With the first rounds of the 2009 World Superbike Championship about to commence on 1 March at Phillip Island in Australia, the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team successfully completed its two-day test at the circuit and is now looking forward to the first race of the year. During the two days there was a mixture of sunshine and cloud, together with strong winds on day one. But although there were a few spots of rain on the first day, the track remained dry throughout.
Rider Troy Corser finished the test early after a collision with a bird early in the afternoon of day two. He was going about 230kph (140mph) when he hit the bird, and the force of the impact on Troy’s left bicep was enough to wrench his hand off the handlebar. Somehow he managed to keep the control of the bike and not crash, but doctors advised him to sit out the rest of the day. Second rider, Ruben Xaus, continued his learning curve and was happy with his BMW S1000RR by the end of the test.
Troy Corser (97 laps, best lap 1:32.9)
“The tests went very well, but it’s a shame I had to finish early because we still had lots more to try out. But I guess I’m lucky I didn’t crash and hurt myself badly when I hit the bird. I’m really not sure how I managed to stay on the bike, because it’s not easy when you’ve only got one hand on the bars, but somehow I was able to recover. I’d seen the bird on the track and tried to avoid it by going up the inside. But instead of staying put, or flying away from my bike, it flew up in front of me. Hitting a large bird at over 230kph is like hitting a brick wall, so I’m lucky my injury isn’t worse.
“We’ve learnt a lot in these two days and I’ve been able to get a better idea of how the bike works in different conditions and set-ups. What I can say though, is that my S1000RR feels as good as any other bike I’ve ever ridden round here.
Ruben (114 laps, best lap 1:33.5)
Generally, I’m happy with the test and how it went. It’s been good to get more kilometres under my belt. I’m getting used to the S1000RR and it’s becoming more comfortable for me. We’ve done a lot of work here and made good progress, so I’m pleased about our prospects for next weekend.
We tried many different set-ups and have given the technicians lots to think about. Now we need to put everything together and keep on improving, but I’m confident this team will get better each time we go to the racetrack.