Words: Russell Colvin

Image: Russell Colvin.

Newly-crowned Australian Supersport champion Ted Collins is set to make his Superbike class debut following a successful shakedown aboard the Next Gen Motorsports BMW at Phillip Island this week.

The Victorian had his first taste of an S 1000 RR Superbike machine on Monday and Tuesday at a Phillip Island Ride Days event, setting him up for the YMF Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) finals on 6-8 October.

“I was really happy with how the Next Gen Motorsports BMW S 1000 RR went,” 18-year-old Collins told CycleOnline.com.au this morning. “We didn’t play around much with the set-up, as we were basically just there to have a ride. Once we get it set-up for me, the bike should be even better. I’m really excited as it’s quite good to ride a bigger bike for the first time.

“The main difference is just the extra power you have that you have to get through the rear Pirelli tyre. You have to take different lines just to try and stand the bike up – as soon as you get on the throttle it just wants to stand up and run wide, so you have to try and change your riding style to make the bike turn.”

Collins expressed that there are literally no goals and expectations set in terms of position or lap-times, instead eager to gain a better understanding of the Superbike after guiding his Suzuki GSX-R600 to three Supersport round wins this season.

“I’m simply just going there to learn the bike,” he continued. “I’m going to be on the track with the best riders on a Superbike in the country, so I’m going to have to learn quickly. Obviously we are not expecting to be up the front with the main guys and that is not realistic at all, however we’re just going to go out there and do the best that we can, like we always would – we have to expect to be at the back.”

At this point of time there is nothing locked in for Collins for the 2018 season. Obviously Collins has the won the Supersport championship, so for him, the Supersport is done and now he definitely wants to move up to the premier class next year.

“I want to step up to the Superbike class for 2018 and that is why we are doing the Superbike class at the last round. However but in terms of next year nothing is locked in as yet,” concluded Collins.

Phillip Island will mark the second round in succession that Next Gen Motorsports will field two bikes in the Superbike ranks after team regular Troy Guenther was joined by World Supersport regular Lachlan Epis in Sydney.