2008
For 2008, HRC planned to use pneumatic valve springs and an all-new chassis. The mass centralization of the 2007 model was thought to have gone too far, and instead the 2008 model is more open, reducing heat and improving balance. The factory team riders are Pedrosa (through 2009) and Hayden (through 2008). Satellite team riders are Nakano, Andrea Dovizioso, Randy de Puniet and Alex de Angelis.
The 2008 pneumatic valve version has only been available to the Repsol Honda team, and in pre-season testing it has been highly problematic. The original intent of running an all-new engine and chassis was shelved when the engine did not perform to expectations. Pedrosa and Hayden then tested a 2007 engine in a 2008 chassis, and after still being near the bottom of testing timesheets, the Repsol Honda team used the 2007 version in the first round’s practice for comparison purposes. For the race, Pedrosa chose a revised 2008 chassis while Hayden chose the 2007. The pneumatic engine was race-debuted by Hayden at the Donington round, and he was charged with developing the new engine for the rest of the season (Pedrosa deciding to continue using the conventional valve engine). An electronic problem at the subsequent Assen round caused Hayden to run out of fuel just before the line, allowing Colin Edwards to come around him and take the remaining podium position.
At the 13th round it was announced that Pedrosa would switch to Bridgestone tires for the remainder of the season, and he also planned to start racing the pneumatic valved engine in the 14th round at Indianapolis.
Unlike the other Honda teams, de Puniet's Team LCR used Öhlins suspension instead of Showa.
Read more about this topic: Honda RC212V