Mr. Takeo Yokoyama, Technical Director of Honda Racing Corporation, speaks fluent English. When I met with Yokoyama in the COTA paddock, he was joined by Livio Suppo, the Communications and Marketing Director for Honda MotoGP. I asked how Honda can develop directionally flexible chassis as “supplemental suspension” when in general Japanese test tracks are so much smoother than European ones. Yokoyama said this is why HRC seeks to test at tracks such as Sepang, where conditions are more European. And, as the number of tires allocated for such testing is limited by regulation, maximum use must be made of each test. This kind of rule exists in racing because, without it, teams with the greatest resources could perform unlimited testing to become invincible. In Formula 1 car racing, the response of the top teams was to develop laboratory shaker rigs that gather chassis data without track testing. R&D dollars are fluid—denied expression in one area, they quickly gurgle to another. I then asked Mr. Yokoyama on which factors HRC focuses MotoGP development. When Yokoyama spoke of braking stability, the same journalist asked about its contributing factors. As Yokoyama worked through the list, I experimentally asked, “And engine direction of rotation?” This caused Yokoyama to turn to me for a moment, grinning. Although direction of engine rotation has not been discussed much as a factor in braking stability, the grin revealed its importance. These are the moments that make it so satisfying to actually be at races, talking to the people who make them happen. The engine of Yamaha’s M1 MotoGP bike rotates opposite to wheel rotation, acting to cancel some of their gyro contribution to stability—and Yamaha has worked long and hard to match Honda’s braking stability. The V-4 engines in Honda’s RC213Vs rotate in the same direction as their wheels. At one point, Livio Suppo noted that Marc Marquez may ask for a change to his machine that, when tested, is not supported by results. Marquez simply discards the idea and moves on. It is, however, quite common for some riders to be too personally invested in such changes to admit they are not useful. Suppo gave the example of one rider who believed his machine “had a hinge in the middle” and would benefit from added chassis struts supporting the swingarm pivot. This rider continued to ride with this modification even though other riders on the same machine were going equally fast without it. Gradually it was forgotten and put aside. To my question about ideal rider size, Suppo simply replied that riders with the necessary extraordinary skills come in a variety of sizes.Gadget Reviews: mamaktalk.com
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