Racing

Aprilia RSV4 Allowed to Use Gear Driven Camshaft Motor in World Superbike Racing

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World Superbike has clarified its position after teams lodged a complaint against Aprilia for the team’s use of a gear-driven camshaft motor during the practice session at the Phillip Island WSBK stop. Despite the fact that the gear-driven camshaft is a publicly available upgrade to the RSV4 motor, and was not specially outlawed in WSBK regulations, other teams in the paddock threw a fit when they got word that Aprilia was testing the motor while in Australia, and planned to use it in Portimao.

Not wanting to be on the wrongside of the rules, Aprilia refrained from using the technology at Portimao, but it looks like WSBK’s clarification of Rule 2.4.8 would have left the Italian team in the clear, with a caveat.

In its clarifcation the Commission explained that Rule 2.4.8 only prohibits the changing of the valve control, regardless of what type of gear control is used in the motor. Therefore the gear-driven camshaft would have been legal for Biaggi and Camier to race with, both at Phillip Island and Portimao (and presumably next weekend’s stop in Valencia),

However despite this ruling, the WBSK Commission has put a moratorium on the device until after WSBK’s stop in the United States at Miller Motorsports Park. This move comes after discussions between the Commission and the motorcycle manufacturers. Rival teams seem very suspicious of Aprilia after its double victory in Portimao, and are also lobbying that both Biaggi and Camier’s bikes be inspected after every race, despite how the pair finishes.

Source: Two Wheels Blog

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