Walker WSBK return confirmed.

Dont get the choice, but probably hard to pick up a rider mid season. i hope Hodgeson gets a ride next year. he would of done so much more on one of them Hondas.

But good luck walker, and i will be brands

I doubt it will please the boss of the Kawasaki Supersport Team... How is it even possible that Walker, a factory Kawasaki rider, accepts a Honda ride? I've checked out a few French websites to get news, and I found some on the moto.caradisiac.com website... Team Owner Ponsson seems pissed off really... He says the Stalker did not advise him of this superbike ride beforehand...

It's not the first time he's jumped ship, he did it to Suzuki BSB by joining Haslam on the Shell Moto GP team. They def weren't happy.

I cant imagine him having that much loyalty to kawasaki, didnt they ditch HIM a couple of years ago after he gave them their first win in god knows how long and finished the year top kawasaki????

er, who cares? It's a dog slow privateer bike that's going nowhere. Lavilla has done a great job and is the top privateer. But the bike is not like the Ten Kate bike. And Neil Hodgson would be a fool to take that ride over the full factory US Honda ride - not to mention he probably would have to cut his pay in half if not more.

Reading his Biog this very moment. It seems he has still got the little matter of the BSB Championship very much in mind.Hissy Nial and John Reynolds all won it late on. we cannot count him out .........Yet

it's great news to see the stalker on a good bike - someone like him should never be plodding around on a dud.
And completing unfinished business in BSB - as far as i'm concerned he has nothing to prove but to get his name on the trophy would be fitting for one of our best riders in the last 10 years.
And i much prefer him to that boring hodgson any day!!

What's all this BSB talk? He races in WSS and is going to WSBK. Seems like BSB isn't on his mind at all. And if he does win BSB, it should be more embarrassing than Lavilla coming in and winning the first year and RK coming from Japan and winning twice!

Raw Dawg . . . READ THE BOOK

Well done Stalker, you have just made the trip to Brands Hatch all the better for me. Not the greatest team for sure but you belong on a superbike mate!

OOHHH! THE BOOK! I was lost as *****

Stalker did it again. Burned the Suzuki team that was set to take him to WSB and now Kawasaki. The doors are a closing. When will he learn.

The guy has won in WSB, finished in the top 6 in WSB. Really, who can blame him if he's unhappy with running mid pack in WSS?
If the Gil motorsport/PSG Kawa was capable of running in the top 6 you'd be justified in calling him a plank.
However the team cant put a fast WSB or WSS bike on the grid.
Elsewhere (UK & AMA) with other teams the 600 and 1000 run at the front, so I think its a team problem.
So maybe Walker is getting his CV up to date for a move back to WSB next year with another Kawa team (Kawasaki Japan kiss and make up with Harald Eckl),KTM, BMW or Aprilla or back to BSB to win the title?

I'm pleased - it gives us someone to watch out for. I agree he's not going to be getting top scores on the Bird Blade, but the Kawasaki was obviously not competitive. He consistently outperformed his team mate who until recently was quite rapid.

Brendan - Hodgson is currently in year one of a two year contract with American Honda. He already earns more than anyone currently in WSB apart from Bayliss and Haga and is proving much faster than his team mate DuHamel so there is zero chance of a switch next year. Also, DMG the owners of AMA have recently announced a switch to FIM superbike rules for next season so the uncertainty re AMA 2009 rules is now over and the exodus has been aborted.

And here is GiL Kawasaki's reponse in its entirety: "Kawasaki Gil Motor Sport inform you that the British rider Chris Walker suddenly decided to leave the Team. Yesterday, Wednesday 23rd of July, we discovered on a British website our rider making tests on a HONDA Superbike motorbike.
"Chris Walker didn't have the courage to confess his decision to his Team Manager during the BRNO race one week ago. However, we know that his decision was already taken because he had his red leather suit (with his colours) to enter the Superbike Championship as soon as BRANDS HATCH en Superbike, despite his contractual obligations.
All the Kawasaki Gil Motor Sport Team is badly surprised by this decision and now we already entered into negotiations with another rider to replace Chris Walker as soon as the race in BRANDS HATCH the next week-end."

If its true that he didnt inform Gil they should sue him if they have the funds. Not impressed at all with the way he has done it. Watch out for "KARMA" at Brand Chris

i think its a gud chance to see wht Ant West can do again on 600 bike. should be calling him out as he is free. it will also prove that if Ant's style really suits 600 style as last year. if Ant gets gud result then he might be switched to gil motorsport and then kawasaki can make way for Marco as well so that everybody in the team is happy n nobody would think that his seat has be captured by some other guy. food for thought!!!!!!!!!

I didn't think Ant West had been sacked yet! I don't think he's going to ride a 600 during the summer break - if he does well it's virtually inviting Kawasaki to switch him to a no hope WSS team, wheras if he keeps going and gets some decent results then loses his ride he might get a WSB ride.

If what Gil says is true it's a pizz poor show from Walker. He shouldn't be riding in another teams colours before agreeing this with his current team - I don't think a young rider with a career ahead of them would have done that - I'll still be cheering him on though - find out what really happened in his next book!

So what did Kawasaki expect!. How loyal were they to him?. He gave them there only win and by far there best rider and still lost his ride at the end of the season.
Great news for Brands along with Tom Sykes should bring some more folks through the gates. Not looking for it myself, but i'll bet Walker would like a drop of rain to level the playing field.

Chris has never been the same since he got Bell's Palsy. Such a shame as he had all the talent and tenacity to achieve greatness - though four times runner up (I think!?!) in BSB isn't to be sniffed at. I was and still am a big Chris Walker fan but every race is the same now - amazing Stalker start followed by working his way back through the field. :(

... oh sod it.... C'mon Walker, you can do it!!!