MSS Colchester Kawasaki are busy putting together plans for an intense racing season with new riders, sponsors, high-technology and a focused development schedule as they attack British Superbike (BSB), National Superstock and the Isle of Man TT.

The Essex-based team stepped up a level in 2009 with their riders regularly running at the sharp end of the pack resulting in a creditable BSB series finish of sixth and seventh. Star rider Simon Andrews lead races, finished on the podium and would have had an even stronger Championship position had it not been for injury.

For the 2010 season, Andrews will again spearhead the team, backed up by Privateers Cup winner Gary Mason, while the squad will also run a professional effort in the fiercely competitive Metzeler National Superstock Championship, having signed up Howie Mainwaring.

MSS Colchester Kawasaki hopes all the pieces have finally come together for 2010

Away from the short circuits, the team will run a fourth Kawasaki ZX-10R in the varied roads circuits of the Isle of Man TT, Ulster GP and NW200 utilizing the talents of roads specialist Ryan Farquhar.

During the winter, the team have picked up two state-of-the-art electronics packages, which have been developed by the Kawasaki World Superbike outfit of Paul Bird Motorsport. The Magneti Marelli Marvel system handles all on-board electronics to tackle both data collection and system management, with a myriad of datalogging and fine tuning options available. The electronics systems have been installed and the technicians have acquainted themselves with the technology, the team now track time to hone their set up.

Winter testing is scheduled to start on the 9th March at Guadix in Spain, which will give the team the opportunity to explore the new electronics for the first time.

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The Competition Systems Kawasaki Race Team has announced that Alex Welsh of Uxbridge, Ontario will pilot its Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R in the 2010 Parts Canada Superbike Championship.

Primary sponsors of the team will be Canadian Kawasaki Motors and Parts Canada.

“Kawasaki has a long and successful history of racing in Canada and the team is thrilled that they have entrusted us to carry on that tradition,” said team owner Mike Crompton. “We are also very pleased to have Parts Canada on board. They have put so much into this series and sport that we all enjoy. Their support will be a great asset to our team.”

The 21-year-old Welsh is one of the hottest new talents in Canadian motorcycle road racing. He was the 2008 HJC Pro Rookie of the Year in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship and last summer joined the Canadian Kawasaki Motors factory team.

Despite missing one race due to injury, he finished seventh in the Superbike class on a Ninja ZX-10R with a top finish of third at Mosport International Raceway. He placed fourth in the Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike standings with four podium results to his credit, including a runner-up finish at Mosport, riding Kawasaki’s ZX-6R Ninja.

“Alex showed great promise and team spirit in 2009,” Crompton added. “All the crew is looking forward to concentrating its efforts with him and look forward to a successful 2010 season.”

The crew will consist of Harald Surian, a multi-time championship-winning tuner, who will look after trackside set-up and suspension. Richard Winter, whose immaculate Ninja ZX-6R Sport Bikes have won the past four Canadian national titles, will be the in-house builder and tuner. Crompton will handle engines and logistics. He has some 40 years of experience in the Canadian motorcycle industry, supplying engines and race equipment to some of the country’s leading competitors.

For the past several years, Canadian Kawasaki Motors has run its national road race program in-house. Last summer the squad claimed its fourth straight titles in the Parts Canada Superbike and Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike divisions. Crompton had been the crew chief for the Kawasaki program through its run of success.

“Work has begun in preparation for the new season and we will be ready for testing soon,” he added.

The 2010 Parts Canada Superbike Championship opens May 28-30 at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Quebec

Canadian Kawasaki Motors has secured the services of Toronto-based Competition Systems to handle Kawasaki’s assault in the 2010 Parts Canada Superbike Championship. The team will consist of one rider and focus exclusively on the Superbike feature class with Kawasaki’s potent Ninja ZX-10R.

The new entity will be called Competition Systems Kawasaki Race Team.

For the past several years, Canadian Kawasaki Motors has run its national road race program in-house. Last summer the squad claimed its fourth straight titles in the Parts Canada Superbike and Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike divisions.

Mike Crompton of Competition Systems has been the crew chief for the Kawasaki program through its run of success and will now take over as team owner of the new race program. Some of the existing crew will continue with the team and a rider and sponsors will be announced within a few days.

“Due to a number of circumstances we have decided to suspend activities with our factory program for 2010,” said Jeff Comello of Canadian Kawasaki Motors. “But despite this state of change we have tried to keep as much continuity as possible and Mike Crompton and Competition Systems are the perfect fit. We have been together now for four-plus years and have enjoyed a great deal of success.”

Crompton has some 40 years of experience in the Canadian motorcycle industry, supplying engines and race equipment to some of the country’s leading competitors.

“Canadian Kawasaki Motors is a great company and I’m looking forward to this,” Crompton said. “We already have a good team structure and equipment. We’ve spent a number of years building this program and all we have to do is just continue what we’ve started.”

The agreement between Canadian Kawasaki Motors and Competition Systems is for one year and will be re-evaluated at the end of the 2010 racing season.

“Kawasaki is committed to showcasing the Ninja brand in competition and we feel strongly that we need to be behind the Parts Canada Superbike Championship,” Comello said. “This is the perfect venue for us to display our products.”

“We all have to dig deep and support the series,” Crompton added. “It is important to do what we can to have a successful 2010 and build on that for 2011 and beyond.”

In addition to claiming the past four Parts Canada Superbike titles Canadian Kawasaki Motors enjoyed a string of nine straight national championships from 1991 to 1999, and also claimed the first two Canadian crowns in 1980 and ’81 with riders George Morin and Lang Hindle, respectively.

The 2010 Parts Canada Superbike Championship opens May 28-30 at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Que. For more information, visit www.cdnsuperbike.com.

MSS Colchester Kawasaki have signed Howie Mainwaring to showcase the production Kawasaki ZX-10R in the fiercely competitive Metzeler National Superstock Championship.

Twenty-two year old Mainwaring has been in the British Superbike and Superstock series for many years and the team believe he will be a front runner with a good level of support.

This year’s Superstock class has an unparalleled level of ex-Superbike riders making it a must-see event for spectators. The team have prepared numerous high-level Superstock machines and are excited to be entering the series in their own right for the new season.

Howie Mainwaring has Superstock experience on a Suzuki and Yamaha.

The Superstock effort will run alongside the blue riband Superbike development meaning Howie will benefit from testing and R+D from the famed performance house. Superstock machines must run standard engines and chassis parts with only minor alterations, making them a class that proves the prowess of the original production machines bought in showrooms.

Howie is the fourth member of the MSS Colchester Kawasaki squad. Simon Andrews and Gary Mason are confirmed for British Superbikes while roads specialist Ryan Farquhar is signed up for the Isle Of Man TT and NW200.

MSS Colchester Kawasaki Team Owner, Nick Morgan said, “It’s great to be competing in Superstock, we know the ZX-10R is a quality machine straight out of the crate with good power and we think Howie is ready for the challenge. He’s been around for a while but this could be his big break and he knows it.”

Howie Mainwaring added, “I am really looking forward to the 2010 season with MSS Colchester Kawasaki and I feel that I have a fantastic opportunity with such a professional team and package. I love the Kawasaki ZX-10R having rode one last season with several top 6 finishes and equaling the fastest lap of the race at Thruxton. I genuinely feel I can be a championship contender despite the level of the series this season and testing starts soon, so I can’t wait to get started!”

Name: Howie Mainwaring
Age: 22.
Job: Engineer/Bike Racer.
Hobbies and Interests: Mountain biking, going to the gym and motocross.
Favorite Films: Rocky 3 and 5, Days of Thunder.
Best Career Moments: Getting the first win for MV Agusta in the British Championship for 37 years.
Worst Career Moments: Breaking my neck in Monza in World Superbikes.

MSS Colchester Kawasaki have used the winter break to show their British Superbike intentions with the addition of the latest spec WSBK Magneti Marelli electronics package.

Team owner Nick Morgan visited the Kawasaki World Superbike outfit of Paul Bird Motorsport to collect the valuable electronics systems, which the squad believes will help them bridge the gap to the best funded, factory-backed teams. The system has been extensively developed by PBM’s engineers Phil Borley and Stuart Bland, which gives the MSS Colchester a development short-cut with the new equipment. The Magneti Marelli Marvel system [Download product description pdf here] handles all on-board electronics to tackle both data collection and system management, with a myriad of data logging and fine tuning options available.

MSS Colchester team owner Nick Morgan (center) with 2010 riders Gary Mason and Simon Andrews

Electronics have become a big factor in modern racebike development and it has become apparent that big horsepower is not always enough if it cannot be controlled adequately, especially on tight, technical circuits such as some of those seen in the British Superbike Championship. The MSS Colchester squad now intend to utilize their new tools as well as special swing arms and chassis upgrades with extensive dyno and track development over the winter.

The official Kawasaki UK British Superbike entry recently announced their 2010 rider line-up of Simon Andrews and Gary Mason, both of which are excited to be using the new system.

Nick Morgan , MSS Colchester Kawasaki Team Owner:
“From a technical point of view we’re so excited to be using the latest spec World Superbike electronics and as motivation we know we now have the best kit available, so there’s no excuses! I can’t thank Birdy and his team enough for giving us such amazing hardware, especially as they have put in huge development time over the course of the year. The kit is straight off Broc Parkes machine which he used so effectively at Brands Hatch, so we know it works well there and that’s where we race!”

2003 World Supersport champion, 2005 World Superbike runner up and former MotoGP rider Chris Vermeulen makes his return to World Superbikes in 2010 aboard a Paul Bird Kawasaki.

In this installment of the Motourage Video of the Day, Chris recaps his pre-season testing successes and what it’s like to be back on a superbike.