Honda BSB Fireblade 2021 Track Review

It’s funny isn’t it, how easy it is to be brave when you’re watching BSB on the television? From the comfort of my own sofa, I can easily outbrake the frontrunners on the way into Druids. I’d also think nothing of using a bit of extra tyre at Silverstone to stamp my dominance on the chasing pack, because riding a British Superbike looks easy, right?

You can probably already guess where the next five minutes of your reading time is going, but sit down and enjoy the ride. I certainly did, even if it wasn’t quite like the daydreams I’ve had when the racing is on.

Trial by Fireblade: John’s first visit at Oulton Park

My invite to ride the Honda Racing UK 2021 CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP in BSB trim arrived ahead of the season starting. This is not normal.

It’s a big risk, letting people loose on your race bike before it’s had a chance to earn its keep. This isn’t my first race bike rodeo, but it is the first time I’ve had a go before the cowboys.

This wasn’t the only first for me. It would also be the first time I’ve ridden at Oulton Park. I’ve spent years watching the place on TV and have ridden past it a few times on road tests, but this would be my first time out on track.

The best way I can describe it after having ridden it would be the love child of Cadwell Park and Donington, conceived on a rollercoaster. You don’t really get a moment’s rest around the 2.6-mile circuit. The straight bits aren’t really straight and the overhanging trees hide some of the wildest blind corners I’ve seen at any circuit anywhere in the world, let alone in the UK.

There’s real flow to this circuit though – I know, because I’ve seen it on the telly. I’ve also had it pointed out to me in detail by racers Glenn Irwin and Tom Neave. I asked them to walk and talk me through three corners: their favourite, the most exciting and the most crucial.

I won’t give too much away, as you’ll be able to watch the video of that chat soon, but I will say that getting an Oulton Park corner right takes a lot more than just entry, apex and a handful of the good stuff.

The plan to go from road-legal to mind-bending

Our ride would start with a 2021 Fireblade SP in road-legal trim.

Apart from the transmission being in race shift (one up and five down, as opposed to what you’re used to), it’s a ride we could take home on if the mood took us.

Next up would be Tom’s Superstock Fireblade. The easiest way I can describe this one is that it’s like a road-legal CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP that’s been to boot camp. Ready-to-ride weight is down 11kg to 190 and power is up from the road bike’s 214bhp to a much more ridiculous 227bhp.

A fitting session for the Superbike would follow, to make sure hands and feet can reach the required levers, as well as a quick check to make sure each rider is comfortable with where the bars are.

Once these checks had been made we’d get our chance to experience what Glenn Irwin, Ryo Mizuno and Takumi Takahashi will be putting to best effect in the 2021 BSB championship when the season kicks off at the end of June.

This isn’t the time or the place to delve into the tech specs, the simple numbers to roll around your head here are these two: power is up from 214 to 241bhp and the weight is down from 201kg ready-to-ride, to a mind-bending 180kg. That’s a pre-race weight with fuel by the way. Remember, there’s no traction control, no rider modes and no room at all for giddy throttle inputs.

Finding familiarity in the Fireblade SP

My first session on the Fireblade SP began with me feeling at home almost immediately. I’ve ridden the bike before, on track at the press launch in Qatar. I came away from the launch confidently stating that the front end on this bike is one of the best I’ve ever experienced on a road legal bike.

That feeling was reinforced as I gingerly probed the first few turns at Oulton. I’m certainly not about to start waxing lyrical about how within a couple of laps I was flying round, because I wasn’t. The track is incredibly demanding.

To get any kind of flow, you need to be thinking three corners ahead of yourself. I found that if I just rode it point to point, I was often in the wrong place at the right time to be in the wrong place.

Slowly things began to come together and my pace increases to the point where I’m able to let out a faint scream of excitement in my helmet (I’m certain I’m not the only rider that does this…). Before I know it, my time on the road bike is over. I’ll come back to the best line I overheard about the road bike at the end, for now I’ll stick with this being my litre-bike of choice for getting to know unknown circuits.

Confidence in the front end is key for a regular track day rider like me and knowing that the riding mode settings were there to hold my hand and rub my ego as things sped up left me feeling completely at ease with what was going on.

Trying Honda’s BSB Fireblade

The minute the road bike was swapped for a race bike, I experienced another first.

As I said earlier, I’ve been lucky enough to ride a few race bikes in my career but this was the first time I’ve done so knowing the name of the guys that built it.

I have a bit of a rule when it comes to bikes, I try and avoid riding them if they belong to someone I know. It’s a personal thing that comes from a mix of wanting to be respectful and not wanting to suffer the personal shame of bending a bike that’s been paid for by someone. Picture driving your own car versus driving a hire car and you’ll get an idea of the different approach.

The time I’ve spent with the Honda Racing UK team so far this season means I’m on first-name terms with the team now and that adds a strange new element of pressure to the day at Oulton.

I can see my mates from the other publications going at it out on track – I doubt they know about Spider’s (Glenn’s crew chief) time building classic cars as a young mechanic, or Scott’s fascination with pushbikes. I don’t want to embarrass myself and be the one who has a whoopsy on the bikes they obsess about keeping in optimum condition.

Meeting your heroes can be … intimidating

The ride on Glenn’s Superbike is by far the most nerve wracking I’ve had in years. I do what any race fan dreams of doing and strut over to the bike. Throwing a leg over it like I own the place, I put it into gear and burble down the pit lane brimming with confidence – at least, that’s what I want Harvier and the boys to think.

As soon as I’m out of sight I breathe out and take stock of what’s going on.

The bike feels insanely light at the front. That reassuring feeling the road bike has remains, but there’s a lot less bike to move around and I’m able to place it anywhere on the track with zero effort.

I’m clutchless up and down the transmission, but I can feel that second and third have pretty much everything I need for today’s ride.

I take a brave pill and leave the throttle open longer than the lap before on the exit of Shell Oils, I snick third and immediately find myself on top of the first chicane. I’m sure on the lap before it was a bit further round the corner.

Brake feel is nothing short of beautiful. When you consider the bike’s set for Glenn’s weight – and race bikes need to be pushed to be at their best – I’m surprised at the lever feel and response from the Superbike setup.

It really does feel like the road going SP version, everything is just happening a lot quicker.

Confidence is gaining with every lap, but – despite the fact that nobody is actually watching me – I can feel the weight of the eyes on me each time I pass pit lane

Realising the racing Fireblade’s full potential

One thing I can definitely confirm is that I wasn’t invited along to shadow the team for the season because they think I might have the pace to fill an empty seat in the team – I know my place and that’s back in the pit lane with a microphone clipped to my t-shirt.

Before I know it, I’ve handed the bike back to the team in the same shape it was given to me. After relief, I felt huge privilege in getting the chance to experience the race bike.

It’s allowed me to take another step closer to understanding the mindset of the team as a whole. I’m out of my leathers and enjoying a coffee while Glenn puts some laps in on a road going Fireblade SP with a set of slicks on.

The times tumble down.

Without registering a bead of sweat, the stopwatch tells us that Glenn just stuck a 2021 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP inside the top 20 at the 2020 Oulton Park round of British Superstock championship. The numberplate and mirrors are still attached. A huge smile emerges from underneath his helmet: “This bike is incredible, I have no idea why people buy one of these for the road and then spend extra money on a track bike”. I couldn’t agree more.

Glenn is doing that thing with his hands that racers do when they’re telling people about things that a race bike does. I think he’s talking about backing it into Lodge corner. I nod in agreement because I’ve ridden a British Superbike at Oulton Park and that means I’m in the cool gang. As usual, I don’t expect to be here for long.