7 weeks after taking delivery of my Desmosedici, I finally managed to get it on the track. Riding it on the road you always feel it's got much more to give but you can't push it hard enough to exploit it.

With the race ECU and end can the rush of poer above 11000 rpm is quite alarming and the noise is fantastic. The rock hard race suspension isn't the best on the road either.

My friend and business colleague Jesus of www.neugrip.com managed to get hold of an ex Alex Barros fairing from a GP bike.

This is quite different from the standard fairing although it looks similar. I left the bike in his workshop for the fairing to be fitted. A lot of work later it was done, and I went to the new circuit at Monteblanco in Huelva www.circuitomonteblanco.com about 160 km from my house to try it out.

I'd been at Monteblanco in March and not liked it. It's a bit like Rockingham. They started with a blank sheet of paper, built fantastic garages, hospitality suites, huge paved paddock, petrol station etc., and then somebody said 'Hang on a minute we've forgotten to build the track'. So they quickly sketched a few squiggles on the back of a fag packet and it was done.

For a new facility it's very disappointing. In March there was no grip and the track was very short with only the 900m straight to stretch a bikes legs. Now they'd re-asphalted it and put proper kerbs in, it had a good surface, though quite bumpy for a new track, but the longer version of the track we were now using had no fewer than seven first gear hairpins and chicanes. It was bloody hard work.

As you'd expect the Desmo got a lot of attention in the paddock, though with the unpainted fairing not many people knew what it was. When I fired it up it drew even more spectators.

Out on the track and after a few laps to learn the new layout I started to give it some stick, although with all the slow corners it was only on the straight I could really open it up. On the straight it was fantastic. Tucking in behind the much larger MotoGP fairing and screen you could get right out of the wind and the engine noise in the bubble was fantastic. Coming up behind R1s and GSXRs you could feel the speed difference in the higher gears, and I saw 272kph on the speedo even braking quite early.

Though the great brakes would have allowed much later braking, my brain wouldn't. In the slow corners it was quite hard work even though it turns fast. The stock tyres were fine, no moments at all, there was a lot of grip.

Refuelling - a common occurrence with the Desmo

I refuelled after the first session and it took 10 litres! My Honda takes about 8, so it's a thirsty beast, but we knew that! In the second session I went out first and knowing the track now, pushed it a bit harder. This bike really is all about the engine. The way it fires you from one corner to the next is quite intimidating, and I've been riding Japanese 1000's for years. This session felt good and I overtook a lot of people and not many passed me. Thundering down the straight felt like onboard footage from MotoGP. Great stuff!
A guy turned up with another Desmosedici in road trim. More of a typical Desmo owner I think, with the bike in a special trailer with Desmosedici logos towed by a Porsche Cayenne. I went to talk to him but he wasn't very friendly. He was in the slow group so I didn't really see him again. We went to get some lunch and by then it was really hot, about 35 degrees so I didn't really want to put my leathers on again and go out on the track, that I didn't like much. I went out for another session but wasn't really enjoying it, so pulled in after about 15 minutes.

All in all, it was a mixed day. I was disappointed with the track, and with my riding, but the feeling of roaring down the straight was great and I'm at Jerez on Friday week with www.tracksense.co.uk where I think the bike (and I) will be a lot better. The fairing should be finished by then and hopefully I'll have the 16.5 inch Dymags I've ordered for it, so I can fit some slicks and put the original wheels ( which cost 9 grand the pair!) away before they get damaged. Might even have it painted by then. If any body wants MotoGP replica fairings adapted to fit a Desmosedici they will be available soon from www.fwr.co.uk at around £1000 a set inc mudguard and seat unit all ready to fit on the original mountings