BSB: Forés after first Honda test: 'Better than I expected!'

Former World Superbike star Xavi Forés has admitted he was surprised by Honda’s CBR1000RR in BSB-spec after getting a first taste of the machine he’ll campaign in the 2019 Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Monteblanco last week.

Forés switches from World Superbikes to BSB next year after penning a deal with the Louth-based factory Honda effort, and first tried the BSB-spec machine alongside new team-mate Andrew Irwin at the Spanish track.

Finishing 2018 as the top independent team rider in WSB, Forés insists he’s riding better than he ever has and is determined to make a success of his BSB switch.

“Honestly, the test was better than I expected,” the Spaniard told MCN.

“I felt so good on the bike, especially given it was the first test and my first time riding a four-cylinder machine since 2012.

“I started the test trying to understand the bike without traction and wheelie control, but we also made a lot of changes to the bike to try and understand which direction to go in.

“It was good, every change we made we could work out whether it was positive or negative and we managed to make quite a lot of progress for the first test. I was quite impressed with the Honda by the end.”

For more on Forés’ first impressions, pick up Wednesday’s MCN.