HONDA
125 RS Grand Prix / Loris Capirossi - 1991
A young Turk
The Italian rider Loris
Capirossi was only 16 – the minimum qualifying age for 125cc racing – at the
start of the 1990-91 Grand Prix season. But he showed no signs of inexperience
and soon won his first Grand Prix on the British Donington circuit, which made
him the youngest rider ever to have won a Grand Prix. He topped that
achievement by ending the season as the youngest-ever World Champion – and won
the 1991-92 championship, too!
Racing Cinderellas
Sadly, of the four world
championship categories, most attention is paid to the 500cc and 350cc classes,
while sidecars and 125s tend to be given the Cinderella treatment. It's a pity,
because some of the most intense neck-and-neck racing takes place in the 125cc
championship events.
European Challenge
It's largely the domain of
young European riders, who look all set to challenge the American and
Australian domination of the 500cc class in the future. The dominant marque is
Honda – the only Japanese make still competing in this category – whose leading
team is the Italian Pileri equipe, with Loris Capirossi and Fausto Gresini as
riders. Their Honda RS bikes are closely related to the off-the-peg version,
developing the equivalent of 328 hp/liter with a top speed of over 125 mph.
Pileri's chief rivals are the Italian Aprilia of Gramigni, with its Austrian
Rotax engine, and the Spanish Derbi of Gianola.
SPECIFICATIONS
Engine: water-cooled 125cc (54x54.5
mm) single-cylinder two-stroke
Power Rating: 41 hp@ 13,800
rpm
Valves: automatic inlet valves
Fuel System: 39.5mm carburetor
Transmission: dry-plate
clutch, 6-speed gearbox
Suspension: (front) inverted
telescopic fork; (rear) single swinging arm
Brakes: disk (front / rear)
Wheels: cast alloy, 2.15x17 (front)
/ 3.00x17 (rear)
Weight: 165 lb
Maximum Speed: more than 125
mph
Loris Capirossi finished third in the first race of the 1991 season, the
Japanese Grand Prix, riding this Honda 125 RS.
|