(24-03-2011, 07:50 PM)Malcolm Wrote:

They have been road race rivals for 20 years but Ryan Farquhar and Adrian Archibald are now team-mates.

Ballymoney rider Archibald will join Farguhar's KMR Kawasaki team in the Supertwins class this season.

"Ryan said he had a spare bike for the 650 twins and asked my sponsor if I would be interested," said Archibald.

"I thought it was a good idea and would allow me a bit of extra racing - it is a bit of fun, something different and it will create a bit of interest."

He added: "We will still be big rivals in the Superbikes, but 650 twins is a new thing for me and we'll see how it goes."

Dungannon man Farquhar is already the leading Supertwins rider and is happy to bring Archibald into his team.

"I love the Supertwins class, I have a passion for building bikes but some people say the class has not enough depth of top-class riders," he said.

"I built another bike and thought Adrian would be the perfect man on it and hopefully we will be first and second this year."

Archibald will ride in Farquhar's distinctive orange colours in the Supertwins class.

Both will also compete in factory Kawasaki Superbikes but in their own livery.