HRC or Honda Racing Corporation which runs Honda’s MotoGP operations had in the past conducted a shakedown of next year’s bike which incorporates a 1,000cc engine instead of the 800cc that it uses presently. But at that event none of the GP riders were there. Casey Stoner has now become the first rider to test the new for next year bike. Usually it is Honda’s long time rider who gets the chance to do such things, but due to his injury this year the responsibility seems to have fallen on Stoner.