'You have to be a little bit selfish' - Hickman

Peter Hickman was a double Supertwins winner at the 2024 North West 200

Peter Hickman says he and team-mate Davey Todd "decided to do what was best for" themselves in setting up their own 8TEN Racing team to compete in this year's North West 200, Isle of Man TT and British Superbike Championship.

The 14-time TT winner and Yorkshireman Todd had been announced to ride for FHO Racing for the 2025 season but revealed in February that they had made the decision to go it alone with official backing from BMW.

Hickman and Todd jointly act as team co-owners of the 8TEN Racing team, whose name is an amalgamation of the riders' TT start numbers.

"Everything's pretty settled now. Between all of us we decided what was the best for us. Sometimes you have to be a little bit selfish in this sport and you have to look after yourself," Hickman told BBC Sport NI.

"We felt like we needed to make a change and we made that change. Things are going in the right direction, it was a very late decision when it finally all got sorted, which is not ideal."

Hickman will begin his BSB campaign at the opening round of that series at Oulton Park over the May Day holiday weekend and then head straight to Northern Ireland for the North West.

"The late BSB season has probably helped us a little bit. The first race is not happening until early May but we're just about there now with the Superbikes and the rest of the team is looking really good."

Superbike win 'a box I need to tick off'

Hickman has secured four race wins since making his debut at the North West in 2014 - Superstock successes in 2018 and 2019 - plus a double in the Supertwins class 12 months ago.

Despite having enjoyed multiple Superbike victories on the roads at the TT, Ulster Grand Prix and Macau Grand Prix, a win in the premier class has so far eluded him over the Triangle circuit.

The Lincolnshire rider will have a new version of the BMW at his disposal for the big bike classes this term.

"Something always seems to happen to me at the North West 200 to stop me from that elusive Superbike win. It's a box I need to tick off," said the 38-year-old.

"I've been really close, I've been fast enough, but something's always happened. Fingers crossed this year we can change that fortune."

Riding his Yamaha R7, Hickman saw off the challenge of fellow Englishman Richard Cooper to win both Supertwins races in 2024 and also stood on the podium when he finished second in the opening Supersport outing and a Superstock event.

"The little Swan Yamaha was working really well here last year and it was really good to put one over my good mate Richard Cooper. We weren't really expecting it but it was a really nice surprise.

"The bike is getting better and better, we've had it for a couple of years now and we have some more improvements ready for this year's North West 200.

"The TT was quite difficult on the [Triumph] 765 for myself last year but we actually finished on the podium here on it. The bike's been pretty strong and I've been fourth in the Daytona 200 this year on that same bike."