Honda Racing UK

Attention turns to the North West 200

Race Preview
The Honda Racing UK team turns its attention to the roads as it heads to the fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils North West 200 for the team’s first road race of the year. 

After securing his first-ever point in British Championship racing earlier this week, Nathan Harrison is in great form heading into his first road event for the team. He racked up valuable mileage over testing and the first two rounds of the Pirelli National Superstock series and is in good spirits heading to the ‘triangle course.’ He will be hoping to build on his best previous results of 7th and 10th as he races the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP superbike for the first time. 

Lining up alongside Harrison is road racing superstar, twenty-one-time podium finisher and six-time NW200 winner John McGuinness MBE. He too has participated in the opening rounds of BSB in the Superstock class in preparation for his road racing campaign, showing great pace and race craft throughout both events. 

The NW200 has been a happy hunting ground for Honda historically as it has won more races (95) than any other manufacturer. In 2022, the Honda Fireblade also secured both Superbike race wins and a podium in Superstock in the hands of Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles rider Davey Todd. 

Practice for the 2023 event takes place on Tuesday 9th and Thursday 11th of May. Honda Racing UK’s first race will then be the 6-lap Superstock race on the 11th May at 18.30, ahead of the second Superstock and both Superbike races on Saturday 13th May. 

To see a full schedule for this year’s event click here. 

#1 John McGuinness MBE

We’re in good shape heading to the North West, my bike fitness is alright, the bikes in a good place, I’m in a good place and I’m really looking forward to it. We’ve been out there putting the hard yards in racing in the British Superstock series and I feel ready to head to the roads. Getting in some hard racing to get the racecraft up to scratch, which is what you need at the North West. I’m really enjoying my riding and I’m feeling good on the bike, It’s what racing is all about!

#25 Nathan Harrison

I’m really excited to head to the North West. I love doing short circuits, but my year revolves around road racing so I can’t wait to get there and get stuck in! I’ve only ever ridden the Superbike in testing this year and I can’t wait to get on it again and go racing, it’ll be great to see how it feels on a road circuit too. The North West is also the perfect place to practice for the TT, there's nowhere else where you are doing 200 mph for that long. To see how the stability is and to get a feeling of what the bike will be like at that speed, how it feels under braking and then making changes if you need to so I’m comfortable. It’s the perfect place to get up to speed. 

John has been great, he calls me ‘the policeman’ because I ask a million and one questions! If I’m struggling with a section, if it's my riding or the bike he has been there to lend a helping hand. It’s only little snippets, but these small snippets can be really helpful. 

I want to build on my personal results from last year and I want to progress. I want to build on what I’ve done previously and go faster but be comfortable, going fast but in the right way.