Reigning Bri꧙tish Superbike champion⛄ Shane Byrne says the first tests of the season won't be about the fastest lap times and more for working on new parts for his Paul Bird Motorsport Kawasaki.

The 38-year-old will begin his defence of the British Superbike crown this ye💝ar after winning a record-breaking fourth title in ♍2014. The London-born rider will be joined by British Superbike team-mate Stuart Easton and PBM road racer Ian Hutchinson in Almeria, Spain, as the trio get to grips with the 2015 Kawasaki ZX-10R.

"I am super excited to get going now and even dropping my kit bag off with the team got me all revv🐻ed up," Byrne said. "I have to wait until Thursday to get on track though so at the same time as being excited this is going to feel like the longest week in the world."

Byrne sees the first test of the new year🔯 as a time to work with new parts and provide the foundation for the season ahead rather than initial outright speed.

"We are going to this test with something of a hybrid bike to test some new parts so that it gives us a direction for the next tests we have planned," Byrne added. "While this first test isn't going to be m꧂assively about lap times and bragging rights it is going to be important and I am looking forward to getting out.

"It is good that we can concentrate on what ꧒we need to be working on and get on with the job in hand. We are then aiming 🐠to be in a stronger position ready for our next tests when I am sure we will be joined by some of our rivals."

The BSB championship begins at Donington Park on the 4th-6th April and has a bumper grid ahead of th🗹e 2015 season.