Aprilia's Max Biaggi was quickest on the opening WSBK test day at Phillip Island yesterday.

The first day of testing for the Aprilia and Yamaha Superbike teams took place yesterday at Phillip Island with 2010 champion Max Biaggi on the top of the results sheet.

Biaggi’s time of 1:32.4, which he set in 71 laps, was around six-tenths slower than Troy Corser’s race lap record of 1:31.826.

The Italian was testing an evolution step engine, a different swing-arm and new engine mounts that help give better rigidity and traction.

Teammate Leon Camier on the other hand had a few technical problems with both his RSV4 machines often in the pits. His best time was 1:33.4 in 88 laps.

Over at Yamaha, an excellent second best time of 1:32.9 was set by Eugene Laverty, just half-a-second down on Biaggi.

Teammate Marco Melandri had set-up problems on the 2010-spec bike due to the windy conditions and a few teething issues on the 2011-spec machine which has different cycle components and power delivery, and the Italian could only set a time of 1:33.5 over 78 laps.

Weather conditions on Tuesday were cloudy and blustery, with a high of 18 degrees, although the track was dry. Rain is forecast for today’s second day.

Meanwhile, bad weather also conditioned day two of SBK testing at the Algarve circuit in Portugal as heavy showers and low temperatures made the work difficult for the numerous teams who had headed for southern Europe to prepare their 2011-spec machines.

Unofficial times recorded by the teams put Ten Kate Honda man Ruben Xaus at the top of the timesheets with a time of 1:55.8. The Spanish rider, on his first time out with the Ten Kate team, looked comfortable in the wet and did a lot of laps on his new CBR machine.

Three tenths of a second slower was Britain’s Leon Haslam, the new BMW Motorrad man now looking comfortable on his S 1000 RR bike despite some electronic problems during the day.

Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare) set a similar time to Jonathan Rea (Ten Kate Honda), who did not go out at all today. Troy Corser was next up with the second BMW, with Noriyuki Haga (Aprilia Pata) also lapping under the two minute mark.

James Toseland got to grips with his new BMW machine, but it was the test team’s S 1000RR and the two-times world champion was not aiming to post any quick laps.

Maxime Berger’s expected debut on the Supersonic Ducati 1098 was postponed as the Italian team decided not to make the trip down to Portugal due to the poor weather conditions.