WSBK – Triumph 765 and Ducati 959 entered in British and World Supersport –

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Triumph 765 and Ducati 959 entered in British and World Supersport

WSBK - Triumph 765 and Ducati 959 entered in British and World Supersport -

Supersport is a segment of the motorcycle market abandoned by bikers and manufacturers. Whose fault is it ? Regardless, the promoters of the British Superbike and the World Superbike will try to reinvent this declining category by integrating two new models: Daytona 765 and Panigale V2… Explanations.

Last year in France, the best selling "Supersport" was the new ZX-6R 636, registered in 441 copies. An exceptional score that it owes to its skillful updates, its far better placed price than before … and the lack of competition !

At the same time, in fact, only Yamaha offered a sports 600 cc 4-cylinder approved for racing. But in 2019, only 199 copies of this machine, which won four seasons in a row, were sold in the company of Lucas Mahias (cocorico!), Sandro Cortese, Randy Krummenacher and Andrea Locatelli..

  • World Superbike 2020 :
  • MNC special file :

By broadening the spectrum of "mid-capacity sports cars", Site recorded last year 678 sales of CBR650F and R (year of transition between the two models) and 675 sales of Ninja 650 … More affordable, these Honda and Kawasaki are fishing for performance: a chasm separates them from Superbikes…

"In recent years, the Supersport has been subject to regulation to include motorcycles of 600cc four-cylinder (R6, ZX-6R and CBR600RR, Editor’s note), 675cc three-cylinder (MV Agusta F3) and 750cc twin (?)", collegially report the managers of World Superbike and British Superbike.

WSBK - Triumph 765 and Ducati 959 entered in British and World Supersport -

In fact, the Yam and Kawa currently represent the bulk of – small – troops … The promoters DWO (WSBK) and MSVR (BSB) are therefore collaborating with the international motorcycling federation in order to diversify and densify their platforms….

"The mid-range category for production motorcycles has been around for a long time, but with the transformation of the market, it is clear that adjustments are needed to allow more models to become eligible," they realize … a little late ?

Experimentation in BSB 2021, validation in WSBK 2022 ?

Like the "premier class" Superbike three years ago (before the arrival of the V4 in the Panigale) and "on the basis of the recent experience of the junior Supersport 300 class in which machines of different displacement and architecture are adapted to ensure parity, the same principle could be applied to the future orientation of the senior Supersport category ".

  • New Supersport Triumph :
  • 959 Panigale trial :

From next spring, an "experimental" Triumph 765 Daytona will be entered in British Supersport. The English prototype – but nothing to do with Moto2s with the same engine, okay !? – will be followed in the middle of the season by a Ducati 959 Panigale V2.

If successful, this expansion of the Supersport category could be applied from 2022 worldwide. But the challenge promises to be extremely difficult: leveling the performance of – very – different motorcycles is excessively complicated, not to say impossible..

WSBK - Triumph 765 and Ducati 959 entered in British and World Supersport -

Another concern that the organizers face: the commercial choices of the manufacturers. Honda, for example, is updating its CBR600RR for 2021 but will only market it in Asia. A choice that saddens Simon Buckmaster, boss of the PTR team who drove and win Eugene Laverty, Jules Cluzel, Sam Lowes or Kyle Smith…

“We were excited to be able to use the new CBR600RR, but circumstances worked against us and that is not possible. To sum up, the bike is only sold in the Asian market, all new parts from the bike should have come from Japan. In these difficult times Honda felt that it was not possible to support us. " Hello Mister Triumph, how much to run a Daytona 765 ?!

Statements

Stuart Higgs, Director MSVR (promoter of the British SBK):
“The Supersport category is extremely important for national and international competition structures. Previously, several manufacturers and machine configurations have ridden together, but they have become scarce due to changes in the market. The redefinition of the category will bring a boost and will draw a bright future for the intermediate category derived from the series. I am very happy and enthusiastic to cooperate and work closely with our friends from FIM and DWO on this project ".

Gregorio Lavilla, Executive Director Sport and Organization of the WorldSBK:
"We are always open to better ways to improve motorsport and I am happy to see that our ideas match those of so many promoters nationally and FIM. It is great to have the support of MSVR which helps us to realize this idea and we will work closely with all parties concerned to make this a success, with in the future identical regulations in both championships and perhaps in other national competitions ".

Franck Vayssie, director of the FIM Circuit Racing Commission:
"Motorsport is a big global family, the FIM is more than happy to see all the players working together to improve the competition, from the national level to the world level. Since the creation of the category, Supersport has always offered a big show on track with incredible title battles. Due to the current market situation, in order to maintain this same level of interest and to preserve fairness among all teams and drivers, it is absolutely necessary that the FIM regulations be updated. The whole FIM family supports this idea and will work closely with the promoters, organizers and manufacturers to move this exciting project forward ".

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