Milwaukee Aprilia’s Eugene Laverty has switched to a 2013 frame for his factory RSV4 in order to get back some of the feel and pace he had with the bike last time he rode it.

The frame, which was carried on a plane as luggage by team boss Mick Shanley, has bracing around the headstock which should stiffen the feeling and remove some of the flex Laverty says he can feel at the limit.

It is still homologated under current WorldSBK rules so completely legal. It is believes that team-mate Lorenzo Savadori also has one.