Taz

[Bustaspoke]

I remember there was a lot of gossip & rumours before last years TT regarding some all new Honda 600 SS missile.
I think Lougher got hold of one through his Japanese contacts.
Good luck to Taz!

[Yorick]

I remember there was a lot of gossip & rumours before last years TT regarding some all new Honda 600 SS missile.
I think Lougher got hold of one through his Japanese contacts.
Good luck to Taz!

It will need homologation....

[Bustaspoke]

It will need homologation....

That's what I thought,have they built a homologation special only on sale in Japan?

[westers151]

It will need homologation....

That's what I thought,have they built a homologation special only on sale in Japan?

Yep, back in 2021 Honda released a Japan only CBR600 RRR, so bikes exist for racing. The fact that there aren't many in WSS/other domestic series, is likely because there are far easier/cheaper models to choose from. If you ran a CBR600 outside of Japan you'd need to somehow get support from HRC Japan directly, whereas other brands will either have european race departments, or very well known independent specialists, to provide development and support.

https://www.gpone.com/en/2020/08/22/mot ... japan.html

Moriwaki have close Honda links, and it's perhaps not a huge leap to think that HRC are looking at expanding a little further into the WSS scene, especially as the new rules have started to breath new life into a class that was starting to head into dead end territory. If Taz can help to make a mark in the WSS class, perhaps he'll be rewarded by promotion to WSB, either as part of the HRC squad, or maybe a seat in an HRC supported satellite squad (Pure speculation).

With all the concessions and new rules to allow a more level playing field across the different manufacturers, Honda must have a bit of a long term plan to expand the number of bikes in WSB, so long as they see a time in the not too distant future that they can be competitive. MotoGP will be their priority, and will suck up most of the HRC resource, but perhaps they see the new rules as a way to get back into the WSB game at (relatively) little cost.

[Bigyin]

Moriwaki might have good links with Honda but this will be a new venture with an unproven bike on tracks Taz will have limited experience of or no experience of. A "promotion" to the WSB squad if he does well could end his journey

The MIE team fielded WSB last season but their lead rider Syharin managed 4 points finishes with a best of 12th then 13th, 14th and 15th. Their other rider Mercado only managed to get 3 points finishes all season .....15th , 3 times which netted 3 points out of 36 races. Doesnt exactly fill me full of hope they are getting a lot of HRC help but hopefully there has been some changes to the set up of the team and support.

Nagashima stood in at the last round for an injured Lecouna on the HRC bike and managed to get in the top ten twice in 2 races.

I really hope i am wrong but the more i look at it, the stranger a move it seems to leave a title challenging team in BSB for a jump in the deep end unless Mad Mark knows something good that hasnt been seen before is in the offing for El Championi

[Yorick]

It's a HRC team so they're gonna give him top support. And a nice wage

[Bustaspoke]

I really hope i am wrong but the more i look at it, the stranger a move it seems to leave a title challenging team in BSB for a jump in the deep end unless Mad Mark knows something good that hasnt been seen before is in the offing for El Championi

If he's determined to get into WSBK surely this is a step up from BSB.He's showcasing his talent to HRC, networking in the WSBK paddock & learning the tracks.
If things don't work out I'm sure he would get a ride back in the BSB paddock should he wish to return.

[Bigyin]

If he's determined to get into WSBK surely this is a step up from BSB.He's showcasing his talent to HRC, networking in the WSBK paddock & learning the tracks.
If things don't work out I'm sure he would get a ride back in the BSB paddock should he wish to return.

Yup its a step into the paddock he wants to be in and its a learning year although he has already done some of the tracks with his time in Moto2 a few years ago and if it all goes wrong he probably has the fallback to BSB.

Like i said i hope i am wrong but even the bike press are calling it "a surprise move"

[westers151]

If he's determined to get into WSBK surely this is a step up from BSB.He's showcasing his talent to HRC, networking in the WSBK paddock & learning the tracks.
If things don't work out I'm sure he would get a ride back in the BSB paddock should he wish to return.

Yup its a step into the paddock he wants to be in and its a learning year although he has already done some of the tracks with his time in Moto2 a few years ago and if it all goes wrong he probably has the fallback to BSB.

Like i said i hope i am wrong but even the bike press are calling it "a surprise move"

He has two choices: stay in a domestic championship and have zero chance of proving himself on the world scene, or if the only ride on offer on the world scene is a slightly oddball team, he takes it and hopes he proves himself enough to stay in the paddock. At his age it's a no brainer - take a gamble. Also don't forget he hasn't got mega money to take with him, so that limits his choices on teams.

Given how poorly the team have performed so far, if he does reasonably well, other team owners will look at him as they'll know he's not on top kit.

[westers151]

Confirmed, it's a proper HRC Japan supported effort:

https://www.bikesportnews.com/news/news ... backed-cbr

[weeksy]

Confirmed, it's a proper HRC Japan supported effort:

https://www.bikesportnews.com/news/news ... backed-cbr

It's brave and not many have tried it before as a plan. Sofuoglu did and then went back down but it's deffo unusual to do so.

[Flux]

Be great to see him do well.