Ducati Superbike a 'different beast' for Dunlop

Michael Dunlop says his new Ducati V4 Superbike is a "different beast" that has "stacks of potential", but admits there are a "few hurdles we need to sort".

The Northern Ireland rider successfully campaigned a Ducati V2 Supersport machine last year, winning a race on the bike at the North West 200, and following that up with a double in the middleweight class at the TT.

Dunlop was testing at Oulton Park and his first race meeting with his new Superbike machinery will be at the North West 200 road race in May.

The 37-year-old said a late arrival of the bike "has been difficult", but with support from Ducati, Dunlop and his Hawk Racing team are "trying to make the process quick and fast" for the North West, which takes place from 6-9 May.

"When you get something like this the level changes. It's a very technical bike and there's a lot of stuff going on," Dunlop told BBC Sport NI.

"Hopefully we can push to get ourselves in a good place.

"It's one of those where you were hoping this project would be a lot earlier, but it hasn't so we're left a little bit behind the times.

"Hopefully it doesn't take us too long to get in a good, comfortable place."

In addition to his new Superbike, Dunlop will race a V2 again this season in conjunction with the Scars Racing team and his own MD Racing outfit in the Supersport class, and has revealed on social media that he will continue his partnership with Hawk Racing to run the V4.

Dunlop took three wins at last year's North West 200 as he ended his nine-year victory drought at the international road race, which takes place on 8.9 miles of closed public roads on Northern Ireland's north coast.

He followed that up with four victories at the Isle of Man TT to stretch his winning record to 33 wins.

"Last year was good at the North West with three wins and it could have been more.

"It would be nice to go back and build on it. I'm excited to get this project going, but we could have done with a lot more testing.

"I think it is going to be hotter and heavier this year than it ever was."

Dunlop says there will need to be more testing time to set up the bike at the North West 200 "to get me into a better place of where I need to be".

Despite the adjustments he needs to make for his new bike, Dunlop said "everything is good and I feel good".

"We know the project and we know the bike is good.

"It has stacks of potential, and hopefully we can make it fit into place at the North West 200.

"I think there will be some great racing, but it's going to be hard work. We've got a few hurdles and we need to sort them."