Belfast Newsletter
Ulster road racing stalwart Ryan Farquhar will return to the Superbike class at the North West 200 and Isle of Man for the first time in three years in 2015.
The Dungannon man – the most successful National road racer of all time – told the News Letter he is back in training after confirming he will build a high-spec Kawasaki ZX-10R Superbike for the roads in addition to running his old Kawasaki Superstock machine and a new ER6 Supertwin.
The 38-year-old quit the sport after his uncle, Trevor Ferguson, was killed in a crash at the Manx Grand Prix in 2012.
He managed his own team in 2013 but returned to action last season in a smaller capacity, making selected appearances in the Supertwin class and riding Roger Winfield’s classic Yamaha and Paton machines.
However, Farquhar says limited track time left him playing catch up in the Supertwin races at the North West and TT and decided it was ‘all or nothing’ this season.
“It was all or nothing because to go back to the North West and TT with just the one bike is a waste of time,” he said.
“My intentions last year were to just do a few classic races and ride the Supertwin at selected races but it left me badly on the back foot.
“It was a big disadvantage because I wasn’t bike fit and I was just banging my head against the wall really,” he added.
“I’m back in training again and I haven’t trained in years, so you can take out of that what you want! I’m not going out there to waste tyres and fuel.”
Farquhar has pencilled in the Tandragee 100 meeting in May, plus the North West 200, the Isle of Man TT, Armoy on July 25 and possibly the Southern 100.
His main backers this season include SGS International and Manx Gas.
Cheshire’s Conor Behan will again ride a Supertwin in the KMR Kawasaki colours, with Jeremy McWilliams back on board in the 650cc class at the North West and possibly Armoy.
Farquhar and McWilliams will fly to Australia next Sunday to participate in the International Island Classic meeting at Phillip Island, returning on February 1.
