No testing for Kiyo

Any hopes Ryuichi Kiyonari had about getting a jump on his BSB rivals with some pre-Christmas testing have been blown away in Japan, where Suzuka is being lashed by bad conditions.

HM Plant wanted to get Kiyonari out on his 2007 bike, but the weather in Japan is worse than here, and Honda Racing boss Neil Tuxworth said: The temperature was never above nine degrees and it was wet so the test was abandoned.”

Kiyo won’t be lacking in testing by the time the season kicks off in March. As well as some more testing scheduled in Japan, HM Plant Honda have eight days pencilled in at Albacete, Gaudix and Almeria starting late in February.

New HM Plant Honda signing Jonathan Rea is still recuperating from his end-of-season knee operation but it expected to ride the HM Plant Honda alongside Kiyo in Spain.