NW200: Michael Dunlop unveils Hawk Racing Honda Superbike on eve of opening practice

Dunlop rode Honda machinery for Stuart and Steve Hicken’s team in 2023 and won the Superbike TT, lapping at over 135mph.

The Ulster rider is closing in on his uncle Joey’s TT record of 26 victories after claiming four wins last year, surpassing John McGuinness to become the second most successful rider ever at the event with 25 wins.

Dunlop will race the MasterMac by Hawk Racing Honda at the North West before embarking on his history bid at the TT.

The 35-year-old will also compete on a Triumph 765 in the Supersport class this season in a change from Yamaha.

He claimed two podium results in the Superstock class last year at the North West but felt he was capable of better – something he will be aiming to rectify when racing commences on Thursday evening.

“I was disappointed with the North West because I felt we could have been better than what we were,” the Ballymoney man said. “There was more in us.”

Dunlop finished fourth in the feature NW200 Superbike race after retiring from the opener shortly after he took the lead.

He has a longstanding association with Hawk Racing and paid tribute to owners Stuart and Steve Hicken when he collected the Team of the Year accolade at the Irish Motorbike Awards in Belfast in January.

“Stuart and Steve got me back to where I should be after a lot of people wrote me off on a Superbike but Stuart spent his own money to make it work and he’s one of very few people who’ll spend his own hard-earned cash,” said Dunlop.

“We worked so hard to get to this point and Gary (Ryan) has been with me for 14 years.

“We’ve always tried to be better than the rest with a small budget and I hope they stay with me because I think we’ve got something good.

“I don’t know what this year is going to bring. Stuart’s trying to run the job out of his own pocket but we’ll keep pushing and go again.”

Looking ahead to the North West and TT, Hawk Racing team manager Steve Hicken said both events were ‘big priorities’ alongside the team’s British Superbike efforts.

“We’re delighted to be continuing our long-standing relationship with Michael,” Hicken said. “He’s a truly exceptional talent and we share his appetite for success.

“Road racing is an important part of the team’s heritage and both the TT and North West 200 are big priorities for us alongside our Bennetts British Superbikes campaign.

“The competition this year will be as strong as ever but we’ll be doing everything we can to compete for wins.”

A statement from Hawk Racing on Tuesday said the team would be ‘working alongside a number of partners both old and new for the 2024 road racing campaign’ and added that a ‘further update will be made in due course’.

Opening practice for the North West 200 takes place on Wednesday, with roads closed from 9am to 3pm.