Honda Racing's Dan Linfoot did venture out on to the wet and cold Donington Park track during Wednesday's official MCE British Superbike pre-season test, and used the sessions to develop the all new 2017 CBR1000RR Fireblade.

What the Yorkshireman found was that he lacked grip in the rain on the Pirelli tyres, but managed to keep the Blade up right, but felt that he was riding on 'a knife edge' due to the cold track temperatures, which did not rise above eight degrees.

For Linfoot the new 2017 machine is quite similar to last year's, but still finds the fly by wire throttles a bit 'weird'. The throttle connection is the biggest change for the rider, and it is the first time that he has ridden with an electronic throttle and is still adapting to using it.

"In essence the bike is very similar to last year, a little bit more power. The fly by wire throttles at the moment are still a bit weird, but that is all down to the man on the computer but that should in theory help us control power," said Linfoot, speaking to bikesportnews.com.

"I didn't have a good feeling with grip and the bike moving in the rain.  I am ready to race I just don't know where I will be in the field. Throttle connection is one of the biggest changes we have made, and we have an electronic throttle and it is the first time I have ridden with it, sometimes it feels normal other times it feels a long way from normal.

"I kept the bike up right and I felt I only got up to 75 percent of  how I can ride it in conditions like this. I felt I was on the knife edge of crashing quite a lot, but I think that is just from the cold. We used wet tyres all day."