From a press release issued by Aprilia Racing Press Information:

Jerez de la Frontera (Spain)
Private Tests
2/3/4 December 2002

Tuesday 3 Dec 02

RS Cube put through second day of private tests at Jerez

Another very positive day of “winter” tests for the RS Cube from the Racing Department of Noale. Colin Edwards is still learning his way around the three-cylinder MotoGP bike from Aprilia and is making huge strides forward each day of testing. Today he sliced a second off yesterday’s fast-lap time, even though the aim of these tests is certainly not so much the fast lap as getting a perfect feeling for a bike the Texan has only just started riding. The entire Aprilia workgroup dedicated to the MotoGP project, and managed by Ing. Gigi dall’Igna, worked hard to complete today’s programme successfully. Stability and balance, and calibration of the suspension were the focus of attention, but considerable work was also carried out to optimise power delivery from an engine that Colin highly appreciates. He was able to take immediate advantage of the work carried out on his bike.

“We – and I personally – are making enormous progress” said a satisfied Colin Edwards. “Work’s going flat out and you can sure see the results. In such an intense and delicate period of work, it would be almost surprising if there weren’t at least one slide. I was trying out a different steering angle, but from the saddle I could see I wasn’t getting the feeling or the advantage I was expecting. And that’s when I went down – with no harm to myself or to the bike. No problem. Power delivery’s fine, and it’s already much improved since the first tests here in Jerez a few days ago. The bike’s adapting much better to my style of riding and the throttle’s extraordinarily smooth. It’s taking me rather long to get up to the right tyre temperature but it’s good to know that it’ll be hot when we come here for the race and I’ll have much more grip on the tarmac. After these first two days of tests, I feel I’m pretty sure I’ve still got some leeway: I’d say I’ve still got 4/5 tenths in my wrist, but I haven’t made use of it as I don’t know the bike perfectly yet, and what we’re really doing here at these tests is trying to get a perfect feeling for the Cube.”

Colin Edwards – Aprilia RS3 – 1:44.1