Dean Harrison joins Silicone Engineering Racing

Harrison will compete at the North West 200, Isle of Man TT and Ulster Grand Prix in 2016 as he bids to return to the rostrum at international level.

The 26-year-old was released from his contract with Ulster’s Mar-Train Racing team after a mixed year on the new Yamaha YZF-R1, which culminated with a victory in the Gold Cup event at Scarborough in September.

Harrison, who won the Lightweight TT in 2014 and finished as the runner-up in the Superstock race on the RC Express Kawasaki, said he was pleased to be joining a ‘team on the up’.

“As soon as I met Paul and the rest of the team and saw the set-up from the bike preparation to the calibre of the other riders and their knowledge, I knew it was a great opportunity to join a team on the up,” said Harrison.

“The flexibility of how the team is run was another plus for me as I can really have an influence on key decisions on the bike.”

Harrison and the team will make a decision on which machinery they will run in 2016 soon, with a return to Kawasaki the most likely option on the new ZX-10R for the Superbike and Superstock classes alongside a Yamaha Supersport machine.