Racing modified versions of the manufacturers’
flagship 1000cc sportbikes, the racing is relatable to the fans yet nearly equal to MotoGP in terms of sheer performance.


The FIM Superbike World Championship is as unpredictable as ever, boasting a deep field of contenders riding machinery supplied by Aprilia, Ducati, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, BMW and Kawasaki, all with a shot at the crown in this competitive and wide-open series.


Racing modified versions of the manufacturers’ flagship 1000cc sportbikes, the racing is relatable to the fans yet nearly equal to MotoGP in terms of sheer performance.


Filling the void left by ‘09 rookie champ Ben Spies, Max Biaggi took the championship by storm aboard his V4-powered Aprilia RSV4 in 2010. However, fellow veteran aces Noriyuki Haga, Troy Corser, Carlos Checa, and Leon Haslam could pose a threat to Biaggi’s dominance in ‘11 with European racebikes of their own (Aprilia, Ducati, and BMW).


The Japanese manufacturers should prove equally formidable as Castrol Honda has been reborn in an effort spearheaded by Jonathan Rea and Yamaha has inked the talented duo of Marco Melandri and Eugene Laverty. Meanwhile, Alstare has reunited with Michel Fabrizio to front their Suzuki GSX-R1000 program and Kawasaki has upped the game considerably with an all-new razor-focused ZX-10R that will be guided by the trio of Tom Sykes, Joan Lascorz, and Chris Vermeulen.