"I'm really happy with the Kalex bike… Basically I rode the bike as it was supplied, yet it felt good and the lap times on the first day came fairly easy" – Scott Redding.
Marc VDS Moto2 riders Scott Redding and Mike Kallio got mileage on their new Kalex machinery during the three-day at Valencia last week.
Despite rain disrupting two of the days, both claimed to have very positive impressions of the German chassis. Marc VDS has used Suter frames for the past two seasons.
Redding recorded the third fastest lap time, on the opening day, which was also the first time the 18-year-old Briton had tested the Kalex Moto2 machine.
With track conditions deteriorating on the second and third day of the test, Redding switched his focus to refining a wet set-up on the bike and addressing some minor clutch issues.
"I'm really happy with the Kalex bike," said Redding, eighth in the b2010 championship but only 15th this year. "We changed very little during this test, basically I rode the bike as it was supplied, yet it felt good and the lap times on the first day came fairly easy.
"The bike is physically bigger, so I can get tucked in easier, and it turns in really well, which is a problem we've had in previous seasons. It's already competitive, but I know we can improve things further once we really get to work on the set-up. Although the weather here has been a bit hit and miss, overall the three days have been extremely positive for us."
Former
MotoGP rider Kallio, now confirmed as staying with the Marc VDS for 2012, also enjoyed his first full test aboard the Kalex.
The 29-year-old Finn set the seventh fastest time on the opening day, but improved his lap time by half a second on the third and final day (when he was fourth quickest behind Gino Rea, Claudio Corti and Redding) despite tricky track conditions.
"Overall the three days of testing with the new bike were very positive, although we were a little unlucky with the weather," said Kallio, who took his first Moto2 rostrum in the Valencia finale.
