From a press release issued by Alstare Corona Suzuki:

Team Alstare Suzuki concluded a successful three-day test at Philip Island and left full of confidence for the year ahead. Former World Champion Troy Corser easily went under the last year’s lap record and his team mate Yukio Kagayama was not far behind. For both riders, it was their first taste proper of the new 2005 GSXR1000s that they will campaign in this year’s Superbike World Championship and both were more then satisfied with the progress of the new bike.

Both Corser and Kagayama have tested versions of the 2005 before, but the three-day test at Philip Island gave them a true indication of how the season could shape up. Corser is of course no stranger to the circuit and methodically worked his way through a variety of changes throughout the tests, trying to find a good base set-up. With his own wedding to take place just three days after the tests, he didn’t push it too hard, so to do the lap times he did without much effort brought a smile to his face and the rest of the team. Even three collisions with three of Philip Island’s notorious bird life did nothing to dampen his enthusiasm, but one more would have caused a bit of a problem with spare screens!

His team mate Kagayama has a bit of a reputation for testing a team’s stock of fibreglass, but he rode steadily and consistently throughout the three days and when he did crash on the final day, it wasn’t even his fault! On the approach to Siberia corner he hit a hare and was forced off the track. He took to the gravel and looked to have saved it, but then tipped over at low speed just before the tyre wall. Previously, he too had smashed into a bird, so the final score read Corser 3, Kagayama 2 – unless of course, one hare equals two birds. In which it ended honours even!

As Corser left to head northwards for his wedding he said, “We’ve done a lot of good work during the three days and if I had to race the bike, it’d be OK. I am happy because if you can get a bike to work well at Philip Island, it normally works well at every other circuit. And if it doesn’t, you’re only a click or two away anyway. I’ve spent a few years looking at the back of bikes, now I’m looking forward to letting others see the back of me!”

For his team mate Kagayama, the biggest problem in the tests was getting familiar with the Pirelli tyres. After years on Dunlops, the Japanese rider was understandably cautious and tried to learn the characteristics of the Italian rubber and find their limits. He had ridden Philip Island before, but this was the first time with the 2005 GSXR1000 on Pirellis and so he took things steadily, but managed to improve his lap times by half a second or so each day. If it had not have been for the incident with the hare, he would have completed the tests without a crash – not bad for somebody who once crashed twenty-four times in an eleven race season in Japan!

Conditions throughout the three days were variable – typical Philip Island weather, but although it rained on morning of the final day, by the time Corser and Kagayama went out, the track had dried out again, so the Pirelli wets were not called into use. At the end, Corser completed a total of 188 laps, with an unofficial best time of 1:34.2. He also did a very impressive race distance simulation on the final day morning, before the wind picked up in the afternoon. His team mate Kagayama – who has slotted into the Alstare Suzuki set-up as if he has been there for ever – completed just over 200 laps, with a best time of 1:34.6. Both his and Corser’s lap times were done on race rubber, not qualifiers, which is a sign that there is definitely more to come.

Corser and Kagayama make a formidable duo and the way the 2005 GSXR1000 is going so early on should be a big worry to their competitors. In what looks like the strongest World Superbike field for years, Alstare Suzuki look like they are going to be competitive right form the start. The combination of the smooth riding Corser and the irrepressible Kagayama is going to be a tough one to beat.


2005 Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra GSXR1000

Wheelbase 1470 mm

Weight 164 kgs

Fuel capacity 22 litres

Clutch Wet

Chassis Aluminium with adjustable pivot point for rear swing

arm (only one length of swing arm available)

Gearbox Six speeds (not cassette-type)

Injection/Ignition Two injectors per cylinder/Mitsubishi

Power 200 HP (at the crank)

Front forks new for 2005 Showa 49 mm

Rear suspension Showa multi-adjustable

Wheels Front 3.50 x 16.5

Rear 6.25 x 16.5 (dry), 6.00 x 16.5 (wet)

Brakes Front Brembo 4 pistons, floating, 320 mm discs

Rear Brembo 2 piston