical illusion.

Bruce

 
Hmmm. So tell me again why the head of HRC should lie?

There's a story going round that Nicky has a longer seat and a longer
tank cover on his RC212V. You can certainly see that Dani's bike has a
big seat cushion/bumstop to push him forwards.

Perhaps what's happening here is that the bike is designed so that the
seat tank cover is right for Dani to sit as far forwards as he wants to
where this wasn't possible on the RC211. They then modify it with
longer/bigger parts for Nicky. But this has a down side. The bigger
riders (not just Nicky) are sitting further back, putting less weight on
the front and losing front end feel in the process.

I'm just speculating here. And trying to understand how "the bike is
designed smaller for Dani" translates into actual differences in the
metal and plastic. Because I don't really buy that the
frame-engine-suspension are really that different.

BTW. Try and find a photo that shows the right hand side of the bike
from the front 3/4. What is that flap of bodywork just above the front
of the clutch? And look at a photo, right hand side, from the rear 3/4.
There hardly seems to be any fairing and all you can see is radiator.
The real eye opener is to compare the Ducati head on with almost
anything else, but especially the Honda. The Ducati has really a lot
more bodywork. And after Qatar, you have to think they are doing
something right in this area.

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 Julian Bond wrote:

don't know, don't care that much about the why.
just pointing out that is is bullshit - call it a lie,
call it spin, whatever, but look at pictures of anyone on
a 211 and 212 and it is obvious that they are considerably
different - *not* just a bobbed tail. (a look which while
strange I actually kinda like).



OK, so you are now saying the bike *was* designed for dani, and then
modifed (possibly poorly) for Nicky? so why do YOU think Horiike lied?