Honda British Superbike and Roads team 2024
Jack welcome to NEC and welcome to joining Honda it’s almost like uh first day of school I guess yeah yeah it definitely is uh everybody’s new and everything is new and have a lot of teammates as well so I’m looking forward to the year ahead
And hopefully we can do a good job for Honda and put the I suppose put the CBR 600 back on the map yeah I mean you joined a long long history of CBR 600s and you look at all the old Riders you know Steve pler and Kyle Harris and Kyle
Kutler that’s a lot of big names you got to match yeah and I think um I think we can do what we need to do on the Honda this year with the development that Honda put in to make the bik stronger I don’t think it’s going to lack in any
Area and I’ve got the best team behind me possible to to give me the best Honda the ride as well so I’m really looking forward to getting tested and getting racing and um challenging for wins and yeah showcasing the the CVR 600 and what terms in terms of testing is it going to
Be December January cuz there’s no testing ban for Super Sport you can kind of free reign to do what you want I guess yeah um that’s a good thing obviously we can do as much testing as we want um we just don’t know when it’s
Going to be yet whether it’s going to be December or January so um you know way I’m ready and I’m excited to get out and spend some Laps on this and get used to riding the 600 again because it’s going to be so different than the super boy so
Um yeah I’m excited I’m looking forward to and final question what does it feel like to be part of this big Honda team you know we just had the big group phot you know you look to your left and right and you got TT Stars you got motorcross
Winners yeah it’s nice I’m looking forward to having the atmosphere of of team H obious last year I came from one man team yeah now teammates and the year before the same as well so I’m looking forward to having the relationship with teammates having a having a bit of crack
And and developing bikes as well at the same time and I’m looking forward to getting the most out this CBR 600 to then hand over to the lads to ride on the roads as well and watch them do a really good job on it so uh I think it’s
Going to be an exciting and fun year cool thanks for your time Jack welcome to the team cheers mate thank you cool welcome to the N mate hope you’re well congratulations on getting married and uh how’s the fitness how’s the feeling how’s the injuries yeah you know H
Firstly yeah I got married as soon as the season pretty much and uh now I went on holiday had a bit of a honeymoon and I kept training there and every day you see step by step that you’re getting better and better and uh do I kind of
Like look back at how I was or say like what weight I was able to move whenever I was last racing at Brands compared to no and uh you with my right arm it’s more than double of that it’s made a massive step I nearly fail 100% now I
Would say and uh yeah things are getting better and better you come here to the NC it’s that first chance for 2024 we see the new Fire B it looks Mega it looks like a more than what we need I think to do the job for next season so
Yeah I have a lot of fire in my valy a lot of motivation and come here to get started cool and in terms of how you do the testing cuz there’s a testing ban in bsp so how you going to get bike fit you
Got a a track de bike you can use or yeah I actually have uh one of the new 2024 Honda 600s uh that I’m building into a training bike so I’ll use that there H try to get out maybe three or four times before the season starts or
Before I go testing with the super BL because we’ve got the testing B you know hopefully can get out before Christmas but I think that’s going to be a little bit complicated to be honest but uh if not it’s March whenever we get on the proper super bike but by then you know
My body is going to be 100% I’m going to be riding anyway so you I’m improving that improving the flexibility the movement in my arm with riding the bike being in that position so I think H by the time that comes around everything’s going to be back to normal and the old
Andrew R will be back cool mate and finally it’s kind of like getting the team back together cuz everybody’s here at the NC we’ve got all the Honda Riders both Road and off-road what’s it like to see all the team back together to come to the NC with with all the Riders you
Say we have a really good vibe I would say Jo you’ve got John who’s like H the Elder Statesman if that’s okay and you know sometimes he’s grumpy you know it gets past 9:00 and you see him get a grump and then you see him at breakfast
In the morning he’s a different person but he’s fantastic he’s a fantastic Ambassador I think for Honda still down 131 M hour at the TT finishing in the top 10 at 52 years old 51 52 years old so it’s it’s fantastic Dean Harrison 60t podiums last year I think on the TT or
On the podium at every TT done getting h a haunted I think he’s really going to take it to Hickman next year I think with this bike with this package and also the team that he’ll have around him Jo i’ I’ve read for different teams and
Uh you see how good Honda is whenever you come back to it and uh I think that’ll help him take the step Nathan going to be his first property at the TT with Honda you know we’ve seen the steps he made even in Superstar inside the top
10 at the end of the year and H Jack Kennedy obviously four time British H super scort Champion coming to ride the new 600 hondai yeah I think it’s a fantastic Dynamic and already we’re having fun we’re having a lot and I think whenever we go test him we’ll have
Fun you sometimes you can be away from home for a couple of weeks and it’s good to have that personality each person slightly different so I think that’s important but also we know what the job is we take the job serious Joe here yes we can have a laugh but whenever we put
The viser down it’s serious time and we’ll also put in the hard work over the winter to make sure we’re in the best year contest well man looking forward to seeing you back on the new five blade cheers mate to mate ni good to see you
At the NC um brilliant end to the end of last year which was top 10 at the last round at superstock on your own bike so you must have recovered from the injuries you’re all good ready to go yeah um I obviously wanted to make a
Point to come back and after my injury at the TT I was absolutely got to miss that it’s my B on end TT and um I wanted to prove that I could still come back and come back fighting and end the year strong ready for 2024 and it’s exactly
What I did um at the end of the year I ran my own team again with h support at har and CHR in the team um and like you say we got a top 10 and it’s best ever result at brsh Super and it looked like quite uncomfortable top 10 it wasn’t
Like you know it was like half the field C you know it was hard conditions everybody was battling and you were consistent in qualifying in practice really going well yeah uh qualified eight which is I’ve never seen the lights that never been that close to the lights before um and then obviously it
Was wet and I went backwards a little bit in the wet in the first race for in the Saturday that was on the Saturday on the Sunday I went from 199th up to up to 9th and it was like it was like it was a good confidence Bo passing people and
Knowing that I can do it and something I was knowing I can do I just needed everything to come together and that’s what happened and like say You’re only as good as your last race out ended 2023 in the right way and as we go into 2024
We got a brand new Fire Blade you know changes to the chassis more Flex in it Chang to the aerodynamics when do you actually get to do some testing so I think the plan is the start of March um I can’t wait to get going on it and like
Say look how how good it is um hunda already had a super bike it dominate super stuck as it is at the m minute so I think next year is probably going to be the Honda cup and uh can’t wait to see what it’s like around the CD for
Well looking forward to working with you next year looking forward to see you back on the podium thank you very much cheers mate first of all Dean welcome to Honda Racing welcome to the team thank you very much second of all not a lot of people will know this but your first
Race bike CBR 600 elvington 2003 2004 CBR 600 was my first ever racing bike uh and it’s like going back home I suppose I’m not quite sure how different this will feel to the uh to the old CB but no I’m looking for to it nonetheless cool
Mate and for this season you’re going to be in super bike I guess in BSB and then what’s your plans for the roads all three yeah exactly be on the new CV 600 the Northwest and the TT and the new super stock and super bike so we got a
Full Fleet that’s going to be a lot of hard work uh yeah but it’s what we do sort of year on year sort of used to Jumping bike to bike at the Northwest on the TT through the practice so I’m looking forward I’m looking for new bikes so like say everything’s all fresh
And new so I’m looking forward to seeing what everything goes like Co and speaking of new and fresh this is the first time really you’ve been with a big Factory team we just did a big photo over there you know you look to your left and you’ve got John mein so you
Look to your right you got Jack Kennedy what does it feel like to be part of this big Honda team uh no I’m over the moon it’s obviously it’s a it’s massive to be part of this whole the whole sort of thing really it’s just over a little bit overwhelming as said
It’s like first day at school today in my new uniform uh but no I’m just excited to be honest I’m just try to take it all in and finally to have John mcginness as a teammate I mean that when me and you were racing as kids we looked
Up to JN as like a hero and we still do yeah exactly yeah know and over the years obious I’ve become such good friends with John and n and everyone now to be to be working together as well sort of a a big tick box and a bit of
Icing on the cake sort of thing so I’m just looking forward to getting stuff the testing now and the new bikes cool mate thanks for your time looking forward to seeing you out on track John welcome to the NC we’re here again but you’ve got a bigger and even better team
To play with this year what does it feel to have a new teammates brilliant yeah Dean Harrison in team is fantastic you know obviously last couple years I’ve seen the sort of his backside just disappeared the distance on the TT track so I know uh kid’s got the got the
Minerals to do the job I’m really looking forward to working with him and uh want to see the brand right at the sharp end you know I’m sure that Dean’s capable of doing it and uh yeah Young Jack as well Jack Kennedy on the 600 so
Much pedigree on the in the 600 class he the man for the job so yeah super exciting times ahead again Nathan we know we need to get him to the TT this year safely and uh so yeah good strong team bit of Youth bit of experience
Speed you know I’m embarking on my 34 season so uh yeah it’s looking forward to getting stuck into it cool and for obviously for this year we’ve got a brand new Fire Blade and we got a brand new CBR 600R what’s your plans are you going to be doing super bike super stock
Or you going to be doing Super Sport also I think I think at the minute the priority for me is super back super stock uh that’s what I want to really concentrate on I looked at 600 now I’m like I want have go on that as well so
I’m sure I’ll be able to do some Laps on it uh give some feedback on the bike and help the team to to where they need to be so uh whether I get to race on at this stage I don’t know but 100% superstock super bike four races at the
TT that’s enough for an old man like me but if uh you know it feeling good and there’s a a bike available on 600 yes I would still quietly like to again yeah cool mate and finally what’s your plan for the start of the season will you be
Doing British superst are you going to jump on super bike you going to do testing you know what I don’t I’m sat now you’ve curved ball me a little bit I’m not 100% certain you know it’s uh we’ll be definitely doing some riding some testing I’d love to do the first
Round uh but I don’t think we can I don’t think superstock are going to Nara I’m not sure so there’s no superstock at Nara but then uh I think you get a double round at the next one well that’s it then yeah next round uh will be round one so
We’ll definitely be I hope so we’ll be going to that but long as we get plenty of mileage under the Bel somewhere on any sorts of track I’ll be happy you know last year we were ready uh you know those those tests in Spain first two rounds of the British Championship I
Felt pretty good and strong last year and it worked out great for me so hopefully we’ll we’ll do the same and uh yeah I’ll be going on to the races and helping the team and uh putting my a little bit in there and hopefully we can be right the sharpen cool and just
Finally right here on the Honda stand you’ve also got other of your bike collection around the NC so you’ve got your mugan bike we’ve got your anniversary bike yeah I’m still a Super Fan you know and I’ve I’ve got some cool bikes in my collection and I’ve done some uh last
Few years I’ve been suppored by NGK spark plugs and uh last few years we’ve had three of my bikes here so the the bike I did the first soorry my 100 start bike my gold bike my 15 TT winning bike which probably my best my finest Hour my
2014 TT wi mugan is there as well I have my 250 1996 nx5 250 which is on the benit stand which is uh a little bit of a tribute to Paul bird you know it’s uh you know with bird he was was a big he give me my my big break and he’s
Been still part of my life and advisory role for a long time so we thought we’d bring the 250 and just uh a little nod to birdie you know so cool mate looking forward to seeing you on the new five blade thanks for your time mate cheers
Mate H welcome to the NC welcome to Honda Racing I think you’re going to be the busiest maner the padic so you’ve got super bike riders Super Sport Riders superstock Riders and pathway bikes are you sure you taking enough on no we we’ve got a lot on for sure we’ve got um
You know massive massive uh change in introduction change if you like to the Fire Blade uh bringing back the 600 um lots of targets and plans for us to do for the future and the only way to do that is having the right team and structure around to do it so big
Increase with riders for sure obviously I’m going to have to have uh more support with work and mechanic so a lot going on but really really looking forward to the challenge for next year and as well as New Riders you got two new bikes so we’ve got the new Fire
Blade for 2024 and the new CBR 600RR it’s great to see the CBR back in British superport that’s a lot of work to get these bikes ready it is the CBR 600 RR um that coming back into a racing format is a challenge in itself because
What we’re trying to do is to get within the fim rules for World Super Sport to drop down into the Next Generation for within bsp but then that to Mor into the roads for the northwest of the TT having that one platform so it’s important for
Me to be working with Japan and and trying to get that all sorted out um and you know who better to to sign the Jack Kennedy there to to do the job for us with us with that um then you you know you move to the to the new Fire Blade
The revisions and everything else has taken place with that the 2024 first time for a lot of things with Honda with that um and and again we’re looking forward to that challenge um that bike the Machinery everything all coming in for ready for next year and it’s not just
Honda racing as the factory team we’ve also taken britsh Superstar title again and we’ve got the pathway bikes coming through and we had a number of bikes in superstock next year so how is that progressing for 2024 Well Chad you know if you go back to 2019 when we probably had like two
Hondas in the grid and you now you moved to 2023 and I think we got 30 something 32 with wild cards and again the introduction to the 600 so the the you know we’ve got to evolve and move with this and look to support with the
Pathway to get the the riders in moving and understanding a super bik help the riders coming into back into Super Sport um so there’s going to be a lot and there’s going to be a lot that we’re going to probably look to get support with the dealer Network and look to
Support with within the the rest of the business but it’s a massive transition from 2019 to 2023 and 24 thanks for your time mate really looking forward to seeing the new fbl and CBR 600 on the roads and in super bik and BSB thanks for your Time
The full Honda Roads and BSB team were at the NEC with us for Motorcycle Live
