Jack Miller takes first ride on 2015 Honda MotoGP bike in test session at Sepang in Malaysia
AUSTRALIA’S Jack Miller has had his first taste of Honda’s new customer MotoGP machine that he will race in 2015 — and he loves it.
JACK Miller has had his first taste of the MotoGP machine he will race in 2015 — and he loves it.
The 19-year-old Australian had his first ride of Honda’s new customer MotoGP bike, the RC213V-RS, in the first of a three day test session at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia.
The bike is the answer to Honda being soundly trounced by the customer Yamaha and Ducati bikes in the season just gone, packing more horsepower and an improved chassis and electronics.
For Miller, who had his initial MotoGP test on the 2014 bike in Spain, the difference was immediately obvious.
“The bike is still incredible,” Miller said.
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“I’m really happy with the power it has and so to ride it here in Malaysia and be able to use its full potential is great.”
One of four MotoGP riders testing at the circuit, Miller clocked up 39 laps on the bike before a standard Malaysian afternoon shower curtailed the opening day.
The bigger, faster and more open Sepang circuit gave Miller his first true impression of what a MotoGP bike can really do.
“It is a completely different style here compared to Valencia,” he explained.
“It was actually quite a difficult day because the bike was slipping and spinning up quite a lot with there not being many bikes out on track.
“By the end of the day, though, I started to really enjoy myself. I’m learning more and more how to adapt my style to the CWM LCR Honda, and how to set it up a bit better.”
Miller will complete two more days of testing before MotoGP’s winter testing ban comes into effect on December 1, with the next round of testing not scheduled until February next year.
He will use the time to undergo surgery to remove four loose screws in his shoulder — a legacy of a Moto3 crash at Indianapolis in 2013 — to ensure he is fighting fit for his MotoGP debut.
Originally published as Jack Miller takes first ride on 2015 Honda MotoGP bike in test session at Sepang in Malaysia