Sepang, Malaysia – KTM test rider Brad Binder has pinpointed a persistent vibration issue on his bike during the recent MotoGP pre-season test at Sepang, noting that it’s a problem affecting nearly every team. Despite a long and challenging three-day testing session, Binder remains optimistic about refining the setup ahead of the opening race.
Vibration Issue a Shared Challenge
During the session, Binder experienced significant “chatter” in his KTM, particularly in a few corners, and stressed that his rivals were facing similar problems.
“Definitely, quite a bit, yes,” Binder said. “I think everybody has chatter, to be honest. There are a couple of corners where everybody has it. We are not the only ones.”
While Binder was 11th-fastest on Friday, his teammate Pedro Acosta managed a faster time in sixth. Despite this disparity, Binder reflected on the session positively:
“It’s been a long three days but not a bad three days. We’ve gone through a lot of different configurations, and now we have a better understanding of every area of the bike. The result isn’t what I wanted—I couldn’t put laps together, and it was tricky. But overall, everything else is okay. We’re starting to find a decent direction. If we keep going like this, I think we’ll be in a good spot by the time race day comes.”
Next Steps at Buriram
Looking ahead, Binder and the KTM team are gearing up for the Buriram MotoGP test next week. Binder explained that the current priority is to sift through the test data and compile a race package that will optimize performance for the season’s opening round.
“For the moment, our priority is to look over everything that we’ve tested, take the good bits, put them together, and look for a race package. The way I’d like to do it, in an ideal world, is to play on Day 1. But on Day 2 it’s important to choose everything, then go from there.”
KTM’s focus remains on ensuring that the improvements at Buriram will address not only the vibration issue but also other performance variables such as tyre dynamics and electronic settings. Binder’s determination to refine his bike underscores KTM’s commitment to a competitive start for the season.
As teams continue to fine-tune their machinery in these crucial pre-season tests, all eyes will be on how quickly and effectively KTM can overcome this common hurdle and deliver a package that can compete at the highest level on race day.
