By Banbridge’s Shaun Anderson, thirteenth TT Races expedition sees him take on new challenges in all solo classes.
Firstly, the 1000cc races, brings a new partnership with Rico Penzkofer’s IRRC title winning Penz 13.com team and BMW’s M1000RR model.
The past four TT’s, racing GSXR-1000 Suzuki tackle for Hawk Racing and Team Classic Suzuki, he admits it is a learning process with new big-bike equipment.
“We got quite a few tests, three days in Rijeka, Croatia, two days in most, Czech Republic where the World Superbikes ride, so still learning my way with the BMW, long time associated with a previous manufacturer, things still seem new and fresh, just have to learn to like trust it and ride into it a bit more.
It has a proven pedigree, so it’s now for me to try and adapt and step my game up to that and hopefully we will, I think we will get there. But, there’s a few things that are in the muscle memory from riding the Suzuki of how it rides, maybe some of its short comings.
I said yesterday to the guys, we went up to Crosby Jump, the Suzuki has a particularly pronounced sort of nose high fairing on it and then the wind tends to get on it, so you usually got quite a big wheelie over it, so you had to take a bit more of a roll.
And this thing with such big wings and the shape of it, took the usual roll, it did not even lift the front wheel, I’m sure the spectators went, guy is very slow over there. But there is so many new differences on the first lap out around there.
Even though we had a good testing program, testing at a circuit does not mean a whole lot, the first time you ride down the hill, your like everything we’ve done is for recognition of like, were the bike, how it fits but it does not equate a whole lot when it comes to this track.”
Moving onto Supersport apparatus, the Stanford Racing 750 Suzuki, last year’s Tandragee 100 Man of The Meeting, said:
“I was sad to leave the Butterfields boys, we had initially, had plans to do something with them this year, then Kevin from Stanford came in with a very good deal for me, which I could not really turn down.
It’s a very similar spec bike to last year, it’s-actually, sort of the sister bike to Josh Brookes bike. It was built by the Team Classic guys and for Stanford. One bike was bike for Al at Uggly & Co for Josh to ride and one bike was built for me, so they were brand new box fresh bikes that were brought in from America, and you can feel, everything is really taught and fresh on it.
But Kevin has been a dream to have come on board, he is very easy to work with, anything we sort of wish for, he flew in yesterday and he was just like, is everything ok, do we need anything.
So, in terms of it, it’s just been a very easy run throughout and in terms of the 750, it is year three on a 750 here, so it is like pulling on an old set of slippers.
We have had a change in suspension manufacturer, last year we were on K-Tech and this year we are on Ohlins, so there is a couple of wee nuisances in terms of just finding our feet, everybody’s bikes are built slightly differently with different bodywork, different seats and foot rests, manufacturers and stuff like that so just fine tuning wee details like that.”
Having initially not planned to enter the newly implemented for 2026, Sportbike class, the 130 Mph Club member had a change of mind, post a chat with Moto Twelve Racing Team Owner, six times TT podium finisher Eddie Roberts, resulting in him now campaigning a 675SR-R CF Moto.
“I had not really planned on being in the Sportbike class and Eddie messaged me one night and said how are you fixed for a ride and I said Well I haven’t actually put anything in.
He said, would you be interested, so his workshops are sort of in Donington direction, which is only sort of only half an hour up the road from me because I’m south of Leicester now.
Went over, kicked some tyres and talked some motorbikes and we came to an agreement. The Sportbikes, obviously it is going to be a big learning year for us.
No one has any data on a Sportbike around here, that is going to be part of the process. I think if you look at Dom’s (Dominic Herbertson) result on the Sportbike at the Northwest, we are in for an uphill struggle shall we say against the Super Twins.”
“I think there is to my knowledge, there is some relaxation of the rules around the Sportbikes, that is currently happening. We haven’t been officially informed but the paddock gossip has it some of the Sportbike restrictions may be being lifted for at least for other manufacturers, I don’t think it will benefit us as greatly.
I think we’ll just have to see how that one shakes out but it is nice to be involved with another new manufacturer at the TT and hopefully I will do a good job for them boys, that they learn a lot and we will see we’re we are and then when it goes to full Sportbike next year, as far as I understand what’s planned, then we can see were we go from there.”
Words by Stevie Rial #dontletfearcontrolyou
