Jamie Coward has voiced strong confidence in his new KTS Racing powered by Stanley Stewart BMW setup ahead of this year’s TT.
The Huddersfield rider, alongside the KTS Racing team, opted to switch to BMW machinery over winter after two seasons with Honda and two prior on Yamaha. C
oward last rode a BMW in 2018 aboard the Penz13.com S1000RR.
This year, he will campaign the M1000RR previously used by Josh Brookes in FHO Racing’s 2023 TT effort. Despite weather disruptions in pre-season testing, Coward has already surpassed previous lap benchmarks.
“We had seven days planned in Spain but that turned into just two and a half due to poor weather,” he said. “Andalucia was almost a write off, but I got some decent track time at Calafat, and I’ve been really impressed with the BMW.”
“The bike’s fast but a lot easier to ride than my previous bikes, although experimenting with the split throttle bodies bamboozled me a bit!”
Ergonomics
Coward praised the bike’s ergonomics, noting its suitability for taller riders like World Superbike stars Toprak Razgatlioglu and Michael van der Mark.
“The BMW’s quite a big bike but for a bigger rider like me, that’s ideal… The Honda was small and compact, which made it difficult for me to get properly tucked in, but that’s not the case with the BMW.”
Since returning to the UK, Coward has continued to impress at Castle Combe and Donington Park BSB tests, consistently improving his lap times.
“I’ve been bettering my previous best lap times at all the circuits, and that’s really good for the confidence,” he said. “The BMW’s power is very user-friendly… Everywhere we’ve gone, I’ve gone well and gone faster, so I’m really looking forward to the TT now.”
Coward’s aim remains unchanged: “To improve on every bike and go quicker on every bike.”
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