#Superbike

MotoGP has been called the Ducati Cup in recent years because the brand takes up a third of the grid – and they’re all usually at the front. Granted, I suppose the kind of criticism is warranted if you like a little variety with your racing, but the reason behind all those bikes is more nuanced than just wanting to steal the show. Ostensibly, team boss Gigi D’alligna’s job was to bring Ducati back to the top. Doing so meant creating a bike that could win. Creating a winning bike requires data. What’s the best way to get data? By having as many bikes as possible equipped with the best riders in the world, effectively creating the best test team in the world, too. This was the fast track to data collection that Gigi and his team then used to make a MotoGP machine everybody now wants to be on. Here’s a poignant quote from Guilio Fabbri, Head of Communications for Ducati: “In 2007, we had a motorcycle that only one person could ride (Casey Stoner). Now, we have the most desired bike on the grid.”

Back in June, Dennis Chung first reported about CARB certifications for the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, indicating an imminent announcement about the bike’s availability in America. Well, that time is now. Honda has officially announced the Fireblade will arrive on US shores later this year as a 2025 model. The move comes after the Blade was first introduced in Europe for the 2024 model year, and while getting left out for a year is annoying, in some ways we should just be glad Honda’s continuing to pump out sportbikes at all – which is more than at least one of its Japanese rivals can say…

The World Supersport 300 championship is on its penultimate lap, with the entry-level racing series set to end following the 2025 racing season. According to an announcement from the Superbike Commission which sets the regulations for production-based racing, the 300 class will be replaced by a new entry-level series for 2026 and beyond.