Honda Racing's World Superbike duo Jonathan Rea and Hiro Aoyama have commenced their 2012 preparations now the testing ban has been lifted with a three-day excursion to Phillip Island to ready the new Honda Fireblade for what the factory hopes will be a title-winning year.

It is 20 years since Tadao Baba unleashed the Fireblade on to the world and Honda would very much like to take home the title. It's not a coincidence that its MotoGP hero, Hiro, has been drafted into the squad to back up Rea, himself a favourite son of HRC.

The team does not have a title sponsor as yet but last year's main backers, Castrol, will remain as secondary sponsor which has delighted a top Honda man. "We’re delighted that Castrol has decided to continue its long-standing association with Honda and, in particular, our World Superbike campaign. We are especially pleased to have signed a two-year agreement, which takes us to the end of the 2013 season," he burbled.