The world of production derivatives is preparing for important regulatory changes in the short and medium term. In fact, on the horizon there is not only the introduction of the 850 cm3 displacement in MotoGP, which will force the organizers to review the superbike to avoid too similar performances, but also the rewriting of the regulations for the lower categories. In particular the Supersport 300: the Supersport 600 has in fact already been successfully redefined, widening the field to various technical solutions, while the lower class has for years been defined by everyone as not very educational and dangerous, a very expensive “parking lot” for young drivers which do not find an outlet in Moto3. The championship was born in 2017 and has seen six different champions: Marc García the first year, Ana Carrasco in 2018, Manu González in 2019, Adrián Huertasen 2021 and Álvaro Díaz in 2022, Jeffrey Buis in 2020 and last year. None of them really broke through, so much so that the Dutchman returned to home base.
Desire to grow
For now, the organizers have released a statement: “The SBK Commission is currently working on the introduction of a new World Superbike class for 2026, marking a significant evolution in the racing landscape. This new class will replace the World Supersport 300 (…). The introduction of the new class aims to further enhance the sporting and commercial relevance of the category. One of the main objectives of this initiative is to make the progression path easier for riders who move up to the higher classes, in particular to the 600 World Supersport Championship. By bridging the performance gap between the entry and intermediate categories, the objective is is to create a smoother transition for drivers, encouraging their development and preparing them for the competitive demands of the higher classes. Furthermore, this change is designed to attract greater interest from manufacturers, allowing them to present machines that reflect a growing market segment.”
What a bike we will see
The last season of Supersport 300 will be next, from 2026 we will see the new category. With what bike? One possibility is that the Supersport 600 “loses” the smaller twin-cylinder engines in regulation, thus becoming fertile ground to accommodate bikes such as the Aprilia RS660 or the Kawasaki Ninja 650, the Yamaha R7: a sort of TT-style Supertwin taken to the track , or Sportbike, as happens in the BSB, widening the audience also to three cylinders such as the Triumph Daytona 660. Unless you want to focus instead on the naked, to give a sign of discontinuity and a greater break with the higher categories, and at the same time at the same time promote an important segment of the market. The next few months will tell us more, and by the end of the year a general regulation should be defined.
