Kyle Ryde reveals key attribute in BSB 2024 title win

A maiden British Superbike title for Kyle Ryde was won through a blend of speed and consistency.

It’s not an unusual combination for a champion to put together, but it was one which Ryde developed over the course of 2024.

“It’s an incredible feeling being British Champion,” Ryde told BritishSuperbike.com after he clinched the title.

“The whole season has been building. I feel like the first couple of meetings I was riding really good, but we didn’t have a setting or a feeling with the bike to fight for the podium, so I kept taking fourths and fifths.”

A change in thinking regarding front tyre choice had been a critical point in the season for Ryde, switching from the SC2 to the softer SC1.

“We found something at [Brands Hatch] in July with the SC1 front — although I don’t like it in some areas, I get away with murder compared to what I did with the SC2.”

That change in front tyre choice added speed to a season to which Ryde had already brought consistency.

“Ever since Brands, really, if I’ve not been on the podium I’ve been fourth, fifth, or sixth and built as many points as possible,” he said.

“I didn’t want to jinx it and tell anyone this, but I’ve only had one DNF this season, and that wasn’t my fault.

“So, I’ve done good, in a BSB season — being cold, wet at some places — to stay on the bike and keep it sunny side up for a full year, that’s an achievement in itself.

“Knockhill, it was raining all day, all weekend, I managed to get three points, somehow, with a bad knee. That’s what’s won me this championship.”

This consistency had been reflected in Ryde’s results. Compared to previous years, where he had excelled at some circuits — such as Donington, for example — he’d struggled at others, like Cadwell Park.

In comparison, 2024 had seen Ryde victorious in at least one race in each of the last four rounds.

“Everyone expects me to do well at a few tracks, and they expect me to not do well at some others,” Ryde said.

“But, if anything, the tracks I feel really confident at I’ve not really out-shone the results at Cadwell and Oulton.

“Overall, I’ve been really consistent, bit the bullet and let a few people beat me when I needed to instead of crashing.

“It’s another BSB race where it’s finished on the last race, on the last lap, last couple of corners and it was by one point again. I don’t know how we keep doing it.”