Image: Russell Colvin.

2011 FIM European Superstock 600 Champion Jed Metcher had his second hit-out aboard Rex Wolfenden’s T-Rex Racing Honda Harris F1 at Broadford State Motorcycle Complex yesterday, in preparation for next year’s 23rd running of the International Island Classic in the Mitchelton Wines International Challenge.

The 25-year-old Victorian said between Wolfenden and Darren Sciberras from Race Center, they have made improvements in some areas due to the updated Race Center FD-02 suspension set up to suit the Period 5 rules.

At the Southern Classic, Metcher broke the lap record around the 2.16km Broadford circuit not once, not twice, but three times. His first lap record came in race two when he posted a 58.519s, 0.478s faster than Michael Dibb’s lap record. Metcher then improved his lap time again by 0.197s, before posting a 58.110s in the final race.

Metcher went five tenths quicker yesterday on the same set of Pirelli tyres that they used at the Southern Classic at the start of November, dropping his time to an unofficial 57.58s, which is on par with Ryan Taylor’s Supersport lap record.

“While our lap times were better today, we are still searching for a few things with the suspension,” Metcher told CycleOnline.com.au. “We were also running the test engine in the bike today, so overall we are quite happy with how the test went. We have got all the necessary data to iron out all the issues.”

Metcher finished sixth in this year’s International Challenge with a 4-2-DNF-1 result. The test yesterday saw Metcher, Sciberras and Wolfenden working mainly on the suspension, which included the low-speed compression as the dampening was not right and the rear shocks were too soft.

“We mostly made the bike harder in the rear and firmer in the front today,” explained Wolfenden. “We are getting a result. It’s not quite right yet, but it’s better. He’s a top a rider and he knows what he is doing. Darren is excellent to work with, exactly the same, he knows what he is doing. We’ll work our way through it and try and get Jed on the podium at the Island.”

Between now and the next test for Metcher, which will take place at Phillip Island at the beginning of January, they will do some fine-tuning with the forks, run a bit heavier spring rate in the rear and throw some new tyres at the bike and really push at the 4.445km seaside circuit to see how the bike really handles before he goes into battle with some of the best riders from across the globe to try and win the Ken Wooton Perpetual Trophy.

Metcher is hoping for a 1m37s lap time at the test, while at the Island Classic if he can dip into the 1m36s bracket he’ll be well on his way: “We won’t push the envelope to0 hard at the test because it is only a couple of weeks before the race,” explained Metcher. “Come the Thursday at the Island Classic we would want to be doing 36s for sure.”

The 2016 International Island Classic will run from 22-24 January.