The Biker Place

Well the end of the 2007 Bennetts British Superbikes season has seen a whole host of changes in rider lineups, and this post will look at movement in the top three teams on the BSB grid. One of the biggest shocks so far in the 2007 off-season has been the departure of Stobart Honda from BSB, as boss Paul Bird announced that, following the departure of his two riders Shane Byrne and Tom Sykes, he will be taking the team to compete in the World Superbikes Championship next season.

HM Plant Honda

The HM Plant Honda team had a dream campaign in 2007 with Ryuichi Kiyonari winning the championship (his second consecutive) and team-mate Jonathan Rea finishing runner-up in the standings. Following his 2nd championship win, Kiyonari has moved to World Superbikes and the World Champion Honda Ten Kate team. Jonathan Rea has also left British Superbikes for the Honda Ten Kate team and will spend the 2008 season in the World Supersport championship before moving up to World Superbikes for the 2009/10 seasons.

All this means that the HM Plant Honda team were wihout riders for the 2008 season, which prompted them to sign Leon Haslam and Cal Crutchlow. Leon Haslam, son of racing legend “Rocket” Ron Haslam, has switched from the Airwaves Ducati team to spearhead Honda’s attack on the 2008 crown. The 24 year old Derbyshire rider has been second and third in the two years he spent with Ducati, and will be keen to take the championship this season.

Cal Crutchlow has a strong affininty with Honda racing having won the 2006 Supersport title on a CBR600RR and, following a strong showing on the Rizla Suzuki in 2007, he will be hoping to give Haslam competition in 2008.

Airwaves Ducati

Airwaves Ducati finished the 2007 season trailing the HM Plant Honda team with their riders, Leon Haslam and Gregorio Lavilla, finishing 3rd and 4th in the Championship standings. As we have already mentioned Haslam has moved to the HM Plant Honda team for next season, Gregorio Lavilla, the 2005 British Superbike Champion, has also left the Ducati team but at time of writing there had been no confirmation on where he would race next year. Although recently strong rumours have surfaced that he may race for Stobart Honda in the World Superbikes championship.

Riding for the Airwaves Ducati team in 2008, on the Ducati 1098R, will be Shane “Shakey” Byrne and Leon Camier.

Shane Byrne brings a wealth of experience to the Airwaves Ducati team for the 2008 season having won the BSB crown in 2003 followed by two years in MotoGP before returning to the domestic scene in 2006. Byrne finished the 2007 season in 5th place on the Stobart Vent-Axia Honda Team. Joining him in the team will be former Supersport Champion Leon Camier who made a positive start to last term on the Bike Animal Honda, catching the eye with strong rides, but who is currently recovering from leg injuries suffered in a heavy crash during the Cadwell Park round.

Rizla Suzuki

Rizla Suzuki, like the other two top teams, will also have a completely new rider line-up for the 2008 season. Out go Cal Crutchlow, joining the HM Plant Honda team, and Chris Walker who will race for the Gil Kawasaki team in the World Supersport Championship.

Rizla Suzuki’s new line up will be exciting young rider, and 2007 Steve Hislop Memorial Trophy winner (Rookie of the Year), Tom Sykes and reigning Japanese Superbike Champion Atsushi Watanabe.

The 31-year-old won the Japanese title with Yoshimura Suzuki, having first taken the crown in 2002, and is acknowledged as one of the best riders in Japan. He has been placed in BSB by Suzuki with a clear aim of winning the championship.

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