Josh Waters couldn't stop smiling a♕fter making his MotoGP debut on a Suzuki GSX-RR at Sepang on Thursday.

Like Michae🦄l Dunlop (TT) and Toni Elias (MotoAmerica), Waters - who won his second Australian SBK crown for Suzuki last season - was rewarded by the♛ factory with a guest ride at this week's private Malaysian test.

Afterwards, the team were said to have been😼 particularly surprised by Waters, given his relative lack of experience compared to Elias a﷽nd Dunlop.

Following the quick video, mahbx.com sat down with Waters for a longer chat…

mahbx.com:

When did𒆙 you know 𒐪you were going to get this chance?

Josh Waters:

It was just before Christmas. I was like, 'you're kidding me!' I couldn't believe it. And then the other two riders - Toni has been world champion and Michael Dunlop is the fastest ever rid💧er at the Isle of Man. So to get to ride it is pretty special.

mahbx.com:

At the start of the day, Sy♛lvain [Guintoli] was talking to you all about what to 🐻expect from the seamless gearbox and the carbon brakes..

Josh Waters:

I've never ridden with carbon brakes. In Australia we're not allowed to change the discs,🐎 we have standard callipers… we're rebels if we change the pads! We run a different master cylinder because we can adjust it.

So to ride on carbon brakes was so different and so physical, in terms of the st🔥opping of the bike. In a dream world you'🔯d just keep riding, do another day, but I never came here thinking that.

I just loved the opportunity.

mahbx.com:

How many runs did you get today?

Josh Waters:

I got two half-hour stints. With more laps I got more used to the track. The only time I've ridden here wꦇas in 2002 and a lot has h💛appened since then.

It was an unbelievable ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚexperience and a lot different to what I thought it would be.

mahbx.com:

In what way?

Josh Waters:

It's not easy to ri🍃de but it was like taking off on a normal motorbike, they've done such a good job. The way the torque is delivered is so smooth. I was a bit worried because I was the first guy to ride it and thought I might stalꦓl it!

And like I said on the video, the team made you feel really welcome and that they wanted you here. They were all great to work with and that mad🅠e the whole experience a lot better.

mahbx.com:

Any adjustments to the bike at all?

Josh Waters:

It would have been a waste of time to do anything like that, it's more me riding the track and stuff like꧒ tha🧸t. It was special for sure.

mahbx.com:

Another thing Sylvain mentioned in the briefing was the incredible power from fourth gear onwards, how🌄 did you find it?

Josh Waters:

Crazy! It just keeps pulling and pulling! Amazing. With the acceleration – to go back to our bikes in Australia, our bikes are s🌌tandard so the electronics are good but they 🐎are the ones that you buy from the dealership. We modify them a bit, but these here in MotoGP are the best in the world so you can trust them a lot more. But I didn't want to crash it or anything! Maybe that was why they put me first, they thought I'd be the safest!

It was just an amazing expeꦍrience t🥂hat I'll never ever forget.