Hydrex develop new engine braking system

Hydrex Honda ran a new airbleed system at Silverstone to try and overcome the Honda’s tendency to back into corners.

The team’s technical guru Mick Shanley said: “We’ve more hardware on the bike – solenoids, valves, pipe work. It’s an airbleed system that’s considerably different to what we were running before.”

Stuart Easton added: “The Honda backs in quite a lot and Tower at Croft was a big issue for us. My crew chief PJ (Pete Jennings) and Mick worked on the system all week before Silverstone and it really helped at Copse and Abbey.

“We’ve had to iron out other problems because with this system it seems to affect the bike at low rpm – pushes it on in corners so we’ll have to find-tune that out.

“It’s great to see the team is still continuing to keep pushing – even at this stage of the season. We’re not settling for third, far from it.

“I want to win more races and so do the team and we definitely haven’t given up hope of finishing second in the championship.

Tommy Hill said: “The new engine braking system was a big improvement.  But we had to work on other stuff like getting it better over the bumps – it started to absorb them then it turns to chatter. 

“We also need to work on the throttle connection – the Yamahas are so stable on the gas. I want to be on the gas where they are so we need to work on the fuelling, ignition and traction. 

“Bikes now are like a jigsaw puzzle. Have one missing part and it ruins the whole thing. But if it was easy cricketers would do it!”