After switching mid-season to racing the 2024 British Supersports Championships, Dean Harrison is there from off in Honda Racing UK in 2025, but does not feel far from having a superbike for the road racing season as a result of a change in the short circuit.
Harrison was the fifth fastest supersport bike in combination time in the recent Alton Park BSB test, but only rode his superbike “a day or more” during the preseason.
“The whole test was really good to be fair,” Harrison told Crash.Net during the Alton Park Test.
“I think the weather was really good in Spain, we had a bit of rain but only for a day.
“Apart from that, we have just tested a lot.
“I didn’t have as much time as I liked on a superbike. I only spent a day, although not perfect, but not too bad.
“I really just want to start right now.”
Harrison’s full-time switch to the 2025 Honda Racing UK supersport team will place him alongside Jack Kennedy for the season, with Dubliner entering this season from behind his fifth British Supersport title in 2024.
This is a position that Harrison thinks will help extract more from the CBR600RR.
“I have five times British champions (as a teammate),” he said.
“But I think that’s a good thing because whatever he’s doing is close to the limits of a bike. I’m not far from the limits of a bike.
On the road, the Supersport class was a decent class for Harrison in 2024, winning the podium at both Supersport TTS in his first year at the CBR600RR, but the Bradford rider, now based on Mann Island, believes his entire supersport program is a step forward last year.
“We’re definitely going to take a step this year,” he said. “The bike has taken a step. I have taken a step. I have more power on the bike. It’s just underneath a year of development.
“I think it will be one of our most powerful classes, supersports, and I look forward to moving forward.
“It handles well, it’s one of the strong aspects of that. Last year, the bike was brand new and I was in a bit of a hurry. I feel now that we’re in a bit of a good position on all of our bikes.”
Even with only the Superstock bikes available last year, Harrison was able to compete in his second Superbike race at the Northwest 200 last year, finishing third.
Having access to this year’s full roster means he is optimistically approaching the Portrush event.
“I made the most of what I could at the time,” he said. “I look forward to it this year (because there are more classes), and stockers are a little easier as each class has bikes.
“To be honest, I’m ready to go now. I feel better for myself. I just want to roll the ball and see what everyone else is doing because the bike is there or there.”