British Superbike Championship
 | |
| British Superbike Championship | |
|---|---|
| Teams | 5 manufacturers |
| Sport | Motorcycle sport |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Champion |  Ryuichi Kiyonari (Rider) Honda (Manufacturer)
|
The British Superbike Championship series is the leading motorcycle racing championship in the United Kingdom.
The Series, known to most as "BSB", is managed and organised by MCRCB-Events. The commercial and television rights have been delegated to DORNA UK Limited, part of the wider DORNA Sports group which is the commercial and television rights holder of MotoGP.
The Series and Race Director is Stuart Higgs. Event marshals are provided by the Racesafe Marshals Association.
In 2007 it features 13 meetings, including a single overseas event at Mondello Park in Ireland, each featuring 2 races. Races are covered live by ITV and Sky Sports, with sponsorship from Bennetts bike insurance. The grids usually consist of more than 30 riders, consisting of production-based bikes from Ducati, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki. Most teams use Dunlop tyres, although Pirelli and Michelin also feature. Team sponsors include Eddie Stobart trucking, Airwaves chewing gun and Rizla tobacco paper.
A "Cup" class exists for riders running in privately owned teams; past champions of this include Shane Byrne in 2001, and James Ellison in 2004. There is also a Manufacturer's Championship, in which the top bike from each constructor scores.
In 2005, the overall championship was won by Spanish rider Gregorio Lavilla on a Ducati 999 F04 (1000cc vee-twin), ahead of 1000cc in-line four Hondas ridden by Japanese rider Ryuichi Kiyonari and Michael Rutter. 2004 champion John Reynolds endured an injury-hit season, after which the veteran (he also won the 1992 and 2001 championships) announced his retirement from racing. The 2003 champion Shane 'Shakey' Byrne returned to the series for 2006 on the Suzuki Reynolds vacated.
The 2006 British Superbike season was won by Kiyonari at the final round in Brands Hatch in front of a capacity crowd and a reported 1.5 million Live TV viewers. Second was Leon Haslam with Lavilla third.
Niall Mackenzie was the most successful rider of the 1990s, with three titles. Other past champions include Neil Hodgson, Australian Troy Bayliss and Steve Hislop. Chris 'the Stalker' Walker has finished as runner up 4 times. Many riders from the series have gone on to race in World Superbikes or MotoGP.
BSB Superbike Champions
| Year | Series | Rider | Country | Bike | Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Superbike |  Gavin Bennett
|
Wales | Ducati | Gavin went on to race snails professionally across the pub circuit | |
| 1988 | 750cc / TT F1 |  Darren Dixon
|
England | Suzuki | Dixon went on to pilot sidecars alongside passenger Andy Hetherington | |
| 1989 | Superbike |  Brian Morrison
|
Scotland | Honda | ||
| 1990 | 750cc / TT F1 | Terry Rymer
|
England | Yamaha | ||
| 1991 | 750cc / TT F1 | Rob McElnea
|
England | Yamaha | ||
| 1992 | 750cc / TT F1 | John Reynolds
|
England | Kawasaki | ||
| 1993 | Superbike | James Whitham
|
England | Yamaha | Fast Orange | |
| 1994 | Superbike | Ian Simpson
|
Scotland | Norton rotary F1 | ||
| 1995 | Superbike | Steve Hislop
|
Scotland | Ducati 916/955 | Devimead | Whitham was suffering from/treated for Hodgkin's_Disease, a form of cancer |
| 1996 | Superbike | Niall Mackenzie
|
Scotland | Yamaha YZF750 | ||
| 1997 | Superbike | Niall Mackenzie
|
Scotland | Yamaha YZF750 | Cadbury's Boost | |
| 1998 | Superbike | Niall Mackenzie
|
Scotland | Yamaha YZF750 | Cadbury's Boost | Included a total of 387 points, 6 race wins, 1 pole position, from 24 races |
| 1999 | Superbike |  Troy Bayliss
|
Australia | Ducati 996 | INS GSE | Included a total of 394 points, 7 race wins, 6 pole positions, from 24 races |
| 2000 | Superbike | Neil Hodgson
|
England | Ducati 996 | INS GSE | Included a total of 422 points, 7 race wins, 5 pole positions, from 24 races |
| 2001 | Superbike | John Reynolds
|
England | Ducati 996 RS | Reve Red Bull | Included a total of 536 points |
| 2002 | Superbike | Steve Hislop
|
Scotland | Ducati 998 RS | Paul Bird MonsterMob | Included a total of 452 points, 8 race wins, 5 pole positions, 17 podiums, & 1 dnf, from 26 races |
| 2003 | Superbike | Shane 'Shakey' Byrne
|
England | Ducati 998 F02 | Paul Bird MonsterMob | Included a total of 488 points, 12 race wins, 5 pole positions, 21 podiums, & 1 dnf, from 24 races |
| 2004 | Superbike | John Reynolds
|
England | Suzuki GSX-R1000 | Crescent Q8 Rizla | Included a total of 446 points, from 26 races |
| 2005 | Superbike |  Gregorio Lavilla
|
Spain | Ducati 999 F04 | Airwaves GSE | Reynolds injured in pre-season testing. Included a total of 461 points, from 26 races |
| 2006 | Superbike | Ryuichi Kiyonari
|
Japan | Honda CBR1000RR FireBlade | HM Plant HRC | Included a total of 466 points, 11 race wins, from 26 races |
| 2007 | Superbike | Ryuichi Kiyonari
|
Japan | Honda CBR1000RR FireBlade | HM Plant HRC | Included a total of 433 points, 8 race wins, from 26 races |
| 2008 | Superbike |