Milwaukee BMW’s Josh Brookes made some significant setup changes at the Motorland Aragon test which saw improvements to the works-backed S1000RR but the Australian is still looking for developments in all areas for outright pace.

The reigning BSB champion is waiting for a new-spec shock from Ohlins which he and the team think will work better with the Suter swingarm and linkage they have when the bike arrives at Phillip Island but Brookes said he achieved some respectable laptimes.

“At the start, we got the front working well but the rear was still a long way from where we needed it to be. I knew the rear didn’t feel right but we weren’t sure why  - was it the shock, the throttle connection, ride height, but now we know as overnight we decided to leave the chassis as it was as we could do some half decent consistent laps,” said Brookes, speaking to bikesportnews.com

“We made some changes in the direction that we used last year and it felt better. It’s a long way from where it needs to be but it was a step forward. We then made a significant change to the bike which helped turning and the rear tyre load improved. But then I lost all side grip, so it’s been a bit up and down, like a see-saw.

“But you can only suck through the straw you’re given. We haven’t got the right shock yet and we need to make the suspension change. If we use the standard swingarm and link, it’s ok, but with the Suter swingarm and link we have available to us, it doesn’t work. It’s clear electronics need more work too as it’s not race friendly - it’s been computer generated in a static environment.”