New Bike, New Pace: Kam Scores Double Points at Brands

Round 6 of the 2025 Pirelli National Superstock Championship took place at the iconic Brands Hatch GP circuit, a favourite for fans and riders alike. Measuring 2.433 miles (3.916 km), the Kent-based track is renowned for its technical challenges, sweeping corners, and unique elevation changes.

The weekend marked a major turning point for Kam Dixon, as he switched machinery from his trusty Yamaha R1 to a Honda Fireblade CBR1000RR. The move represented a bold step in his season, bringing both excitement and the challenge of adapting to a completely new bike setup. Kam expressed his gratitude to Tinkler’s Motorcycles for their long-term support and to Derek and the PCR Performance team for helping make the switch a reality.

“It’s been a big learning curve for both me and the team as we’ve stepped away from the trusty Yamaha for the remainder of the season. I would like to personally thank Grant and everyone at Tinkler’s Motorcycles for providing me with excellent machinery over the past year and a half, and for their support of my transition to Honda.

That said, I owe a huge amount to Derek at Fireworks Fire Protection Systems, who’s made this season possible and continued to support me through this transition. We had a few small issues, but that’s to be expected with a brand-new machine. I only got around 10 flying laps today, but already matched my pace from last year’s practice here. There’s still a lot to find, but we’re working on getting comfortable and building from the fundamentals.”

Kam’s first day on the new Honda was all about familiarisation and setup. Despite a few expected teething issues, he made promising progress across both Free Practice sessions. In FP1, he completed 10 laps and posted a best time of 1:29.658 to finish 17th. He improved in FP2 with an 11-lap run and a best time of 1:29.243. On combined times, Kam ended the day P21.

Kam showed clear progress in Saturday’s qualifying session, setting a time of 1:28.058 to secure 13th on the grid, just 0.112 seconds behind TT legend John McGuinness in 12th, who was making a wildcard appearance.

A solid start in Race One saw Kam climb into the top ten, where he ran in 10th place for much of the contest, battling with several riders who were much more experienced on the Honda Fireblade. As the race progressed, he lost a couple of positions but still brought the bike home in 13th, a respectable result given the limited time on the new machine. His best lap of the race was a 1:28.866.

“Qualifying went really well. I matched my fastest time from last year here after just a few laps on the new bike, which gave us confidence heading into the race. The pace was definitely there for a top ten.

"Unfortunately, the race didn’t quite go to plan. I was running in P10 for most of it, but after making some setup changes, I couldn’t ride the bike the way I wanted to and wasn’t able to match my qualifying pace. As the tyre started to go off, I dropped a bit more time and slipped behind a couple of riders.

"Still, based on qualifying, I think we had the pace for a P7, so that’s encouraging. All in all, it’s been a really positive first race day on the Honda. I managed a full race distance and picked up some points, so we’re happy with how quickly we’re adapting.”

Kam collected 3 points for Race One and earned 12th on the grid for Sunday’s Race Two.

On Sunday, Race Two took place over 14 laps in warm, dry conditions, with air temperatures around 20°C and track temps nearing 27°C. Starting from P12, Kam made a strong start and worked his way well into the top ten. He ran as high as sixth in the latter stages before crossing the line in 9th, a solid improvement on Saturday’s performance and an encouraging result on only his second race aboard the Honda Fireblade.

“I'm happy with that race. Starting from P12, I got a great launch and made my way up to sixth after a few laps, setting personal best lap times around Brands in the process. It was a great way to round off the weekend. Unfortunately, I made a small mistake on the final lap while battling for position and lost a couple of spots, but to be running in P6 for the majority of the race on my first weekend with the bike is a massive positive.

"Huge thanks to PCR Performance for providing me with a proper weapon, and to the OMG Racing crew for helping me get comfortable with the new setup so quickly. Hopefully, we can head to Thruxton with more confidence and be ready to fight at the front.”

Kam picked up 8 points for his efforts in Race Two, marking his fifth consecutive points-scoring finish.

Next up is a trip to Thruxton on the 8th-10th August, a high-speed challenge that’s sure to test both rider and machine once again.