Kawasaki, a brand with over 60 years of racing heritage, has been announced as the new naming rights partner of the Australian Supersport Championship. The partnership comes at an exciting time for the category, which has undergone significant revitalisation in recent years. Press: ASBK Media
As a key stepping stone to the premier Superbike class, the Supersport series continues to develop the next generation of elite riders.
Several top contenders in the 2025 Superbike roster, including Broc Pearson, Cameron Dunker, Tom Toparis, and Jonathan Nahlous, honed their skills in the Supersport category before making the leap to the premier class. The series provides an essential platform for riders to refine their race craft without the challenge of managing extreme horsepower.
The 2025 Kawasaki Supersport Championship will kick off at the season-opening round of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on February 21-23.
With Kawasaki’s backing, the Supersport class is set for an electrifying season, reinforcing its reputation as a crucial proving ground for future Superbike champions.
Since the debut of its Ninja ZX-6R in 1995, adorned in Kawasaki’s signature lime green livery first seen in 1968, the brand has been a dominant force in the Australian Supersport Championship, securing its first title in 1996 with Kevin Curtain, followed by Damon Buckmaster in 1998 and Andrew Pitt in 1999.
In 2025, Kawasaki’s Supersport campaign will be led by the BCperformance team, featuring Hayden Nelson and new recruit Olly Simpson, competing in a highly competitive field of veterans, rising teenage stars, returning Aussie internationals, and promising graduates from the Supersport 300 class, including last year’s Kawasaki-mounted champion, Josh Newman.
Gina Costello, Lead Brand Marketing Specialist, Kawasaki Motors Australia:
“Kawasaki is incredibly proud to extend the support of the ASBK Championship and become the naming rights sponsor of the Supersport category.
“Production-based racing has been a cornerstone of Kawasaki motorcycle development for decades and is an integral part of the iconic Ninja’s DNA.
“The Ninja ZX-6R is an exceptionally competitive platform for riders to challenge for the championship and, through this partnership, Kawasaki is enthusiastically contributing to the future of racing in Australia.”
Peter Doyle, CEO, Motorcycling Australia:
“It’s great to see Kawasaki committing to the ongoing success of the Supersport category and, more broadly, the continued growth of the ASBK Championship.
“Kawasaki’s motorcycle racing pedigree is legendary, and to have such an iconic marque joining the ASBK paddock is a major boost.
“The Supersport class has delivered superb racing over the last few years, and I fully expect we’ll be witnessing more of the same in 2025.”
