BSB: Mackenzie 'loving every second' of Bennetts Suzuki debut

National Superstock 1000 Champion Taylor Mackenzie says he ‘loved every second’ of his debut ride on the Bennetts Suzuki superbike at Cartagena yesterday.

The 24-year-old got his first run out on the all new Suzuki GSX-R at the Spanish circuit after missing the team’s last minute shakedown test at Mallory Park last week. Mackenzie was instantly impressed with the bike, lapping quicker around the Cartagena circuit than he ever has before as he began to familiarise himself with being back on a machine without electronic rider aids such as traction control.

“On my first run out I did my fastest ever lap around here, faster than I went last year on my stock bike so that’s a good start for us really,” he told MCN at the track. “The biggest thing for me is riding without traction control after a year in superstock, but I think you turn it down that much in racing it’s not been a massive difference at all.

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“I’ve loved every second of it. The bike feels like no other superbike I’ve ridden. It’s so nimble and fast it’s more like riding a little bike than a big bike. It almost feels slow, it doesn’t sound fast or anything but you get behind any other bike and it’s just as fast if not quicker so I think it’s got a lot of potential. 

“I was talking to Michael Dunlop and after spending a bit of time on the bike, between us we think there are some tracks where we could have a bit of an advantage. The power delivery is just so smooth and usable.”

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