Repsol Honda stand-in rider Jonathan Rea was wary of the unsettled rules in MotoGP and said they were a contributing factor in his decision to remain with Ten Kate in World Superbikes for 2013 and not make a move into the premier class where bosses are trying to introduce a control ECU in the neat future.

The Isle of Man resident will partner Leon Haslam in the newly-branded Pata Honda team and says that guarantees of improved power for the Fireblade - something Rea believes is vital - was another major factor in his thought processes.

Cosworth and Ten Kate will continue to develop the WSBK engines and electronics but Rea said Honda will have more input. It is believed that HRC will be providing the software but Rea says he doesn't know whether that is absolutely the case.

"Every year we have made a small improvement over the off season. Last year we got a lot of guarantees from our engine partners Cosworth and also Ten Kate, who are still developing engines, that they could find us a lot of power but I really think they underestimated the job Ten Kate had been doing so far," said Rea, speaking at Aragon this evening.

"Basically, I think there is a lot more investment in terms of time, resources and money into the engine project which is a big thing for me. Team-mates aren't a benchmark anymore because in the last three years they have been nowhere but for me, I need a bike to be able to safely pass guys on the straight because when all the bikes are so close, and you have a bike which loses two or three tenths sometimes, like in Salt Lake or Monza, it's impossible to compete.

"It's my goal, and the team's goal, to bridge that gap. We also have a lot of guarantees on the electronics side which I am excited about. With these packages in place, I'd much rather race at the front of Superbike, and I want to be world champion there, than come into a very unsettled atmosphere here.

"I've been lucky I have sampled MotoGP at the very top and what I have learned here, even in a few tests, I have been able to improve myself and take that back and apply it to the machine we already have.

"Superbike is very stable right now. We're suffering with the economic climate but already, Superbike teams can plan two and three years down the line because they can invest big money in electronics without being scared next year it is out of date.

"What I don't like about this series (MotoGP), the CRT level isn't high enough, without being disrespectful to them. It's two races one, that's not exciting as part of this world - you might as well take a touring car to F1."