Davey Todd was left “massively disappointed” at last year’s Briggs Equipment North West 200 despite claiming a terrific treble at the north coast road race.

The Saltburn-by-the-Sea man won both Superstock races and the Supersport race, but Todd had to settle for the runner-up spot three times behind Ulsterman Glenn Irwin, who set a record of 11 consecutive Superbike victories.

British Superbike title contender Irwin has quit road racing, ensuring a new name will be added to the Superbike silverware next week.

Todd is fired up to finally add a Superbike trophy to his collection at the North West after claiming a breakthrough win in the Senior race at the Isle of Man TT last year.

placeholder image — English rider Davey Todd pictured on the north coast this week ahead of the Briggs Equipment North West 200, which gets underway with opening practice next Wednesday, May 7. (Photo by Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press)

The 29-year-old is again riding BMW M1000RR machinery and joins Peter Hickman in the 8TEN Racing Team, which they co-own after parting company from Faye Ho’s FHO Racing outfit.

“I really wanted to beat Glenn Irwin in the Superbike races,” said Todd, who visited the north coast this week.

“That was the big attraction for me. I’ve been watching all the footage from last year and there was so much talk about how riders like Peter Hickman and Dean Harrison were at a disadvantage because they were on stockers against Glenn, but nobody commented on the fact that I was on a ’stocker as well!”

Todd rode the Milwaukee BMW last year but feels he will be even stronger around the 8.9-mile course with a fully-fledged Superbike underneath him.

“I am really excited to be full Superbike this year which will make me even stronger than I was last year,” he added.

“Mervyn [Whyte, Race Director] and the NW200 team have been doing a fantastic job as well with lots of the track resurfaced now.”

Todd, though, could be playing catch-up on some of his chief rivals after only riding the 8TEN Racing BMW for the first time during last week’s BSB test at Oulton Park.

“It was more of a shakedown than a test because we had a few teething issues with the new bike, but the initial feeling was really good,” he said.

“The new bike runs Motec electronics which are new to me and it feels very different from the ’24 bike. Everything on the bike is different – the brakes, the suspension, the chassis – everything.

“If there is one part unknown, there is another part that is very familiar.

“The team may be new but the personnel are the same with Darren Jones as team manager, my crew chief, Stuart Johnstone and Mike Barrett as mechanic. It is a case now of just getting the parts together and we are already 99 percent of the way there.”

Todd has renewed his ties with Clive Padgett this year to ride a Honda CBR600RR in the Supersport races and a Paton Supertwin.

He won his maiden NW200 race in the wet on a Padgett’s Honda in 2019 and sealed a brace in the class last May on the Powertoolmate Ducati Panigale V2, with the English rider admitting he goes into the event in seven days’ time with a “certain level of expectation” around his prospects.

“There are so many guys in the mix in the Supersport class and I know there is a certain level of expectation now on me at the North West,” he said.

“But that expectation is there because I have put it there. I’ve been battling for NW200 wins every year since 2022 and I love it round here because it suits my style.

“Late braking is part of that but there are lots of other guys in the mix like Michael Dunlop, Alastair Seeley coming back and my team-mate, Peter Hickman, it promises to be an exciting week of road racing.”