Mar-Train Racing team owner Tim Martin says all the hard work over the winter months is finally beginning to pay off after wrapping up the latest pre-season test at Kirkistown this week.

The team unveiled the its new-look livery on the Yamaha YZF-R1M Superbike and Supersport R6 machines that Dean Harrison will ride this season, with the Bradford prospect joined in the Supersport class by double Isle of Man TT winner Gary Johnson.

Harrison, who clinched his first TT victory last year in the Lightweight race after a stunning runner-up finish in the Superstock event behind Michael Dunlop, will spearhead the Saintfield outfit’s international roads challenge, with Mar-Train overseeing Yamaha UK’s official roads effort in 2015.

Former Grand Prix winner Jeremy McWilliams’ services were acquired by Martin to help with the development of the new R1 machines and with Harrison preparing to make his first roads outing next weekend at the Ian Watson Spring Cup meeting at Oliver’s Mount in Scarborough, Martin has been encouraged by the progress made so far as the team builds towards the Vauxhall International North West 200 next month.

“It has been a challenging few months to be honest. A new model of bike brings its own difficulties in acquiring parts and trying to be race ready in time,” Martin said.

“Yamaha UK have been instrumental in getting us to this point so we cannot thank Karl Radley and the team enough, along with the data collected at the Yamaha Motors Europe test [at Alcarras in Spain] we have achieved a lot in a short space of time.

“We’ve switched to Ohlins suspension for 2015 as well, which meant we also had to develop the Supersport bike. We’ve have been lucky enough however to have Ohlins present at the tests giving us full support,” he added.

“Employing Jeremy to help Dean develop all three machines has accelerated the whole process for us; his experience and development work is unparalleled and is something we aim to avail of throughout the season.


“It has been hard work but very rewarding to see the new R1 on track today [Monday] for the first time in full livery. It isn’t the finished article just yet but to be so far on ahead of the first race of a two-year programme is extremely encouraging.”

The Mar-Train team celebrated its maiden North West 200 victories in 2014 when Alastair Seeley notched a Thursday night double in the Superstock and Supersport races and Martin is confident Harrison and Broughton man Johnson can deliver more silverware on the big stage this year.

The team has switched its focus solely to road racing after three stellar seasons in the British Supersport Championship, with Stuart Easton bagging the title in 2013 while Dublin’s Jack Kennedy and Carrick man Seeley clinched the runner-up spot in the series in 2012 and 2014 respectively, winning a total of 24 races between them.

Harrison, who rode the Mar-Train Yamaha R6 last year in addition to the RC Express Kawasaki machines, said the Superstock version of the new Yamaha was virtually race-ready, although he conceded that more work is required with the R1M Superbike.

“We are working on the superbike now, trying to get it sorted,” Harrison said.

“The ’stocker is ready to go, I could race it tomorrow and I know the R6 after last year so we are going good.”

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