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44-570: The championship runs as a support class to the Superbike World Championship , which is similarly based on large production-based sports motorcycles. The championship, organized and promoted as its parent series by FGSport—renamed Infront Motor Sports in 2008—until 2012 and by Dorna from the 2013 season onwards, is sanctioned by the FIM . Supersport was introduced as a support class to the Superbike World Championship in 1990 as

88-643: A Ducati 999 . Though 999 production ended in 2006 and the bike was replaced by the Ducati 1098 , Ducati produced 150 limited-edition 999s at an elevated race specification to satisfy homologation requirements. Bayliss' main rivals in his title defense included former MotoGP rider Max Biaggi riding a Suzuki, 2004 champion James Toseland riding a Honda and Noriyuki Haga riding a Yamaha. The combination of some uneventful races in MotoGP and some exciting races in SBK saw

132-603: A European Championship. The series allows four-cylinder engines up to 600 cubic centimetres (37 cu in), three-cylinder engines up to 675 cubic centimetres (41.2 cu in), and twin-cylinder power plants up to 750 cubic centimetres (46 cu in). In 1997 the championship became a "World Series" and the European title was given to the European Motorcycle Union 's European Road Racing Championship. The full title Supersport World Championship

176-612: A point. Marco Melandri won more races than both Biaggi and Sykes this season but failing to score points in 5 of the last 6 races cost him the title. The season saw the number of riders per row on the starting grid reduced from four to three; the knockout system in use for Superpole was revised as the number of riders admitted to the first and to the third session changed from sixteen to fifteen and from eight to nine respectively. In addition, pit stops with tyre changes were introduced in order to avoid races to be interrupted due to variable weather conditions. Kawasaki rider Tom Sykes

220-441: A record 11 poles in the 14 round series and 14 wins (17 podiums) in 28 races; his main rival Haga was more consistent, finishing on the podium 19 times but winning only 8 races. 2009 also saw the debut of BMW and the return of Aprilia . Aprilia took a fourth final place in the championship with Max Biaggi , while BMW finished thirteenth with Troy Corser . 2009 Champion Ben Spies moved to MotoGP . James Toseland returned to

264-423: A road-going 1,000 cc V-twin superbike and that the level of tuning now needed to make their 999 competitive on the race track was too expensive. Ducati said they would quit if the rules were not changed, while Alstare Suzuki team boss Francis Batta also said that his team would quit if the new rules gave Ducati an unfair advantage. The FIM eventually included the 1,200 cc displacement limit for twins in

308-614: A supersport machine must remain largely as standard, while engine tuning is possible but tightly regulated. For instance, the displacement capacity, bore and stroke must remain at the homologated size. Modifying the bore and stroke to reach class limits is not allowed. As in World Superbike, a control tyre is used. From 2020 onwards, the tyres no longer have to be road legal and therefore slicks are allowed. A Supersport World Championship race takes place at almost every Superbike World Championship round. Starting positions are decided by

352-477: Is similar to sports car racing . Europe is Superbike World Championship's traditional centre and leading market. However, rounds have been held in the United States, Malaysia , New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Argentina, Australia, Russia, Qatar , Thailand, and South Africa and the series plans on keeping extra-European circuits in rotation. An Indonesian race was also proposed for the 2008 season, but this

396-481: The 2008 superbike rules. According to the new rules, twin-cylinder motorcycles would be 6 kg heavier than four-cylinder machines (168 kg to 162 kg) and would also have a 50 mm air restrictor fitted. The weight limit and the intake-restrictor size of twin machines would be updated, if needed, during the Championship, by a system analysing the race points obtained. The new rules also changed

440-468: The Magny-Cours Race 1. His victory gave him an unassailable lead with five races remaining. The season was marred by the death of Honda rider and former MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden , who succumbed to injuries sustained in a pedal-cycling accident near Rimini , Italy, on 22 May. Jonathan Rea won his fourth Superbike world title for Kawasaki. 2018 was the final season run with

484-556: The Japanese manufacturers focused their resources there, leaving the Superbike World Championship with limited factory involvement (only Ducati and Suzuki). 2003 also saw the entry of Carl Fogarty ’s Foggy Petronas FP1. The bike was developed under the previous regulations and was powered by a three cylinder 900 cc engine. With most of the field running Ducati motorcycles, the championship received

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528-562: The Kawasaki team Motozoo. Superbike World Championship Superbike World Championship (also known as WorldSBK , SBK , World Superbike , WSB , or WSBK ) is a silhouette road racing series based on heavily modified production sports motorcycles . The championship was founded in 1988 . The Superbike World Championship consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities. Each round has two full length races and, from 2019, an additional ten-lap sprint race known as

572-516: The Superbike World Championship after three years in MotoGP . The combination of Bayliss and Ducati proved unstoppable and they dominated the season, winning 12 races. Honda-mounted James Toseland and Yamaha's Noriyuki Haga battled for second with the British rider coming out on top. Defending champion Troy Corser on a Suzuki was fourth. 2006 gave the feeling that the Superbike World Championship

616-585: The Superpole Race were determined by a single 25-minute Superpole Qualifying session. The grid for Race 2 featured the top nine riders in the Superpole Race in the order in which they finished followed by the remaining riders sorted by their Superpole Qualifying times. Jonathan Rea won his fifth Superbike world title for Kawasaki. In a season shortened by the Covid pandemic, Jonathan Rea won his sixth Superbike world title for Kawasaki. The championship

660-530: The Superpole race. The results of all three races are combined to determine three annual World Championships, one for riders , one for manufacturers and, as of 2024, a Teams World Championship. The motorcycles that race in the championship are tuned versions of motorcycles available for sale to the public, by contrast with MotoGP where purpose built machines are used. MotoGP is the motorcycle world's equivalent of Formula One , whereas Superbike racing

704-824: The World Supersport Challenge, a separate points-scoring competition was held at the European-rounds of the Supersport World Championship, run as a category within the main races. Previously, it was known as the European Supersport Cup. In 2021, the title winner was Altogo Racing Yamaha’s Kevin Manfredi , for 2022 it was Bahattin Sofuoglu for factory MV Agusta , and in 2023 Tom Booth-Amos won with

748-508: The championship after 2 seasons in MotoGP and took Spies place at the Sterilgarda Yamaha World Superbike team, partnered by fellow Brit Cal Crutchlow . The factory Ducati team retained their two riders. The 2010 season started on February 28 at Phillip Island and ended on October 3 at Magny-Cours . The knockout system introduced for Superpole in 2009 was revised as the number of riders admitted to

792-588: The championship for many years, but the 750 cc was second or third each year between 1994 and 1999. Held under the FIM , the Formula TT from 1977 to 1989 once constituted the official motorcycle World Cup. Having proven itself both popular and commercially viable, it was decided by the end of the 1990 season to end the Formula TT and the Superbike World Championship would succeed it. From 1993 to 1999 Carl Fogarty and Ducati dominated, Fogarty won

836-454: The championship in the bike's first year of competition. Ducati regained the title in 2001 with Troy Bayliss . Colin Edwards again reclaimed the title in 2002 on the same VTR1000 SPW bike. Colin Edwards won his second championship in what was arguably the most impressive comeback in the history of motorcycle racing. The season started with Troy Bayliss winning the first 6 races and by

880-526: The championship's popularity increase even more. The championship was won by James Toseland in the season's last race. His 415 points put him two points ahead of Noriyuki Haga, with former MotoGP winner Max Biaggi following with 397 points on a Suzuki. After introducing the Ducati 1098 in 2007 powered by a 1,099 cc v-twin engine Ducati requested that Superbike rules be changed to allow v-twins of up to 1,200 cc compete against 1,000 cc four-cylinder bikes. Ducati argued that they no longer produced

924-460: The derogatory title "the Ducati Cup". The factory Ducati Team entered the only two Ducati 999s in the field, taking 20 wins from 24 races in a season where all races were won by Ducati. Neil Hodgson won the title on a factory Ducati. In an effort to create a more competitive field in 2004 organizers announced a series of changes to the championship. The most significant was that from 2004

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968-441: The end of race 1 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca he had 14 wins and was leading the championship by 58 points. Race 2 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca was the start of Colin Edwards ' comeback, he went on to win all 9 remaining races and (aided by a race 2 crash for Bayliss at Assen ) Edwards won the championship at the final race of the season at Imola . The final race of the season saw both riders fighting wheel to wheel for

1012-487: The entire race. The race is known by fans as the "Showdown at Imola". The manufacturer's championship was won by Ducati . During these years the Superbike World Championship reached the zenith of its popularity, with global fan and full factory support. In 2003 the FIM changed the rules to allow 1,000 cc machines (twins, triples or four-cylinder) to race. Rule changes in MotoGP to allow four-stroke engines meant that

1056-406: The first race of the last round at Losail , while Kawasaki had secured the manufacturers' title at the previous event at Jerez . Chaz Davies won the most races this season with Davies winning 11 races to Rea's 9. After changes in the standard weekend timetable, the first race, which was previously run on Sunday along with the second one, was scheduled to be held on Saturday. The season saw

1100-422: The first two sessions was reduced from twenty to sixteen and from sixteen to twelve respectively. Ducati no longer competed with a factory team in 2011, after 23 seasons which had brought the marque a total of 29 riders' and manufacturers' championship titles, instead limiting its participation to privateer teams running their works bikes. Aprilia 's gear-driven camshafts on its RSV4 motorcycle – which won

1144-454: The formula allowed for machines with 1,000 cc V-twin engines (principally Ducati , but later Aprilia and Honda ) to go up against the 750 cc four-cylinder engines ( Honda , Yamaha , Kawasaki and Suzuki ). For the first few seasons Honda won with the RC30 , but gradually the twins got the upper hand. Using 1,000 cc V-twin engines benefited Ducati and it was able to dominate

1188-775: The front of the field in almost every race. In 2012, to be eligible for Supersport World Championship, a motorcycle must satisfy FIM 's homologation requirements and have a four-stroke engine in one of the following configurations: As of 2023, the homologated motorcycles were Ducati Panigale V2 , Honda CBR600RR , Kawasaki ZX-6R , MV Agusta F3 800 , Suzuki GSX-R600 , Suzuki GSX-R600 , Triumph Street Triple 765RS and Yamaha YZF-R6 ; formerly homologated motorcycles include Bimota YB9, Ducati 748 , Ducati 749 , Honda CBR600F , MV Agusta F3 675 , Triumph Daytona 600 , Triumph Daytona 675 , and Yamaha YZF600R . Supersport regulations are much tighter than in Superbikes. The chassis of

1232-602: The minimum number of bikes required to acquire homologation . For 2008 and 2009, all manufacturers, regardless of total production numbers, had to produce a minimum of 1,000 bikes to acquire homologation. From 2010 onwards, the minimum production number was increased to 3,000 bikes. In the past, smaller manufacturers were allowed to build as few as 150 bikes to meet the homologation requirements. Manufacturers took advantage of this by producing 'homologation specials'--highly tuned versions of their road bikes with performance parts designed especially for racing. The 2008 SBK championship

1276-472: The one-make tyre rule contract. Partly as a result of the control tyres, Motorcycle Sports Manufacturer Association (Aprilia, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha) announced that no MSMA teams would participate in the Superbike World Championship, later modifying their statement allowing Ducati to participate. A few privateers chose to run Japanese bikes in 2004 . Ten Kate Honda with Chris Vermeulen as its rider, won races and actually contended for

1320-517: The revision of the starting grid format for the second race, which was previously based on qualifying results for both races: riders placed from fourth to ninth in Race 1 were promoted to the first two rows for Race 2; then the third, the second and the winner followed on the third row; the remaining riders were sorted from the tenth grid slot onwards according to Superpole results. Jonathan Rea won his third Superbike world title for Kawasaki, by winning

1364-433: The riders' fastest laps from two 45-minute qualifying sessions. Each race is approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) long. Typically, the race takes place between the two Superbike races. The points system is the same for the riders' championship and the manufacturers' championship, but only the highest-finishing motorcycle by a particular manufacturer is awarded the points for the latter championship. Riders from all over

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1408-408: The teams have had to run on Pirelli control or 'spec' tyres. The decision to award the control tyre to Pirelli was controversial. The Pirelli tyres were considered to be below the standard of Dunlop and Michelin that most of the teams had been using. Dunlop looked to take legal action against the decision while Pirelli claimed that Michelin and Dunlop were also asked if they would be interested in

1452-624: The ten fastest riders of practice. Aprilia's Sylvain Guintoli became the Superbike World Champion at the last race, prevailing over Tom Sykes by six points in the standings. But both Marco Melandri and Tom Sykes won more races than Sylvain Guintoli this season. With Sykes winning 8 and Melandri 6 compared to Guintoli's 5. Jonathan Rea became 2015 World Superbike Champion riding a Kawasaki. Jonathan Rea won his second consecutive Superbike World Championship title at

1496-460: The title a record four times and finished as runner-up twice on factory Ducatis. Troy Corser also won the 1996 title and finished as runner-up in 1995, both times on a Ducati. Realizing that 1,000 cc V-twin engines suited the superbike racing formula more, Honda introduced its own V-Twin powered motorcycle the VTR1000 SPW in 2000 . The result was clear right away as Colin Edwards won

1540-496: The title in 2010 with Max Biaggi – was banned for the 2011 season. After a dominating since season opening, Carlos Checa won his first championship and Ducati's 17th manufacturer title. The season saw the number of complete motorcycles in use limited to one per rider; this meant that the rules allowing bike changes during a race ( flag-to-flag ) were cancelled. Aprilia rider Max Biaggi clinched his second SBK championship, pipping Kawasaki rider Tom Sykes by just half

1584-406: The title that eventually was won by James Toseland and Ducati. Following Ten Kate Honda's success Japanese motorcycles made a return in 2005 with major teams from all four Japanese manufacturers run through teams ran by European importers. Troy Corser won the 2005 championship, giving Suzuki its first Superbike World Championship title. 2006 saw the return of Australian Troy Bayliss to

1628-465: The two-race format, as a three-race format was introduced for 2019. A new race format was introduced for the 2019 season. As in 2018 , two normal length races (Race 1 and Race 2) were held – one each on Saturday and Sunday (Friday and Saturday in Qatar). A third race, a ten lap sprint named the Superpole Race, was held on the final morning of the weekend prior to Race 2. The starting grids for Race 1 and

1672-491: The world compete in World Supersport, mostly from Europe. Several riders who were successful in World Supersport have moved on to high-level competitions, notably, Cal Crutchlow , Chaz Davies , and Chris Vermeulen , though others such as Fabien Foret and Kenan Sofuoğlu have spent several years in this championship. Notable female rider María Herrera entered a few races in World Supersport. Starting in 2021,

1716-590: Was 'back' following the years of decline in 2003 and 2004 . With MotoGP machines reduced in capacity from 990 cc to an 800 cc maximum displacement, 1,000 cc Superbikes, both at World Championship and top national championships ( AMA Superbike and British Superbike ) become the largest capacity bikes (but not the most powerful) being road raced in 2007 . While superbikes remained two or more seconds per lap slower than MotoGP bikes at most tracks where both raced, they had equal or more power. Troy Bayliss attempted to defend his title, riding once again

1760-478: Was crowned champion after obtaining the third-place finish he needed to secure the title victory at Jerez. The season saw the revision of the Superpole format: riders placed from eleventh to twentieth position in the combined classification of the first three practice sessions were admitted to Superpole 1, then the two fastest SP1 riders progressed to Superpole 2, which finally awarded the pole position , joining

1804-516: Was dominated by Troy Bayliss of Australia, on his Ducati 1098, who concluded his season and his career with a double win at the brand new, 195-million-Euro Portimao circuit in Portugal, after which he retired. During the offseason, Yamaha lost Noriyuki Haga to Ducati , who signed him to replace the retired Troy Bayliss . His place was taken by 3-times AMA champion Ben Spies , who was expected to give Haga serious competition. Ben Spies took

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1848-431: Was introduced in 1999. Supersport racing has also been one of the most popular classes of national racing for many years. Competition in the championship is typically fierce, and season domination by a single competitor is unusual. The 2001 championship was particularly notable in this respect, the champion being Andrew Pitt who did not win a single race, but amassed a championship-winning total of points by finishing near

1892-411: Was later cancelled by the FIM, though it was later introduced in the 2021 season . The championship is regulated by the FIM , the international governing body of motorcycle racing. As of 2024 the championship is organised by Dorna as well as Liberty Media . The Superbike World Championship began in 1988 , being open to modified versions of road bike models available to the public. For many years,

1936-783: Was won by Toprak Razgatlıoğlu . Álvaro Bautista won his first championship and Ducati 's 18th manufacturer title. Kevin Manfredi Kevin Manfredi (born 3 January 1995) is an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer , competing in the MotoE World Cup for the Ongetta Sic58 Squadracorse . In 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship he rides for Polish based Wojcik Racing Team in superstock category. ( key ) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Half points awarded as less than two thirds of

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