TAG Racing’s Dan Linfoot is looking forward to getting back on a Honda Fireblade after a difficult time with the Yamaha R1 and is intrigued to see how much has changed since he rode the last incarnation.

Linfoot was a works Honda man for three years from 2015 but then switched to the TAG Yamaha but serious and ultimately unsolveable chatter issues saw him stop racing for the team halfway through the 2020 season on the proviso that he would return in 2021 on a different brand.

“This started right at the end of 2019 when I was struggling with the chatter. At the end of the season, we had a conversation about changing manufacturer and at that point I said it would be the best thing but they were a long way down the line with the 2020 Yamaha,” Linfoot told bikesportnews.com.

“When last season they decided to stop and let me race in Superstock, they said that if I agreed to ride for them next season on a different manufacturer, I could do what I liked.

“I was happy to give my commitment then because they needed a rider to secure the funding to change brand and I set a meeting up between Rob (Winfield) and Harv (Beltran) to see if we could get some support from Honda.

“Rob was happy when he came out of the meeting with a support package and that was it. As soon as that support was made available, their minds were made up - especially as the bike was so strong out of the box last year.”

Linfoot was a podium sitter on the older bike but both he and team-mate Jason O’Halloran struggled with the aggressive bottom end of the bike. The new bike is a little softer, by all accounts, but has plenty of top speed as the WorldSBK riders have shown.

Already the Superstock bike is something like ten horsepower more on the dyno than my Superbike was. I haven’t ridden it yet, even the road bike, but from what I can see, it looks like a big step up,” Linfoot added.

“I am pleased to be on a Honda but I’m intrigued to see what it’s like to compared with the old one. I think we will at least begin the season with what Andrew and Glenn finished last season on or potentially one or two steps further on with winter development.

“I’m confident to start on a bike that is capable of being where we know we can be.”