Kawasaki wrap up test

Michael Rutter and Stuart Easton have completed their first full test of their 2007 bikes, at the Guadix track in Spain.

Rutter’s three days on the ZX-10R he will race this year were hampered by blowing the race engine the team had prepped for the test, with the experienced star using a stock engine for the remainder of the test with new race-spec engines still being built up at the MSS Discovery team’s UK base.

The bike featured Showa forks and Ohlins rear suspension for the test, but will be Ohlins front and rear by the start of the season.

Despite spending much of the test on what was effectively a Superstock bike on slicks, Rutter was upbeat and said: “This was meant just to be a shakedown for me to get back up to speed and to get things in the right places for my riding position – so to feel this good about it already is great.

“It was clear where the bike’s strengths lie even with the stock engine. It feels incredibly nimble, yet very stable in a straight line and under braking.

“The race engine felt really strong, very promising given that we’ve got a lot of development ahead of us. I can do things with this bike.

“I’m really happy with the team and we know it’s going to be tough and we are under no false illusions, but we are in good shape with lots more to come from the bike.”

Back in the British series from World Supersport, and after several seasons on Ducati V-twins, ex-champ Easton is getting used to a high- revving four aboard the team’s ZX-6R, and told MCN: “I thought it would take a lot longer to get used to the four after all the time I have spent on twins.

“I was initially surprised at how strong the engine is, and I can see where I was losing out aboard the Ducati. I can be much more aggressive in corners as it changes direction so easily too.”

The MSS team have been joined at Guadix by the rest of the major BSB teams who have travelled there from Almeria where they finished three days of testing yesterday.

MSS’s Guadix time has ended, so will not share the track with them.