Honda (UK) Racing this year celebrates its 21st year of racing.
Its association with the British Superbike Championship dates right back to 1990 when the team ran as Silkolene Honda with riders Carl Fogarty and James Whitham and since then, the team has run riders such as Simon Crafar, Phillip McCallen and Steve Hislop, before going to the World Superbike championship in 1994, running Aaron Slight and Doug Polen on the new RVF-RC45 V4s.
The team took the championship with John Kocinski in 1997 before switching to V-twin power and the SP-1 in 2000. In that first year Colin Edwards took the title, repeating it on the SP-2 in 2002 after an epic fight with Troy Bayliss and Ducati.
In 2003 the team returned home to contest the British Superbike series with Steve Plater aboard Edwards’ championship-winning SP-2s.
Since 2004 Honda (UK) Racing has been partnered in the British Superbike championship by HM Plant as title sponsor and utilised the awesome CBR1000RR Fireblade, becoming one of the most successful teams in the paddock, with BSB titles in 2006 and 2007.
Meanwhile their occasional presence in other classes – such as Supersport and Superstock – has also netted the team wins and championships, most notably Karl Harris’ back-to-back Supersport championships in 2003 and 2004, and Steve Plater’s victory in 2009. HM Plant Honda also took the 2008 British Superstock title with Steve Brogan.
For 2009, HM Plant Honda took the decision to withdraw from the Superstock 1000 class directly in the British Championship. However, Honda racers John McGuinness and Brogan raced in this class under Padgetts colours securing 2nd and 3rd place in the championship.
For 2010, Honda (UK)’s HM Plant Honda British Superbike team is fielding former two-time British Superbike champion Ryuichi Kiyonari and Australian Josh Brookes, with Steve Plater hoping to bring another Superstock championship in HM Plant colours.
HM Plant Honda has also been one of the most successful teams at both the North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT legendary road races in recent years
| 2009 |
British Superbikes
Josh Brookes secures 4th in the championship despite taking part in only nine out of the twelve events, with team-mate Glen Richards also missing much of the season due to a broken leg
British Superstock 1000
The team does not take part in the championship directly, but 2008 champion Steve Brogan takes
second for Padgetts Honda and with team-mate John McGuinness close behind in 3rd
British Supersport
Steve Plater takes the title with four wins, four seconds and one third-place finish from 12 race starts
North West 200
Steve Plater takes wins in the both the Superbike and Supersport races
Isle of Man TT
John McGuinness takes the Superbike TT win while Steve Plater takes the honours in the Senior race
British Motocross Championship
Brad Anderson takes the British MX1 Championship for PAR Honda |
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2008
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British Superbikes
HM Plant Honda takes second and third in the British Superbike Championship with Leon Haslam and Cal Crutchlow. Leon eventually wins five races and Cal two as they develop the all-new 2008 HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR Fireblades
British Superstock 1000
Steve Brogan takes the National Superstock 1000 title with eight wins from 12 starts. He also nets three other podium finishes.
British Supersport
Steve Brogan finishes 8th in the championship with one win at Thruxton after injuries at Mallory Park and Croft
North West 200
John McGuinness takes a 3rd and 5th place finish in the two Superbike races, while Steve Brogan DNF in the Superstock, but does well to finish 11th and 4th in the two Supersport races in what was – in effect – his second visit to the North West 200
Isle of Man TT
HM Plant Honda did not compete in the 2008 Isle of Man TT races, but Honda racer John McGuinness competed under the Padgetts Honda team and won the Senior TT race
British Motocross Championship
Billy McKenzie won the British MX1 Championship with CAS Honda, with Neville Bradshaw taking 4th place in the MX2 Championship for DB Racing
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2007
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British Superbikes
Ryuichi Kiyonari retains his British Superbike title with team-mate Jonathan Rea as runner-up. Kiyo scoops nine wins, while Rea takes five for HM Plant Honda in a dominant year for the HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR Fireblades.
North West 200
John McGuinness wins the Superbike class on a Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade
Isle of Man TT
John McGuinness wins both the Senior and Superbike classes and finishes 2nd in the Supersport and Superstock classes. He also sets a new lap record on the 37.75 mile Mountain course of 130.354mph on his HM Plant Honda Fireblade race machine. Ian Hutchinson also wins the Supersport class on a race-prepped CBR600RR
British Motocross Championship
Honda wins the MX2 series with rider Mike Brown and his CAS Honda team In MX1 2006 champ Ken De Dycker finishes runner-up on his CAS Honda
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2006
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British Superbikes
Ryuichi Kiyonari wins his first British Superbike title aboard the HM Plant Honda Fireblade at the season finale at Brands Hatch. Over the season Kiyo won 10 races. Jonathan Rea (Red Bull Honda) and HM Plant Honda’s Karl Harris finish the season in 4th and 5th places respectively.
British Supersport
Eugene Laverty finishes 3rd in the championship aboard a Red Bull Honda CBR600RR run from Honda (UK) Racing in Louth
North West 200
Steve Plater achieves a double victory in the Superbike class
Isle of Man TT
John McGuinness wins the Senior, Superbike and Supersport classes and also sets a new lap record in excess of 129mph on the new-for-2006 HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade
British Motocross Championship
Honda wins the MX1 title with Ken De Dycker and the CAS Honda team
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2005
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British Superbikes
HM Plant Honda takes 2nd and 3rd in the British Superbike Championship with Ryuichi Kiyonari and Michael Rutter respectively aboard CBR1000RR Fireblades.
British Supersport
Eugene Laverty takes 5th place in the championship aboard the Red Bull Honda CBR600RR
North West 200
Michael Rutter takes a race win in the Superbike class and in doing so records the fastest ever high-speed at the event of 201.1mph
Isle of Man TT
Ian Lougher is runner-up in the Senior TT and Martin Finnegan takes 3rd place in the Formula 1 TT
British Motocross Championship
Honda wins the MX1 title with Josh Coppins and the CAS Honda team
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2004
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British Superbikes
Michael Rutter takes 2nd position in the British Superbike series with Ryuichi Kiyonari in 8th overall with the new 2004 CBR1000RR Fireblades.
British Supersport
Karl Harris wins the title for the second consecutive year aboard the HM Plant CBR600RR.
North West 200
Michael Rutter takes the double race win for HM Plant Honda
Isle of Man TT
Ian Lougher finishes 5th
British Motocross Championship
Honda retains the MX1 title with the CAS Honda team
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