SEVENTY SEVEN wrote:Rob64 wrote:judging by the news confirmed today, yes it is!!!
Should be really interesting this year with the new bikes on the grid. Not sure the BMW has what it takes despite the power advantage. Has not performed anywhere to date. Power looks too peaky to make full use of max bhp. Richard Cooper will make the bike look better than it is as he did with the R1 last year.
Aprilia in Carl Harris's hands will play cat and mouse with the more powerful Suzukis and Kawasaki's. It will need a rider of Seeley's ability to get the best out of the most powerfull bikes otherwise they will not see Carl for dust.
ive now ridden one, and can honestly say its much much better bike than both the suzuki and honda, the suspension in stock trim was very very good and the brakes are nothing short of the best ive ever felt on a production bike.
re the power being peaky, not at all, it has a slight dip between 7500 and 9000rpm but otherwise seemless grunt all the way to the screaming redline.
bearing in mind thta even in stock trim you are allowed to fit cartridge kits, full zorst systems and tidy up the standard motor as well as map it, its going to be a rocketship, ive already heard of 2 in germany in superstock trim hitting a genuine 190bhp+ at the rear wheel.
in regards to the aprillia, ive made my opinion known on it, it simply wont have the grunt of the blade, gsxr or bmw and kwak, but will have as good as handling as 2 of those 3 minimum.
either way, as you say, its going to be a brilliant season in stock, but ill still lay my money on plater or richards come the seasons end.
