The Isle of Wight Road Race will see riders compete around the 12.4 mile course on three different types of machine: Superbike (superstock regulations), Supersport and Supertwins. Derived from production motorcycles they are highly modified to compete at a top level motorsport. We will walk through the different machines and show how they differ from their production counterparts.
Superbike (Superstock Regulations):
The superbike class consists of the fastest bikes that will compete during the races. Major manufacturers such as BMW, Yamaha, Honda, and Suzuki use their 1000cc machines as their flagship models, entering them in domestic and world championships, as well as the biggest road races. These motorcycles are capable of 200mph+ and generate more than 200bhp. Under superstock regulations teams can change a variety of components such as the exhaust, and suspension internals but there are restrictions on engine modifications, tyres, and alterations to the chassis.
Supersport:
Supersport bikes originate as mostly 600cc production motorcycles, considered a step below a manufacturers flagship superbike. Race regulations allow heavy modification to the engine, with teams achieving upto 30% more power over a stock bike. Supersport racing is highly competitive and lap times are often not far behind the more powerful superstock bikes.
Supertwins:
Supertwin racing has proved to be one of the most competitive classes in recent years. The rules are simple, almost everything can be changed from the standard bike. Originally based on 650 commuters/all rounders, they barely resemble these once reaching the race track, usually all but the frame can be modified or removed. They are considered the lightweight class but are still capable of 140mph+.