Kiyonari back with HM Plant Honda in BSB

Ryuichi Kiyonari is back with HM Plant Honda for the 2010 BSB season, alongside Australian Josh Brookes.

Kiyo won back-to-back BSB titles in 2006 and 2007 but never enjoyed the same success in WSB, spending two years with the Dutch Ten Kate team.

But now he’s back with Louth-based Honda Racing who have retained HM Plant backing for another season.

They will build new bikes (but incorporating some equipment from the 2009 race bikes) and – in a major change for the team – have switched from Showa to Ohlins suspension and from kit HRC ECUs to the latest Motec electronics.

Kiyo said: “I’m really happy to be with my old team again. We had so many happy times and I know we will have some great times again in 2010.”

Another major change for the team sees British Supersport champion Steve Plater switch to National Superstock on an HM Plant Honda.

Plater will also race a superbike and his superstocker at the North West 200 and TT in HM Plant colours.

John McGuinness will be his official HM Plant Honda team-mate in the superbike class but will ride a Padgetts Honda in superstock – both on the roads and in the National Superstock series.

Both Plater and McGuinness will run Padgetts Honda colours in supersport races on the roads.

2009 HM Plant Honda BSB rider Glen Richards remains a Honda employee but will run under Padgetts Honda colours, challenging for the title in both the British Supersport championship and National Superstock.