Burly northerner Karl Harris has shaken off a crash during his return to the MCE British Superbike Championship this afternoon, saying it was his first in more than a year and he is happy to be back on a bike and has a deal to remain for the rest of 2012.

Harris slipped off his Quattro Plant Kawasaki at Paddock Hill in today's official test session on the Indy circuit and didn't break his leg as was rumoured by forum dwellers. The forthright Yorkshireman finished 14th in his first ride back and was only just over half a second off the pace.

"I've never raced a Kawasaki in Superbikes and it was really nice to get back on a bike in this championship. I had a bit of an off but it was the first one for more than a year and, to be honest, better to do it here than the TT," said Harris, speaking to bikesportnews.com this evening.

"The session went well until that point, I'm happy. We're not too far away at the moment, the bike feels nice to ride and I think we can do something good with it. I'm looking forward to the big track tomorrow so we can really see what's possible."