By Triangle course leviathan Richard Cooper, sixth Briggs Equipment Northwest 200 exploration sees him elect for pastures new in terms of Super Twin, Sportbike tackle.
The Nottingham rider since 2022 has raced one of Ryan Farquhar’s KMR Kawasaki Twins, enjoying persistent success with the most winning Duke Road Race Rankings Championship rider in history, racking up five wins, seven podium finishes.
Stating why the time is right for a new project astride works, Powerslide Suzuki machinery (Suzuki’s latest GSX8R incarnation) ran by fellow NW200 racer Brad Clarke, the twice National Superstock 1000 Champion said:
“We understand the difficulty in keeping the ER6 competitive each year. It is becoming more-and-more difficult for Ryan to work against the new bikes that are coming along, bikes with bigger ‘cc’ engines.
It is a difficult task that costs money, time and effort so we have come to the decision to go our separate ways, amicably.”
Cooper who has already claimed in his NW200 racing career, more event wins (seven) than the likes of John McGuinness MBE, Mick Grant, Ian Simpson, issued a forthright viewpoint on the Sportbike class.
“In my opinion it is where the class is going in the future. Being the first person to make the jump to the Sportbike category is an important one. Equally, it is a risky one.
But I do believe we will be on a competitive bike and hopefully keep my podium presence.
This will be me returning with Suzuki, yes, in a different class, but I think one of equal importance to the manufacturer and a step towards the future as to what is going to happen with this class.”
Briefly chatting about pending May Supersport race tussles (apparatus not official – either trusty R6 Yamaha, next generation R9 Yamaha) with suitors for the fourth consecutive year, Oliver’s Mount Steve Henshaw Gold Cup winners, Russell Racing, the diminutive pilot stated:
“I will be sticking with the team, there is no reason to change, and it will definitely be on a Yamaha.”
Quotes courtesy of Stephen Davison.
Photo courtesy of Stephen Davison.
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
