This is a computer generated image how the 2019 Honda Fireblade should look

Honda’s next-generation Fireblade will take a bow at this November’s EICMA show in Milan according to sources close to the company in Japan. And when it does the firm is hoping it will demolish the competition thanks to a massive boost in power compared to the current model.

While the current Blade’s 189hp output was already a significant bump over its predecessor, and isn’t likely to leave you crying out for more. However, in a world where its rivals are regularly passing the 200hp mark Honda has apparently decided it’s time to up its game.

And it’s going to do it by a big margin if our Japanese information is correct. Insiders say the next Blade is already well advanced in its testing and makes an incredible 215PS. That’s 212hp in more familiar terms. Or, to put it another way, it’s 1hp more that the current superbike top-dog, Ducati’s Panigale V4, can manage.

Details on how that power is achieved are sketchy at best, but given that the foundations of the current Blade’s engine and chassis can be traced back to the 2008 model, it’s likely that we’ll see a completely new engine design.

We will certainly see a new frame. According to our source, the next-gen Blade features a central air duct on its nose and a hollowed-out headstock to allow the intake air to run straight through it. It’s a technique that most of its rivals already use, and has proven advantages in terms of routing high-pressure air to the airbox. Honda made the same change to the CBR600RR back in 2007, so is more than familiar with the idea and knows how to make it work.