By Five times event winner Richard Cooper is anticipating tight tussles for Supersport, Super Twin honours in May’s Briggs Equipment Northwest 200.
Last year’s National Sportbike Champion, 2025 NW200 machines package, focuses as in recent years on apparatus made possible thanks to Ryan Farquhar’s KMR Kawasaki (Jack Reid Cars title sponsor), Alister Russell’s Boyce Precision Engineering by Russell Racing Yamaha squads.
Summing up his thoughts on next month’s international road racing spectacular, the diminutive rider, who before technical gremlins, contended last month for Daytona 200 glory, stated:
“I’ve no reason to change teams this year. They are both great teams that give me everything I want and make my life easier as I am coming here knowing I will have the same package.
The new rules allow these other bikes on to the grid now and there is no hiding the advantages they have but we are still competitive, and we just, have-to deal with the situation by making improvements ourselves.
We can make little bits of improvement with our bikes and, also with myself. It is still possible to win but I have-to use the strengths of my bike and not focus on the weaknesses.
For instance, in the Supersport class the Ducati has more torque than my Yamaha R6, with more punch out of the corners.
But it probably doesn’t have the top end speed of my bike. So, I have-to make sure that I make my bike work better, carry more corner speed and avoid getting jammed up in the slower corners.”
Cooper who recently reacquainted himself with the Triangle course, looking at the changes to the University Corner to Ballysally ‘Magic’ Roundabout section (changes due to cycle lane implementation), went onto add:
“The Northwest 200 is a big event for me and with both of my teams based here in Ireland it is more cost effective to ride here.
It is getting harder every year but if I have a chance of getting on to the podium then I have a chance of winning. I won a Supersport race here last year and that is, in my view, the hardest race to win at the Northwest.
I’d love to win another one this year. But it almost always comes down to Juniper chicane on the last lap and I’ll be very surprised if that isn’t the same this year!”
Quotes courtesy of Stephen Davison.
Photo courtesy of Stephen Davison.
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
