[Mad Otter]

Xaus interview:
Ruben Xaus was on hand at the Birmingham NEC Motorcycle show recently to unveil the new Superbike racer to his British fans, and we caught up with him to find out more about the entire BMW WSB project, and his 2009 machine, the S1000RR.

"BMW in WSB next year will be very interesting for everyone because it is a big factory and they have big potential to produce a really good bike. The new bike has been born from nothing; we have no data base from 2008, so it is different for us. But having ridden it in Valencia the base is, really, in a good place. We have a lot to do still with the electronics systems and mapping, but that is something for the technicians more than the riders. As a rider I can say the chassis is good, the bike is good, agility, handling and everything is really nice. It is also comfortable to ride and I am happy about it. We have no goals right away. My team-mate Troy is good so all of this together can be a very positive package."

Xaus also spoke about the overall importance of a factory like BMW coming into WSB racing. "A brand like BMW, based in Europe, is a very serious, strict company. I like this mentality. As a rider, I always give 100% and I know that I have someone behind me that gives 100% too. BMW will show a lot in world Superbike because they have a good mentality, strong, and they have shown in Formula 1 that if they want they can."

Insert photo of crestfallen BMW FAITHFUL here complete with suspenders, bow tie, and glasses...LOL