Suzuki's BSB ace Bradley Ray takes his CBT

They're making him earn that Suzuka ride and no mistake...

Bradley Ray taking his CBT

MOST RACERS don't actually ride bikes on the road - which you can sort of understand. When your normal pace gets you round Brands Indy in under 46 seconds, taking on the A272 on a Sunday blast might end up escalating quite quickly.

But Bradley Ray isn't like most racers. His hair alone tells the story there (not that we're in a position to comment). So it's not really surprising that he's been taking his UK motorcycle road test, jumping the first hurdle this week by passing his CBT - Compulsory Basic Training. For non-UK folks, that's the first step to a full licence here in Blighty, a combined on- and off-road training session that makes sure you have the basics in place before you start riding on the road.

The 21-year-old BSB racer took his training on a Suzuki, obviously – the firm's smart little GSX-R125. "I was four when I first rode a motorbike," Ray said "I rode a minimoto in the garden and started racing at six. But getting my licence was something I’ve wanted to do. I wasn’t too nervous, but I felt a bit of pressure! Obviously I know how to ride a bike, but it’s being able to ride a bike to their standard. It sounds silly; I’ll go around a corner at 150mph but when they got me to do a figure of eight, I’ve never concentrated so hard in my life.

"The bike was mega though, was a lot of fun blasting around the roads on it. I’m coming back for my full licence – I probably don’t get as much chance as some to ride on the road with the racing, but when it’s a nice, sunny day and I fancy going out on the bike and going for a ride, I can."

More info on Suzuk's GSX-R125 here.