THE COMPETITION

How the bikes are shaping up

DUCATI

VisionTrack Ducati have made an update to the engine specification, but,according to team co-ordinator Johnny Mowatt, it’s just a small tweak. There’s also a small change to the stiffness of the swingarm. Both Brookes and Iddon gave positive feedback on new Öhlins fork tubes after running back-to-back tests with the old versions.

YAMAHA

After speaking to riders O’Halloran and Mackenzie, McAMS Yamaha have been working to improve the top-end performance. They’ve decreased the torque and moved the power higher up, without losing too much at the bottom. The team are confident that they’ve improved their straightline performance. Elsewhere, McAMS will be running the same 2021-spec Akrapovič as the Pata Yamaha factory WSB team. The focus away from the engine has been on geometry and balance settings.

BMW

The German manufacturer have built an M Superbike for the first time, a pure-bred race bike built from the ground up. The M1000RR’s engine is more powerful than its predecessor, but delivers the power in a much more linear, user-friendly way. The extra horsepower should give the BMW riders a better chance of beating the Ducati V4R down the straights. The BMWs finally have wings as well. Designed in the wind tunnel, they’ll help prevent wheelie on corner exit and provide even more top speed.

HONDA

The new Fireblade shocked everybody last year when, despite limited testing and few race parts, it won four races. Now they’ve had a winter of development to improve the new Blade. Honda have been busy tuning the engine, finding at least 10bhp more and increasing the revs. After developing the standard swingarm to a MK3 stage, Honda are expecting to switch to a Suter swingarm for the new season. Honda have the latest Nissin calipers and master cylinder, as well as a 2021-spec Akrapovič exhaust.

SUZUKI

Hawk Racing have a new engine spec and have been working alongside Yoshimura Japan. The new spec provides more power and better rideability, whilst also improving the deceleration. The aim? Better consistency from track to track. The team have received electronic upgrades directly from the Suzuki Motor Corporation’s race department in Japan and have worked to integrate the new engine spec with the Motec ECU. There’s a new bespoke Suter swingarm and new Öhlins forks are coming soon.