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Superbike racing

Motorcycle racing with highly modified production motorcycles

Motorcycle racing with highly modified production motorcycles

Superbike racing is a category of motorcycle racing that employs highly modified production motorcycles, as opposed to MotoGP in which purpose-built motorcycles are used. The Superbike World Championship is the official world championship series, though national Superbike championships are held in many countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, Australia and Canada. Superbike racing is generally popular with manufacturers, since it helps promote and sell their product, as captured by the slogan "Win on Sunday; Sell on Monday".

Characteristics of Superbike racing motorcycles

Superbike racing motorcycles are derived from standard production models, so for a bike to be eligible, the manufacturer must first homologate the model and manufacture the required number of roadgoing machines. While rules vary from series to series, in general the motorcycles must maintain the same profile as their roadgoing counterparts, with the same overall appearance as seen from the front, rear and sides. In addition, the frame cannot be modified. Teams may modify some elements of the bike, including the suspensions, brakes, swingarm, and the diameter and size of the wheels.

Superbike racing motorcycles must have four-stroke engines of between 850 cc and 1200 cc for twins, and between 750 cc and 1000 cc for four cylinder machines.

The restriction to production models distinguishes Superbike racing from MotoGP racing, which uses prototype machines that bear little resemblance to production machines. This is somewhat similar to the distinction in car racing between sports cars and Formula One cars, though the performance gap between Superbike and MotoGP racing is much smaller.

The world's first 'Superbike' was built by brothers Ross and Ralph Hannan in the mid/late 1970s. First ridden successfully in Australia and overseas, including the Suzuka 8 Hours and the Bol d'Or 24-hour endurance races, by Graeme Crosby who went on to international success and was eventually inducted into the NZ sports "Hall of Fame".

Superbike World Championship

Main article: Superbike World Championship

Superbike World Championship (also known as SBK) is the premier international superbike Championship. The championship was founded in 1988. It is regulated by the FIM and managed and promoted by FGSport.

Once regarded as the poor cousin to the more glamorous MotoGP championship, the Superbike World Championship has grown into a world-class professional racing series. Many of the riders that competed in SBK over the years are household names among motorcycle racing fans. The most successful rider thus far has been Northern Irelands Jonathan Rea, who won the championship six times (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020). Ducati has been the most successful manufacturer in the series over the years, accumulating 15 manufacturer championships. Honda has won it 6 times, with Suzuki claiming one championship. Australia's Troy Bayliss won the 2006 and 2008 titles riding for Xerox Ducati and James Toseland, from the UK, was the winner of the 2007 championship riding for Hannspree Ten Kate Honda.

Endurance & Time-Trial

FIM Endurance World Championship adopted Superbikes early on and equipped them with working lights for nights, making them the primary class at the 24 Heures Moto and the Bol d'Or.

The Isle of Man TT is using Superbike TT since 2005, when it replaced the Formula TT regulations that where still in use after the FIM abandoned the category. The Event is held as a Time Trial with staggered starts.

National Superbike series

National Superbike series vary greatly in challenge and popularity, the most popular being in Britain and North America. Both Japan and Australia have well supported national superbikes series, though they only run for short, 10-race seasons.

British Superbike Championship

Main article: British Superbike Championship

The British Superbike championship (known to most as "BSB") is the leading motorcycle racing championship in the United Kingdom. It is managed and organised by MCRCB-Events. The commercial and television rights have been delegated to MotorSport Vision. Ducati, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha all have well supported teams, while Honda has the only HRC supported superbike team outside Japan. Japanese rider Ryuichi Kiyonari won the 2006, 2007 and 2010 titles riding for HM Plant Honda.

MotoAmerica Superbike Championship (previously AMA Superbike Championship)

Beginning in 2015 the US National Superbike championship moved to a new organization, MotoAmerica, after several years of decline. The new championship is known as the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, and incorporates classes similar to those operating at world championship level, and other national series, i.e. Superbike, Supersport, Superstock 1000, Superstock and KTM Junior cup. . The aim of the new championship is to reinvigorate motorcycle road racing in North America and ultimately send its riders to the top-level international championships - MotoGP and World Superbike.

Main article: AMA Superbike Championship

The AMA Superbike was the premier superbike racing series in the United States. It was part of the AMA Pro Racing series, and was managed by the AMA until 2009 when the AMA sold the series to the Daytona MotorSports Group. The series was replaced in 2015 by the MotoAmerica Superbike championship.

All Japan Superbike Championship

Main article: All Japan Road Race Championship

The All Japan Road Race Championship, also known as MFJ Superbike is the premiere motorcycle road racing championship in Japan and is run by MFJ. The championship started in 1967 and has been running a superbike class since 1994. The series runs a small 7 round schedule but has a large field of Japanese riders and bikes. Atsushi Watanabe won the 2007 championship riding a Yoshimura Suzuki.

Australian Superbike Championship

Main article: Australian Superbike Championship

The Australian Superbike Championship, the premier national Superbike series, is run by Motorcycling Australia. The series runs from February to December and consists of seven rounds per season. Many notable riders have been successful on the world stage, such as Troy Corser, Steve Martin, Rob Phillis, Peter Goddard, Josh Brookes, Troy Bayliss, Anthony Gobert, Matthew Mladin, Aaron Slight, Bryan Staring, Josh Waters, and Mike Jones.

Nigeria Superbike Road Race

2014 Winner of the Nigeria Superbike Road Race, with the first and Second runners ups

The Nigeria Superbike Road Race, The Bikers Trophy (The BT) is held annually on the last weekend in November, in Edo State, Nigeria. It is the premier motorcycling sports event in Nigeria and West Africa with participants and spectators from all over the World. Modelled after the Isle of Man TT races, The Bikers Trophy (The BT) races take place in a time trial format over a 32 km street circuits which traverse the 8 communities of Urhonigbe, Urohmehe, Umughun, Ogba, Evbonogbon, Ugo, Ekpokor, and Ugbokirima in Orhiomwon Local Government Area of Edo State.

The 2014 event saw podium places go to Jack Affara (Champion), Armstrong Ngugu (2nd Position) and Ikhide Izokpu (3rd Position). Other countries with road races are the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Ukraine, New Zealand and Macau.

Some of the contestants at the Nigeria Superbike Road Race

Other Series

International

  • International Road Racing Championship (IRRC)

Continental

Asia

  • Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) America

North

  • PanAmerican SuperBike Championship (PanAmSBK) South
  • FIM Latin American Superbike Championship (LatAmSBK)

Regional

Europe

Central

  • Alpe Adria Superbike Championship (since 2003) Eastern
  • Balkan Superbike Championship (since 2000, with pauses probably)
  • Baltic Superbike Championship (since 2003)

National

Asia

  • China Superbike Championship (CSBK) (Chinese national championship)

  • Malaysia Superbike Championship

  • Philippines Superbike Championship Australia

  • Australian Road Race Championship

  • New Zealand Superbike Championship (NZSBK)

  • New Zealand Road Race Championship Europe

Main

  • (CEV) (Spanish national championship) up until 2012 - (2013-2016), (ESBK) since 2019
  • (CIV) (Italian national championship)
  • (FSBK) (French national championship) (since 1988)
  • (IDM) (2003-2025) (German national championship) open to international competition, formerly was called the German Superbike Championship (1983-1990) and Pro-Superbike Championship (1991-2001)
  • Irish Road Racing Championship (Irish national championship on closed roads) Central
  • Belgian Superbike Championship (1990-1996) revived since 2009
  • (1990-1997,since 2005)
  • International Dutch Championship (IDC) (since 2020) Eastern
  • Czech Superbike Championship (since 1991)
  • Slovak Superbike Championship (1993-2002, since 2010)
  • Polish Superbike Championship (since 2001)
  • Russian Superbike Championship (since 2003) Western
  • Portuguese Superbike Championship (1990-1996) revived since 2011 Northern

Scandinavia

  • Danish Superbike Championship (1992-1999, since 2001)
  • Finnish Superbike Championship (since 1993)
  • Norwegian Superbike Chammpionship (since 1991)
  • Swedish Superbike Championship (since 1991) America

North America

  • Canadian Superbike Championship (CSBK) (Canadian national championship) (since 1980) South America
  • Argentinean Superbike Championship
  • Moto 1000 GP (Brazilian national championship)
  • SuperBike Brasil (Brazilian national championship)

Africa

  • South African Superbike Championship (SA-SBK) formerly CitiBike Motorcycle Championship (South African national championship)

Defunct series

Continental

Asia-Australia

  • FIM Pan Pacific Superbike Championship, also called FIM Pan Pacific Road Racing Championship Europe
  • FIM European Superbike Championship (1990-1997) 750cc Limit

Regional

Europe

Scandinavia

  • Nordic Superbike Championship (1990-1995)
  • Scandinavian Open Superbike Championship (1996-2014)

National

Europe

  • Austrian Superbike Championship (1991-2019, 2021)
  • Swiss Superbike Championship Africa
  • Qatar Superbike Championship

References

References

  1. (20 February 2008). "MSV takes over BSB". crash.net.
  2. https://www.irrc.eu/
  3. https://www.panamsbk.com/
  4. https://fim-latinamerica.com/
  5. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/25.-Alpe-Adria-SBK-1.pdf
  6. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/30.-Balkan-Superbike.pdf
  7. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/33.-Baltic-Superbike.pdf
  8. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/13.-China-Superbike-1000.pdf
  9. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/16.-Malaysia-Superbike.pdf
  10. https://www.nzsuperbikeseries.co.nz/about
  11. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/19.-New-Zealand-SBK-1.pdf
  12. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12.-Spain-Superbike.pdf
  13. https://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/19.-Italy-Superbike.pdf
  14. https://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/4.-France-Superbike.pdf
  15. https://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/6.-Germany-Superbike.pdf
  16. https://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Belgium-Superbike.pdf
  17. https://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1.-Netherlands-SBK-1.pdf
  18. https://idcracing.nl/en/info/international-dutch-championship-en/
  19. https://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/1.-Czech-Superbike.pdf
  20. https://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/16.-Slovakia-Superbike.pdf
  21. https://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1.-Poland-Superbike.pdf
  22. https://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/17.-Russia-Superbike.pdf
  23. https://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/16.-Portugal-Superbike.pdf
  24. https://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Denmark-Superbike-1.pdf
  25. https://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/25.-Finland-Superbike.pdf
  26. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1.-Norway-Superbike.pdf
  27. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/22.-Sweden-Superbike.pdf
  28. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/8.-Canada-Superbike.pdf
  29. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/1.-Argentina-Superbike.pdf
  30. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/4.-Brazil-Superbike-Pro.pdf
  31. https://sa-sbk.co.za/
  32. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/16.-South-Africa-Superbike.pdf
  33. https://superbike-archives.net/series.php?id=PAN
  34. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/5.-Superbike.pdf
  35. https://superbike-archives.net/series.php?id=NDC
  36. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/28.-Scandinavia-SBK.pdf
  37. https://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1.-Austria-Superbike.pdf
  38. https://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1.-Switzerland-SBK.pdf
  39. http://motorsporttop20.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/10.-Qatar-Superbike-1.pdf
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