Both Honda and Ducati debuted new WSB bikes in 1994, igniting a superbike development battle that Honda could never win...
IN 1994, Ducati replaced their 888 with the 916, on which Carl Fogarty promptly took the first of his four WSB titles. Although Honda unleashed their RC45 at the same time, its development road was rockier. Aaron Slight, whose job it was to beat Foggy, talks PB through the challenges they faced.
1994 Back then I held the lap record at Phillip Island, on the Kawasaki ZXR750. I signed with Honda, we did a three or five-day test there and I finished 2.4s off the pace. My team-mate Doug Polen was, I think, 4s off the pace. This was February, and the championship started at Donington in April, so were in big doo-doos.
We took the bikes apart back in England and nobody had put any effort into the piston design and stuff. The piston shape was bad. Tony Scott and Steve Mellor were building the engines, and once they starting fiddling around the speed came. I got two second places at Donington. But once the speed came the handling got worse. The more power, the less it turned and the more it spun. And that was just the start of it.
Donington was the first time we’d had a quickshifter in a race. You could gear the bike shorter because you could change gear on a lean angle. If you shifted normally you’d get the bike upright first. Other riders used quickshifters but they were more like cutting a spark. We were just cutting injection on a cylinder.
1995 Doug opted out of his contract and we changed to Michelin, so 1994 – when we rode on Dunlops – became a whole year of wasted data. I loved Dunlops: when they spun they went forward. When a Michelin spun it overheated and you couldn’t get drive.
Denne historien er fra January 2018-utgaven av Performance Bikes.
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Denne historien er fra January 2018-utgaven av Performance Bikes.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Down Under On Top
In 1987 Wayne Gardner became the first Australian to win the 500cc world championship. Thirty years later, the Wild Man from Wollongong recalls that amazing year of V4 dominance...
Cheste Pains
In 1987, PB’s editor sent three grown men to the Bol d’Or on two-stroke 125s, resulting in a tale of misery, hilarity and adventure. 30 years later, we’re doing it again – but this time, it’s four-strokes, and the destination is mid-Spain, in winter...
Factory Fugitive
Against all odds, this HRC RC45 was saved from the crusher and ended up in the hands of PB reader Mick Loughlin, who ensures this Suzuka exotica still gets a pasting.
The Losing Battle RC45 Vs 916
Both Honda and Ducati debuted new WSB bikes in 1994, igniting a superbike development battle that Honda could never win...
Remy: A Chip Off The Old Block
Wayne Gardner is now in the thick of his second Grand Prix career, as father and coach to elder son Remy.
It's All About The Battery
JAPANESE COMPANY MUGEN (owned by Soichiro Honda’s son, Hirotoshi) currently makes the world’s fastest EV race bikes.
Got Them Over A Barrel
Michael Rutter has had one of the seasons of his life in British Superstock and on the roads. His team had no option but to agree to do it all again next year...
Winter Of Malcontent
GSX-R fights the seasonal blues.
Franco Says Relax
Next year Moto2 ace Franco Morbidelli will be the first VR46 rider to make it to MotoGP. But the young Roman is more laidback than any title challenger has a right to be – is that something to do with his teacher?
Working Double Time
Rutter’s man reveals the demands of racing in both British Superstock AND British Superbikes
