The official launch of the 2017 Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship was held this morning at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, which saw eight riders on hand, who will be representing the eight manufacturers which will do battle across the seven round series which explodes into life this weekend.
In fact, it’s the biggest turn out in bike manufacturers the ASBK series has had in its history of the sport which goes to show the momentum and the growth of the sport in the last few years.
Reigning Australian Superbike champion Troy Herfoss (Crankt Protein Team Honda Racing) enters the 2017 YMI Superbike season with the biggest target on his back, as all riders will be doing everything in their power to stop the 30-year-old from claiming his second straight ASBK crown.
“Last year was hard and this year will be just as harder,” said Herfoss who will start the year on the old Honda CBR1000RR SP machine.
“We will have new Honda Fireblade arriving through the second half of the year and that will give us some confidence and more motivation.”
With so many new young rookies stepping up to the main game, such as DesmoSport Ducati’s Callum Spriggs, NextGen Motorsport’s Troy Guenther, and even past ASBK riders – Kawasaki BCperformance’s Robbie Bugden, former Australian Supersport rider Chas Hern and the 2009 and 2012 ASBK champion in Josh Waters, what does Herfoss think of the all the hype that surrounds it?
“It’s really exciting to be honest. The last few months have been ticking along really slowly in regards to trying to get prepared for this year. I’m just really excited every night going to bed and keen to go racing again. It’s going to be a fun year that’s for sure!”
On hand as well at the official launch was the three times Australian Superbike Champion, Glenn Allerton.
The Yamaha Racing Team pilot is this year gunning for his fourth championship, which no other rider has done in the history of the ASBK series.
“It’s really important for me this year to try and win my fourth championship as I’m not getting any younger,” said Allerton who took three wins from three starts at the opening round of the ASBK championship at the ‘island’ in 2016.
“It’s going to be tough this year. I have a mongrel of a teammate (Wayne Maxwell). He never lets go as he is always trying to beat me.
For me, Wayne is going to be the hardest to beat as we are both on the Yamaha YZF-R1M’s.”
Allerton also gave his view on the series, by saying that the ASBK series is in a really good position.
With the ASBK series coming on leaps and bounds last year and this year, which has seen the series sky rocket to another level, Allerton also took his hat off to Motorcycling Australia (MA) who have been the driving force behind it all by saying; “All this great work which has been done has been from a lot of people behind the scene at MA and all the associated sponsors and sponsors of the series. Everyone deserves a big thanks for putting their support behind the series and this is why we have the product we have got.
For me, it kind of sucks as I’m in the last part of my career. I wish it was like this when I was young as the series now has some momentum now and it’s only going to be better for the younger riders who are coming through.
With Yamaha Motor Finance as the ASBK series sponsors this year, 2018 and with an optional 2019 to go around again, YMF and YMI General Manager Brad Ryan told AMCN that they were in it for the long haul.
“This year’s ASBK series is the strongest field that we could have ever imagined. And we didn’t expect to be in this position with the SBS TV as well as the live streaming for another couple of years. So we are delighted with how it is going,” said Ryan.
“Full credit must to Peter Doyle, Simon Mars, Martin Port and everyone else from Motorcycling Australia who have pulled it together.
I think for us, this reinforcers we are here for the everyday rider. So from the grass root riders which sees anyone can turn up at an ASBK round and find that it’s not just the Superbikes that are taking part. It’s all the way down to the Yamaha R3 Cup and now the 150’s as well, as well as any of the stock bikes that they want to ride.”
First practice of all classes get underway later this afternoon.
Words & Images: Russell Colvin
