The Superbike World Championship is probably the race that most people turn to when they first receive an introduction to the world of superbike motorcycle racing. The WSBK is the type of event that would often be covered on websites like MotorcycleInsurance.com, but the sort of daredevils that race in these sorts of serious championships wouldn’t ever be able to get insurance for these sorts of activities on the road. Most insurance companies probably wouldn’t want to pay out after an accident at Formula 1 racing speeds after all.
Naturally, European countries hold some of the top races in the world. That being said, there have been rounds held in Qatar and South Africa. The FIM canceled Indonesian events in 2008, but there’s nothing to suggest that fans might not be able to mix a little Balinese dancing and motorcycle racing in the future.
Currently, teams like Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Aprilia, Suzuki, BMW Motorrad and Ducati can be seen at the races. Petronas used to race with their FP1 motorcycle, but apparently they’re too focused on huge skyscrapers to pay any attention to the track. It seems that Bimota, Benelli and MV Agusta have also withdrawn from the fun.
That doesn’t mean that the European events are the only ones that draw crowds. The All Japan Road Race Championship is also affiliated with the FIM by way of the Motorcycle Federation of Japan. Top stars like Kenta Fujii, Kousuke Akiyoshi, Nagashima Fuji and Takaaki Nakagami of Honda are the sorts of racers that people would be able to see at one of these events.
Japan is known for the various international motorcycle builders that are based in that country, so it makes some sense that in 2002 there were numerous MotoGP prototypes entered into the race. Sure, that might be considered cheating, but then again, the prototypes that won were not eligible to actually score any points.
Serious fans might also want to check out some of the support classes. The Supersport World Championship and the FIM Superstock 1,000 Cup races can be pretty interesting for those that might be jaded with the top performers. The European Motorcycle Union hosts the European Superstock 600 Championship, which is reserved for riders between 15 and 20 years old. The 1,000 Cup is only open to those that are up to 24 years of age. There are numerous other restrictions for these races as well, and this is a great way to level out the playing field. Then again, with how young some of these riders are, one might expect there to be a playpen instead.
