THREE-TIME BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPION RYUICHI KIYONARI JOINS BUILDBASE BMW MOTORRAD. Ryuichi Kiyonari, three-time BSB Champion, has signed with the Buildbase BMW Motorrad team to ride the BMW S 1000 RR in the 2014 British Superbike Championship. The 31-year-old rider from Saitama, Japan, is one of the most experienced racers in the BSB Championship. With 43 BSB race wins and three championships under his belt, Kiyonari has built a huge and loyal British fanbase who have followed his career through BSB, World Superbikes and MotoGP. Kiyo won the British Superbike Championship in 2006, 2007 and again in 2010. He has won races in World Superbikes and has won the gruelling Suzuka Eight-Hour endurance race four times. Kiyo joins the team alongside James Westmoreland, who has re-signed for 2014. The Buildbase BMW Motorrad team, a partnership between BMW Motorrad UK and Hawk Racing, enjoyed their most successful year ever in BSB during 2013 and will be building on this success in 2014. The 2013 season saw James Westmoreland break records with the first-ever BMW pole position, going on to finish fifth in the championship. Ryuichi Kiyonari said: “I am very excited to be racing with the Buildbase BMW Motorrad team next year. I have seen how competitive the BMW S 1000 RR is, and I think that we can make 2014 the year that it starts to rule the British Superbike Championship”. “Stuart Hicken and the team have been very welcoming and the atmosphere is hugely supportive and optimistic. We are all looking forward to our first test on the BMW S 1000 RR and the start of the 2014 series in March.” Stuart Hicken, Buildbase BMW Motorrad team owner, said: “It’s an absolute joy to be able to announce that Kiyo is joining us for the 2014 season. He is one of the most successful BSB racers of all time, and he has a huge wealth of experience at every level of racing. Both Kiyo and the team will be pushing each other on to even more success in 2014”. Ryuichi Kiyonari and James Westmoreland will be riding the BMW S 1000 RR in the British Superbike Championship. Lee Jackson will once again ride the BMW HP4 in the National Superstock 1000 Championship. To keep up to date with news and photos from the team, visit the Buildbase BMW Motorrad Facebook page and follow @buildbasebmw on Twitter. More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision: KIYONARI JOINS WESTMORELAND AT BUILDBASE BMW FOR 2014 MCE BSB Triple MCE Insurance British Superbike champion Ryuichi Kiyonari will return to the grid in 2014 as the Japanese rider switches to BMW power for the first time in his career as he joins the Buildbase-backed team alongside James Westmoreland. Kiyonari remains one of the most successful riders in MCE BSB history, claiming three titles and 43 race wins, putting him second only to Shane Byrne in terms of race victories. The triple champion returned to the UK this season after lifting the Asian Championship in 2012 and is now gearing up for the new challenge after a long career with Honda. Kiyonari said: “It is always a difficult situation to move teams but I am very excited about joining Buildbase BMW. I have been with Honda for a long time in my career so now this is a new and big challenge for me. I have never ridden a BMW before so it is all new but I know that the team and bike is very good and can get podiums. I am looking forward to testing now so that I can start to adapt to the BMW and be ready for the season.” For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com