Kawasaki's 2009 World Superbike schedule will continue as planned despite the news this morning the factory is to pull the plug on their MotoGP effort with immediate effect.

In an official statement, Kawasaki said they would continue with production-based motorcycle racing and that has been backed today by Paul Bird, whose team is running Kawasaki's WSB assault.

Speaking exclusively to bikesportnews.com, Bird said: "We were never nervous about it. Kawasaki sent 11 people to our official test at Almeria and were very pleased with what they saw.

"We are all happy, the boys are working flat out on the bikes and our new workshop is all but finished. The team will move into it after the first two fly away rounds."