MSS Bathams Kawasaki men Michael Rutter and Peter Hickman will begin their British Superbike pre-seaosn testing programme at the Spanish Alcarras track today with team boss Nick Morgan already focusing on getting the new and compulsory Motec electronics right from day one.
The team ran Gary Mason on a full 2012-spec bike for the last couple of rounds in 2011 so should be ahead of the game in terms of dialling in the new software but the two riders will need to get in plenty of laps to figure out how tyre life has changed without traction control. Superstock rider Leon Hunt and Sandra Stammova are also at the circuit.
“It’s great to get out testing in Spain and all the better to get three intensive days on circuit. Our Superbike riders are experienced enough to give us good feedback on new components but the good news is we aren’t starting from scratch as the bike had been run in this 2012 engine spec in some BSB rounds last year, so we know the base parameters," said Morgan, who will once again be challenging for the A20 GP Cup this year after coming a close second in 2011.
"We’ll be working on understanding the one-spec Motec ECU that will affect tyre life with no traction control. Both Leon and Sandra raced a Kawasaki in Superstock last year and will be ready to step it up for this season, on a bike we all know is very competitive in this class. Finally, before we get down to business a big thank you to the guys from Bathams Brewery who have stepped up to become title sponsors of the team. Obviously we’re still based out of Colchester Kawasaki which is now owned by Motorcycles Direct and I think we’ll always be associated with the city, so we’ll never lose that link just with a name change."
