Southern 100: Michael Dunlop targeting Solo Championship victory on BMW at Billown but machine 'glitches' are 'frustrating'

Dunlop, who made the switch to the German machine from a Honda Fireblade this season, experienced electronics issues with the BMW in the Superstock races at the TT last month.

He finished third in both races and most recently sealed a double at the Tandragee 100 in Co Armagh, establishing a new outright lap record at 111.584mph on his return to the Irish road race after a 12-year absence.

Dunlop, though, says his MD Racing BMW – which he plans to ride at the Southern 100 along with his Milwaukee Ducati Supersport machine – is not yet fully cured of the problems.

“Not really, we’ve a load of glitches which is frustrating but the whole situation this year has been a bit frustrating, but it is what it is,” said the 36-year-old.

“We’ll just keep working at them but it seems to be on top of us all the time.

“It will be hard work, there’s no doubt about that, but the hand has been dealt, so we’ll go with it.

“What I have here today [at Tandragee] is what I’ll be going with – ’stocker and 600.”

Practice at the 4.25-mile Billown course is scheduled to begin on Monday evening, with final qualifying and the first races at the four-day meeting taking place on Tuesday.

The feature Solo Championship race, which Dunlop last won in 2016 on a BMW, is the highlight of race week on Thursday.

The 33-time TT winner finished as the runner-up in 2024 behind Davey Todd in a close race that was only decided on the final lap.

Todd, who has won the last two instalments of the blue riband race, will defend his crown on the 8TEN Racing BMW, while former Solo Champion and Honda Racing rider Dean Harrison is also a major contender.

Other leading names include Jamie Coward – returning from injury after a crash at the North West 200 in May – plus Paul Jordan, Nathan Harrison, Dominic Herbertson, Michael Sweeney, Mike Browne, Rob Hodson and Erno Kostamo.