Beyond the Blade ‘Testing’
The bikes have been delivered, the bikes have been stripped. we’ve had them on the dyno, we’ve worked with our partners, we’ve got bespoke parts. Now it’s time for some testing. Testing is all about gathering data, and we’ve got three days here in Andalusia, five different bikes, five different riders with
Different levels of experience. We’ve got Dean for the first time with the team on the Superbike, ready to get ready for the TT. Jack Kennedy is gonna be on Supersport. Then we’ve got three Superstock bikes with Nathan, Bridewell and Irwin. The track opens in half an hour,
So it’s time to get some leathers on, get some track action. Jack, we’ve just finished three days in Andalusia. It is probably one of the biggest steps I’ve ever seen in motorbike racing. It’s back to a 600, new team, new everything. It couldn’t be any more different, really. Yeah, everything’s new,
But there is some familiarities from riding the CBR600 in 2013, 2014. So I do have some good memories from the Honda, and I’m really happy to be a part of this really professional team, massive setup, and I feel really welcome already, and getting on great with all the team and all the lads.
The first test, like you say, with the bike, we came to Spain with an open mind, new team for the 600. We’ve got new lads that are working with bikes, so to get Jack here, get everybody gelling, it’s a positive vibe that we’ve got already, and Jack seems quite happy,
He’s gelled with the bike nicely from the start. I haven’t seen a shift like once. Good. I want to put the CBR600 back on the map for the team. I obviously wanna do well for myself. I feel really comfortable on the bike as it is now, and all the changes of being positive.
Team have worked amazing, and I feel really comfortable and confident in the team as well, so I’m looking forward to the next test and the first round. Dean, just coming to the end of three days testing in Andalusia, first time on the 24 blade. How has it gone? Interesting to be honest it’s
Such a big change for the year, but no, it’s all positive. The bike’s good, it’s sort of getting used to it. The first day, everything was a little bit early, new team, new bike, new people, and there’s quite a lot going on in the camp with the last few days.
So, no, do you know what? It’s been good. Everything’s been positive, and we’ve been on the Metzeler tyres, which has been nice to try a few different pieces with them. Tried a numerous amount of different Metzelers, different compounds, just trying to get a feel for different structures. It was completely blind, really.
We didn’t know what was fitted. Just put a black round thing in and write the feedback down, so it’s as simple as that, really. Dean’s always going to be the man for the roads. it’s as simple as that, really. I think the bike will be good at the roads.
I think Dean, he will notice the difference with the team around him and the people around him to move to the next step. You’ve been working with Lee, which is all-new, you’ve got new crew chiefs, you’ve got new bikes, you’ve got new teammates, so you’ve gone from one small team to a–
A massive team. We did expect, obviously, a lot of riders, a lot of team members and things like that, but it’s sort of, you first come, you don’t know who anybody is, and names and things have all been put in place, but no, everyone’s sort of figured
Their self out over the last few days and knows what they’re doing. So I’m looking forward to moving forward, really. – Three different bikes, five different riders. That is a lot of data, but it’s not just laptop data. We’re gonna be taking oil samples from each one of those five bikes,
Sending that to Motul, our partners who will be looking at that for analysis. We caught up with Motul just before coming to this test. My name’s Jason Davies, and I’m UK Sales Manager for Motul Oils. I currently look after the power sports division, which is really all the cool stuff on two wheels.
Honda and the relationship with Motul, it’s one that’s been going on for many years, but it’s more than just a sponsorship, it’s a partnership, a collaboration. It’s a perfect synergy of two brands wanting to better themselves through technical advancement, really, through the needs of racing.
We use the racing side as our bench test. We go through a variety of research and development and feedback from you guys. All these things then go to then create a better product. Once we’ve actually had that product for a while, we can then actually release it to the wider market.
So we work with you as a close partnership to actually understand the requirements of the product. And it works hand in hand with our sort of philosophy of testing and racing a product, and then eventually bringing it out for sale. The oil analysis and samples is something that we’ve pushed for really,
Because it’s a two-way street, it’s information. We get the oil back, we can look at it, we can analyze it, we can look at anything that gives us an insight into what’s going on inside the engine, which you can’t see from outside. We can look at minuscule particles,
We can find out if there’s a metal wearing excessively, we can find out if the bike’s been running too hot, where it’s optimum range should be. Through our relationship, this why we are here now, sat here at Honda, because we are still pushing, we’re still developing the oil, we’re listening to feedback,
And our feedback helps develop the bikes. This year we’ve got new bikes, including a 600, and so we’re here from the start to ensure that they have every best advantage possible. Honestly, I’ve never been a big fan of road bikes, or Superstock bikes, but this bike’s special,
We knew that whenever it first came out in 2020, I was here, it was a fantastic road bike, Superstock bike, it’s won British Superstock titles, now it’s leveled up again, and yeah, for me, it’s been mega, good to get some miles again, and just enjoy riding, no pressure,
I don’t have a crew chief here, I’m just riding with a mechanic. It’s brought a bit of fun back to you, to be honest, and I wanna try to maintain that throughout the season, to have a smile on my face, and bring the old Andrew Irwin back.
And then just finally, obviously, it’s early stages, because you’ve only ridden the 24 stock bike, but what’s your kind of predictions, what’s your feeling for this year, what’s your targets? – The target for me is to get back on track again. Honestly, I just wanna be there or there abouts every weekend,
In and around the top five. We’ve seen last year that even if somebody is dominating, you never knew how the season’s gonna pan out in the end, and I think going into the last round, there’s four or five people that could win the championship, so for me, if I can start consistent,
Be in and around the top five, and just build progress, stay calm and I genuinely think I can do a really good job on the new Fireblade – Yeah, it’s a massive step forward, obviously. I’ve never ran a bike with split throttles before, and we got the first day
Getting it dialed into my 23 bike, so without split throttles. We got that feeling good. It’s an overall better package, and then as we moved into the afternoon, we started to introduce the split throttles, and that was like night and day difference. The grip that you got off the turn,
The consistency with the bike, yeah, it was just a massive step forward. – He’s really enjoyed riding it. We matched and bettered the time he did round here a month ago on his own bike that he’d been riding all last year. He’s really enjoying the split throttles on it.
He likes the way they work, he likes the feel of it. I think he likes the sounds more than anything. – Honda have been brilliant. We’ve sort of piggybacked on their roads test, to be fair. Me and Andrew have just been spinning laps on the Superstock bike. It’s a very minimal modified road bike in truth, and it’s testament to just how good the bike is. We’ve been doing some really strong lap times.
– And I feel good. I feel really good I said to the team earlier that for me, front end is crucial. And the way I’m pushing the front end on the bike here, I’m even squinting me eyes thinking, how the hell have I managed to stop and get around the corner?
So I wanted to push the bike to that level because then that gives me the confidence of going right, front is mega. It’s hard because people that are gonna watch this are gonna go, oh, he’s gotta say that, but I have never felt as strong as I do now.
The previous years have been strong, have been great. There’s something about this new bike that is making me smile inside. So my expectation is obvious, is to defend my British Superbike Championship. I’ve got the number one for a reason, and I wanna defend it.
– Three days of testing done, five bikes, five riders. That is a lot of data. Also, we’ve taken that oil out. That’s going back to Motul for analysis. But we’ve gotta get back to Louth now, look through all that data, see where we’re gonna make progress, and the next time you see us,
Will be round one in Navara. Thanks for watching. Don’t forget to subscribe.
Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3…
In this third episode of the season, join Honda Racing UK as we hit the race track for the first time in 2024 with all-new machinery and an expanded rider lineup at the Circuit de Andalucia in southeast Spain. Come behind the scenes of this roads-orientated pre-season test to check in with the team and hear their thoughts on the season ahead.
It wasn’t just the bikes that were testing, however. We caught up with our partner Motul to learn more about the partnership and how oil sample testing has helped shape the team’s development.
Join us as we go ‘testing’.
#HondaRacing #BeyondtheBlade #Fireblade #CBR600RR
