Image: Damien Briggs.

Renowned internationals Troy Corser and Jeremy McWilliams had a taste of the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) at last weekend’s 2018 QBE Insurance International Festival of Speed, sampling the DesmoSport Ducati of triple world champion Troy Bayliss.

Double Superbike world champion Corser and grand prix race winner McWilliams completed a series of laps aboard the 1299 Panigale R Final Edition of Bayliss, as the latter went back in time to ride his title-winning 2001 model Ducati 996R during the event.

“When the DesmoSport Ducati crew unpacked the truck on Thursday, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to look at first – Troy’s 2001 996 or his current race bikes!” said McWilliams. “With my bike for the weekend not ready for some on track commitments that afternoon, TB essentially threw me the key to his race bike for our filming session and I jumped at the chance.

“That bike is a lot of fun and a handful all at the same time. The amount of grunt in the mid range on the 1299 is incredible. I get to ride big V-twins in my role as a test rider and it was nice to get the chance to compare. To all of Bayliss’ sponsors, you can thank me later for making the bike look so good in the promo clips!”

Corser, who won the first of his world championships as a Ducati pilot in 1996, was thrilled to ride the current DesmoSport Ducati of team co-owner/rider Bayliss, working alongside fellow team owner Ben Henry of the Cube Performance Centre during the weekend.

“I managed to roll out a few times over the International Festival of Speed weekend on Troy’s Panigale FE and the thing that is really noticeable is the power – it’s almost too much if I’m honest,” Corser explained.

“Talking with Ben over the weekend, he listened to my feedback and made some changes to the bike and I’ve got to say, it felt better each time I went out. I’m a bit torn now though, hopefully my feedback helps TB out a little, but I did say if he wins, I’ll come out of retirement next year… I might regret that!”