North West 200: Glenn Irwin to switch to BSB-specification Honda after issues
- Published
Glenn Irwin struggled with electrical and stability issues on the opening day of the North West 200
Glenn Irwin has said he is switching from his road racing-specification Honda to his race-winning British Superbike machine for the remainder of the North West 200.
The 32-year-old was fifth in Superbike practice on his Fireblade but struggled with electrical issues.
Irwin also had problems on his Honda Superstock bike.
"It's the bike I enjoy most and the bike I have a really good feeling with," Irwin said of his BSB machine.
Prior to Covid-19, in which the North West 200 did not run for two years, Irwin was the man to beat on a Superbike around the Triangle Circuit.
The Northern Irishman claimed his maiden victory on a Ducati on 2017 and doubled up with two more 'big bike' victories the following year.
His 2019 North West 200 Superbike victory came after overcoming struggles on his Kawasaki.
After claiming a hat-trick in the season-opening BSB round at Silverstone, Irwin was one of the favourites heading into the 2022 edition but electrical and stability issues hampered his qualifying session and he reckoned he lost "six or seven seconds" with the niggles.
Ducati's Josh Brookes was fastest in the opening Superbike session, 2.1 seconds ahead of fifth-placed Irwin.
Irwin was trying the road racing version of his Honda Fireblade ahead of his Isle of Man TT debut next month
"We had a lot of issues. Mainly with electronic stability, we struggled quite a lot, both me and John [team-mate McGuinness]," said Irwin.
"You look forward to doing 200mph but it wasn't fun out there. That's not an excuse. It was too mad and we were too unstable in those conditions.
"Electronically Superbikes are great - they help you with corner entry, they help you with corner exit - but I had nothing the whole Superbike session.
"I'm frustrated and I know it is only Tuesday, but I am the type of character who shows my frustrations and I show my happiness when it goes good.
"I can't wait for Thursday, we have to take into consideration we were only two seconds off and I felt like I was losing six or seven seconds with all the niggles we had."
'We have lots to look forward to'
Irwin added it felt like "deja vu" compared to 2019 when he struggled to get to grips with his Kawasaki on the opening day before storming to pole position and victory.
"In 2019 I struggled on that bike all the time whereas the Honda I absolutely love," he added.
"I understand why we tried another bike [for the roads] with the TT in mind, but we come here to win races and I want to ride the bike I feel the most comfortable on.
"Going back to my BSB bike, confidence is still the same. In the last sector I was only two-tenths off and I had someone to pass, so we have lots to look forward to.
"If you have a difficult day and everything feels great around you then I think you are in trouble. We have spoke about it as a team, and this is like testing as well, and we found out today what works and what doesn't.
"The level is high at the front, Josh and Michael Dunlop are riding really well so we need to be on our game."