The Pons Kalex Moto2 motorcycle displays superior performance in the hands of drivers Axel Pons and Sergio Gadea at the Gran Premio bwin de Españia Jerez Circuit in early May.
With Sergio Gadea placing 6th and Axel Pons not finishing, the finish-line results did not seem to bode well for the new bike. But, from the mouths of both drivers, the bikes were not at fault, and in fact they helped provide both drivers with a smooth and stable experience, allowing Gadea to place as high as 6th place.
"I had a good start and laid a good first lap, but then I began to lose positions. When I was about to find my rhythm, I made a mistake, I braked for a bend too late and went to ground. What a pity!,” proclaimed Gadea on the incident that put him in the 15th position, only to later recover at an amazing pace and place himself at 6th place. Alexander Baumgärterl, a designer of Kalex Engineering, explained his view of the bike: “…aero-dynamics seem to be very good, as both riders (especially for Axel, who is pretty tall) end up [reaching] top speeds at the top range of the [specifications]….”
The bike itself boasts a lightweight and durable Aluminum frame designed to provide the highest quality in strength, an Ohlins steering dampener, Magnesium wheels, Brembo 290mm front and 200mm rear brake disks, and a LeoVince full titanium exhaust system. Sascha Hommel, currently team Yamaha’s racer, mentions his experience with the bike’s superior handling and steering/suspension systems: “Whether you are turning in too tight or too fast, it always gives great confidence in the front wheel. The Moto2 [bike] gives you much more feedback than standard framework, which gets tangled more easily than the KALEX Moto2 [bike].”
Despite a mediocre showing in the MotoGP, now attributed to driver fault rather than machine, most everyone involved with the Pons Kalex bike has great confidence in its ability to perform exceedingly well in future races. Diego Silvente, Operations Manger of Pons racing, states, “From the beginning of the season, the bike has been working pretty well and we're very happy with the potential of the bike. Also, we are introducing new solutions to the bike for every race and are very happy with the improvement of our performances.”
At Gran Premio d’Italia Tim Mugello circuit, taking place on June 6th, 2010, Gadea performed far better, crossing the finish line in 2nd place, while Pons failed to finish again. Gadea’s terrific performance can surely be attributed to the Pons Kalex bike, allowing him to redeem his earlier 6th place result.
The Pons Kalex bike has serious potential for future races, as it has already demonstrated a clear ability to out-perform other models, with its exceptional feedback and stability. Future competitors look out: Pons Kalex’s bike is coming, and judging by past performance and user reviews, it’s going to perform superiorly!
