Honda’s Supersport dr
Honda set their sights on Supersport glory with the new CBR600, and four-time champion
Honda Racing UK will enter the Quattro Group British Supersport Championship (BSS) this year following the return of the iconic CBR600RR to the UK market. It’s the first time Honda has been in the class as a full factory effort since 2009, a season that ended with Steve Plater winning the title with the 600. Overall, the CBR600RR has celebrated nine World Supersport and six British championships.
Honda have hired recordbreaking four-time BSS champion, and 59-time BSS race winner, Jack Kennedy to ride the bike. The Irishman returns to the class after a single season in BSB.
MCN caught up with Kennedy to discuss the year ahead.
‘The bike does everything you want it to do’
You’ve been out in Spain testing the bike – what are your thoughts on it?
“First impressions are really good. It brought back memories from when I rode the old bike in 2014. It’s had a fair few upgrades since then so it’s nice to feel improvements.
“The chassis feels really good, as does top-end speed. Of course, I’m a little apprehensive at this stage because, while I feel doing a laptime on the bike will be okay, I need to see how it stacks up in the races. Doing a lap-time on a bike – on your own, with a clear race track – is one thing. But when you’re in a race, things can become more difficult.
“That said, I have full faith in the team. They have the resources and infrastructure in place to improve in any areas that we may need to, so my mind is at ease in that respect.”
What’s the biggest positive from riding the bike?
“How good the chassis feels. It just feels like a really nice bike, and it does everything you want it to do. The front end feeling is really good as well, so the handling of the bike is my biggest highlight so far.
“I was also surprised and happy with how quickly I got back up to speed on the 600 after riding the superbike. I was a bit apprehensive about how long it would take me to
April 17 2024
get the most out of a 600, but I feel like I’m there already.”
The Supersport class has evolved, but this is an oldschool 600cc bike. Any concerns there?
“I think back to when I was on the Kawasaki 636. Plenty of people say to me, “Well if you did it on the 636 you can do it on the Honda”, but it was different circumstances back then. The bigger-capacity, nextgeneration bikes weren’t involved, and we weren’t on slicks. Hence my apprehension until I race it!”
Can you make the difference, even if there’s something to make up with the machinery?
“Yes! I keep referring back to the 636 because it wasn’t the bike of choice. That title [2021 BSS championship] stands out because it wasn’t meant to happen, but it did because we made it happen.
“You can sort of say I’m on a machine that isn’t the machine of choice now, but I’m definitely taking into account that the SS class has changed since I’ve been out of it – with the next-generation, bigger-capacity bikes. I know we can do a good job.”
People will no doubt name you as the title favourite…
“Without sounding over-confident, I think people are right to put me as that because I’ve won four titles and I’m the most successful rider in BSS history. I’ll take it on my shoulders, and go out and deliver the results.”
Do you still feel pressure, despite all your success?
“I’ve been doing this for so long now and experienced so much of it. Pressure is good in a way too, and essentially what that pressure comes down to is how well you’ve prepared. I know that I’ve prepared really well and I’m confident in my own capabilities.”
Is the level of competition the highest it’s been?
“Definitely. There will be three champions on the grid [Kennedy, Ben Currie and Luke Stapleford] this year and there are plenty of fast guys. It’s great because it raises the level and profile of the class.
When you’re winning races, you want to be doing so against the best competition because people will say, ‘Fair enough, you’re doing a good job if you’re beating these guys’. You don’t want people saying you’re only winning because there’s nobody good in there. I think there could be six to eight riders in the battle for the lead in each race.”
The race fairing is manufactured by Lacomoto. The fibreglass fitment is stronger and lighter than the one on the road bike, but it must be the same design as the roadster’s. The bike also has MotoGP-derived winglets.
The regulations stipulate standard calipers must be used, but there are other upgrades: a Brembo 320mm front disc, a Brembo front master cylinder, SBS brake pads and Goodridge brake lines. The rear brake disc (220mm) is standard, although we were told that Kennedy didn’t use the rear brake once during a three-day test at Andalucia. “We joked that we could take the rear pads out to save weight,” a member of the team told MCN. Well, he he was joking…