Heckles joins the Brits in WSB

Liverpool rider Mark Heckles, 25, will ride a kit-bike Honda VTR SP-2 for the Rumi Honda team in WSB in 2002 in a one-rider team.

The kit bike is a far cry from the uncompetitive kit-bikes that were seen in the BSB series in 2000 and are said to be on a performance level with the 2001 bike Colin Edwards had.

A delighted Heckles who raced in the European superstock series on a Rumi Honda FireBlade in 2001 said: " I can hardly believe this. I was worried about getting another ride this year because I am too old to race in Superstock again but Oscar Rumi wanted to keep me on. "

He joins Brits Neil Hodgson, James Toseland and Chris Walker in WSB.