Superbike / Supersport

SUPERBIKE: HONDA CBR1000RR 08

RIDERS:
>> CARLOS CHECA #7
Former MotoGP rider Carlos Checa needs little introduction with a racing career spanning more than 15 years and including rides for several top teams. In 2008 the Spaniard made the move to the World Superbike championship to ride the new Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade for the HANNspree Ten Kate Honda Superbike team. Despite a new team, a new bike with new tyres at new circuits in an unfamiliar championship, Checa took a debut double win in the US and finished his ‘rookie’ season in championship fourth place.

>> RYUICHI KIYONARI #23
Ryuichi Kiyonari won the British Superbike title in 2006 and 2007 and has been a pace setter as part of Honda’s official HRC Superbike operation in the development of the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade. In the highly-competitive British championship, Kiyonari claimed 25 wins from 52 BSB races and is the most successful BSB rider of recent times. In 2008 the popular Japanese rider made his WSBK debut with the HANNspree Ten Kate Honda team alongside, scoring an impressive double win at Brands Hatch last season. He followed that up with his third win of 2008 at Donington Park, finishing his debut WSBK season in ninth place.

>> KENAN SOFUOGLU #54
After completely dominating the 2007 World Supersport season and taking the sixth consecutive World Supersport title for the HANNspree Ten Kate Honda team, Turkish rider Kenan Sofuoglu move up to World Superbikes with the Junior Team in 2008. Although consistency was hard to find, Kenan showed he had lost none of his talent and determination when he switched back to his favoured Supersport machine for the final 2008 round at Portimao.

SUPERSPORT: HONDA CBR600RR 08

RIDERS:
>> ANDREW PITT #88
Australian Andrew Pitt had already topped the sheets of the Supersport rankings once before when he claimed the World title in 2001. He climbed to the top again in 2008, winning his second and the Ten Kate Honda team’s seventh successive title. In the intervening years he enjoyed a MotoGP adventure with Kawasaki and Ilmor and rode for Yamaha Italia in the World Superbike series. Two Supersport podiums in 2007 as a replacement rider for the HANNspree Ten Kate Honda team secured his 2008 World Supersport ride, giving him the chance to win the title once again.

>> JONATHAN REA #65
Young Brit Jonathan Rea was British 60cc motocross champion in 1997, before moving up through the motocross classes and switching to road racing in 2003 in the British 125cc championship. He was runner-up in the 2007 British Superbike championship and the youngest ever rider to secure a BSB pole position. He made the transition to the World Supersport championship last season, debuting in the World Supersport series with the HANNspree Ten Kate Honda team. Riding Honda’s CBR600RR alongside team-mate and eventual world champion, Andrew Pitt, Jonathan finished as runner-up in the championship.