Toseland: Bayliss, Biaggi put me in MotoGP.

Bayliss returned to WSBK in 2006, after three winless seasons in MotoGP, but made a sensational one-off grand prix return at the Valencia season finale, replacing the injured Sete Gibernau. Troy dominated the race and as such became the first rider to have won in WSBK and then MotoGP.

"Bayliss winning last year at Valencia was massive for Superbike, and when I say Superbike I mean Superbike riders also," explained James. "So to beat Bayliss in Australia, then all of a sudden GP teams start thinking.

"The GP teams haven't seen me on a GP bike, they haven't seen me on the tracks and they haven't seen me racing against the likes of Valentino Rossi so it's very difficult for them to know where I stand. But when Bayliss does something like that [at Valencia], and then I can beat him in his home track in Australia [this year], that great race that I had with him, then they've got some kind of comparison.

"Bayliss did everybody in Superbike a massive, massive favour. But also Biaggi..."

Biaggi joined WSBK at the start of 2007, after a 14-year grand prix career in which the Roman took four 250cc titles, 13 500cc/MotoGP race wins and was a triple premier-class championship runner-up. Max ended his first year in Superbike third in the championship, with three race wins from 17 podiums.

"Yeah, Biaggi has got his problems as we all know - to me he's been fine, but I've heard a few stories like everybody else - but they [MotoGP] know how good he is," stated Toseland. "You look at his CV. To come into Superbike and finish in the top three in his first year, after riding MotoGP bikes his whole career and being a four times 250cc world champion. My CV isn't as good as Max Biaggi's.

"It's been incredible to race against Biaggi this year and it just proves how good us WSBK 'regulars' are - as far as Corser, and Bayliss, and Haga, and myself.

"All that together has given me the opportunity to not only go to MotoGP, but go on a package that I've been offered, which I've got a good chance on," stated Toseland.

Reflecting on his second world championship winning season, the Englishman also described his toughest battles.

"The best I rode all season was Australia race two, when I beat Bayliss, in Assen race two, when I caught Bayliss - he pipped me but I rode hard to catch him - and in Vallelunga race one, I rode hard for that podium," said James. "But the best weekend by far, for emotion, was doing the double at Brands Hatch."

Assen race two saw Toseland lose the chance of a debut double race victory when Bayliss beat him in a photo finish.

"I thought I'd beaten Bayliss before the line at Assen and that was my problem," confessed the 27-year-old. "You think you've beaten Bayliss? Think again until you cross the flag."

Toseland will ride alongside former double World Superbike champion Colin Edwards at Yamaha Tech 3 in MotoGP next year.