Laverty making progress on new 17-inch tyre sizes
For some - like fastest man of the test Tom Sykes on the official Kawasaki - the transition was immediate and fruitful. For some others, depending on a number of factors, it took a little more time to get close to the limits of the new technical developments in wheels and tyres.
Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing) was one of these to start with, the Irishman finding a big change in character and feel from his bike as soon as the 17-inch alloy wheels were fitted. Given a little time he and his team found improvements and he was happy that there should be even more to come soon.
Speaking on the last of three days of testing Laverty said, "We got the 17s working yesterday and we made a step this morning that allowed me to go a wee bit faster. It was allowing me to force the front to feel the limit rather than losing the front. There is still more to come from the front in turning and this tyre can take a lot. The bike turns really sharp at the front." Laverty also evaluated three designs of rear swingarm in the Aragon test.
Eugene was one of the nine individual race winners that made the 2012 championship so unpredictable and exciting and he is back in place with the works Aprilia team for the 2013 championship.
