Ryan Farquhar back in premier class action after two-year absence

Ryan Farquhar back in premier class action after two-year absence - Printable Version

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Ryan Farquhar back in premier class action after two-year absence - Malcolm - 31-03-2015

Ryan Farquhar completed his first laps on a 1000cc machine since August 2013 as the most successful Irish national road racer of all time participated in a short test at Kirkistown on Monday.

The 39-year-old is returning to the premier class this season for the first time in two years and will ride Kawasaki ZX-10Rs in the Superbike and Superstock classes, with the Scarborough meetings, the North West 200, Isle of Man TT and Armoy featuring on the Dungannon rider’s provisional 2015 schedule.

Farquhar last rode a ZX-10R in anger at the Mid-Antrim 150 in 2013 when he completed a number of practice laps to improve the set-up of the bike for Jamie Hamilton prior to the feature Superbike race of the day.

Before that, his last race in the blue riband class was at the Skerries 100 in 2o12, when Farquhar won the Grand Final after a fiercely contested race with Michael Dunlop.

Poor weather limited Farquhar’s time on the ZX-10R Superstock machine but he did at least manage to get a feel for the ‘big bike’ again after a lengthy absence.

“I only managed a handful of laps and then the rain came on and it was track time that I was badly needing, especially on the big bike. The last time I rode a ZX-10 was at the Mid-Antrim 150 a few years ago when I did a few practice laps to get the bike set up for Jamie [Hamilton],” Farquhar said.

“I was riding okay but the last person who rode the bike was Danny Webb at the TT last year and the way it was set up was a mile off for me, so I had to make a couple of drastic changes.

“It started to feel like my bike but when the rain came on I had to knock it on the head. I’m still waiting on a few bits and pieces coming for my Superbike and I’m still working to try and finish off some of the Supertwins.

“There’s no point in starting with the Superbike until I have the other bikes sorted and I’d rather have everything sitting there that I need.”

Farquhar’s first race this season will be at the Ian Watson Spring Cup meeting in Scarborough from April 11-12 before he lines up at the Tandragee 100 on the first Saturday in May, but he may have to wait for his maiden outing on his KMR/SGS Kawasaki Superbike until the North West 200.

“I’ll do well to have the Superbike ready for Tandragee but I’ll take the Superstock bike anyway and it’ll be plenty for a run out around there,” he said.

“It could well be the North West 200 before I get out on the Superbike but around Scarborough and Tandragee I’m not too worried because really it’s about getting track time on the ‘thousand’ and if I don’t have the Superbike ready until the North West I’m not too concerned.

“If I can’t get the new ’stocker the way I want it exactly then I’ll bring out my old Superstock bike and that’s my back-up plan, but I want to give the new bike a chance first. The new model of the ZX-10R came out in 2011 but I always preferred the old model that first came out in 2008 and it’s one of the bikes I had most of my success on, even winning quite a few Superbike races on it,” he added.

“I still have the old bike and if it comes to the bit that I can’t get the new one the way I want it then I’ll go out on the old one.”

Farquhar had been hoping to test again on Tuesday at Kirkistown alongside the Mar-Train Yamaha team but with poor weather forecast the shakedown has been put on hold until later in the week, weather permitting.

Kyle White