Image: Rusty Colvin.

Australian Superbike testing concluded this afternoon at Phillip Island in the first test of the 2014 pre-season.

Team Honda Racing’s young gun Josh Hook was unofficially the fastest rider in the Superbike class with a 1m32.8. His new teammate Wayne Maxwell posted a 1m33.3, while Jamie Stauffer was close behind with a 1m33.4.

Hook’s pace was a promising early performance aboard the brand new CBR1000RR SP, ridden by both he and Stauffer in Superbike spec, while Maxwell was on a 2013 model. All three Honda riders circulated on Pirelli tyres during the two days.

“It’s been a unreal day today,” said Hook. “We have come away from these two days with a lot of data and information. Will look forward to next weekend now and hopefully I can stick the Honda CBR1000RR SP on top. Thanks heaps to whole team who have worked really hard these last two days.” Over the two days Hook did around 140 laps.

Stauffer was the lone rider to hit the deck in the afternoon session, losing the front-end at Turn Four.

“Today was not too bad,” commented Stauffer. “We tried a lot of stuff out and went forward a little bit, not a great deal. I tried a bit of a change with the front-end this afternoon and just lost the front.

There was not that much damage, just a broken handlebar, etc, so the boys got the bike going again. We were a little bit slow on times today, but not too far away, so will see how we go next weekend.”

BMW-mounted Glenn Allerton (Next Gen Motorsports) was mainly focusing on electronic setup and just like on Thursday, he posted roughly the same time with a 1m33.5 and completed around 30-35 laps.

“Today the track was in good nick,” said Allerton. “We had a bit of a bird problem today out on the track with these big geese getting about. But apart from that I’m really excited about getting back into racing again for season 2014.

“I’m physically only operating at about 80 percent [with a knee injury], but I feel like that won’t slow me down once it’s time to go racing. I’m fairly confident going into the race next weekend that we can challenge for the win.”

Next Gen Motorsports crew chief Shane Kinderis echoed Allerton’s comments that the test was a positive one for the Next Gen outfit.

“Well basically we picked up from where we left off from last year,” he explained. “We were on the pace with in the first 10 laps yesterday. This test has given us a good opportunity to try a few new things and to refine a few things.

“There has been a lot of time mucking around with electronics, just trying to make it that little bit better for when the tyre is a little bit more worn out. We have tested a lot of stuff that we have never had the chance to test, so were pretty happy with the outcome.”

One man who did find today’s test a testing day was Prostock rider Dustin Goldsmith on his Kawasaki ZX-10R, experiencing fuel injection dramas.

“It’s been a tough day that’s for sure,” said Goldsmith. “Will fix the problem and come next weekend and I’m sure will be okay.”

Fellow Kawasaki rider ‘Mad’ Mike Jones had a pretty easygoing day on his Crazy Dogs Kawasaki, recording a time of 1m34.5 and has come away from the test ready to rock and roll for the season ahead.

“I’ve had a great couple of days testing at Phillip Island on the Crazy Dogs Kawasaki ZX10,” Jones said. “I’ve worked well with XXX Rated Race Suspension mostly to get the geometry and standard rear shock to work well.

“I’m feeling pretty comfortable on the bike and managed to set some laps under lap record pace. Hopefully with continual time in the seat, I’ll develop my skills and be able to consistently be competitive throughout the year. Bring on the racing next weekend at World Superbikes.”

Another Kawasaki Prostock rider on track was Ben Henry, who looks like he might have a pretty good year. Henry admitted that he needs to find another half a second, but was happy with the overall two days.

“Today’s testing was quite good,” said Henry. “I logged a few more laps on my new bike. I need to find another half a second, but the track will be faster next weekend and I would have done more laps by then, so for the race I’m sure will be somewhere there about where I need to be.

“You never really know where your going to end up when you start with a blank canvas. I can’t complain really – it’s pretty rare when a motorcycle racer leaves a track happy.”

In the Supersport ranks, reigning Australian Supersport Champion Daniel Falzon (Jon Daniels Racing/Caterpillar/EPSA) and his team would win the award for the most amount of kilometres travelled within two days. The team did a test day at Wakefield Park on Thursday and then travelled to Phillip Island for the test today, arriving at 2:00am.

Falzon was testing both Pirelli and Dunlop tyres during the day and cut out around 65-70 laps in total.

“We’re going to be competitive that’s for sure!” said the South Australian. “Today we came here for the sole reason to test some new tyres. We had different compounds, and even different tyre brands being Dunlop and Pirelli. We were working with both brands and we archived some very good times.

“We’re not going to say what times we did, we will leave that till next weekend and prove that on the track.”

Fellow South Australian rider Hudson Pitt was having a few dramas with his Suzuki GSX-R 600 with chatter.

“Today was a bit difficult with bike set up towards the end of the day,” explained Pitt. “The lap times were pretty good, we were quite happy with them, so I think next weekend if we get the chatter sorted out we should be in for a good chance for some positive results. I would be stoked with a top five, that’s what where aiming for.”

Aiden Wagner (XXX Rated Race Suspension/Wagner Soil Testing) did a massive 150 laps or there about for both days and produced 1m36s today, but said there is a bit more left in the tank for next weekend’s Phillip Island Championship.

Michael Blair steered his Blair Build/YRD/Yamalube Yamaha R6 to a 1m36.7 and was very happy to go half a second faster than his PB. Blair was focusing on suspension setup but still needs to work on his mid-turn speed to improve a bit more, he said.

Oz Wildcard rider Ryan Taylor once again took a positive outlook on his day as he prepared for his World Supersport debut aboard the privateer YZF-R6.

“We’re making progress that’s for sure,” Taylor said. “It’s looking good so far, so for next week’s testing it should be good. Over the weekend we’ll do a bit of work to the engines and come back and hopefully be a little bit faster.”

World Superbike testing is now scheduled for Phillip Island early next week in the lead-up to next weekend’s opening rounds of the WSBK and Phillip Island championships.