The Parts Canada Superbike Championship will adopt a new class for two-cylinder machines for the 2010 national motorcycle road racing season.  This new category will replace the long-running and popular SV650 Cup class, and – according to series organizers Professional Motorsports Productions – Twin Sports will use the Suzuki SV model as the benchmark for performance in the new division.

Drawing on recent Canadian,  American Thunder and Suzuki SV650 Cup class rules, the following overall guidelines will be in place for the new Twin Sports division, slated to debut at the opening 2010 Parts Canada Superbike National round at ICAR, Mirabel, Quebec on May 30.  The overall standard of preparation and modification permitted for Twin Sports will match the current Sport Bike class standards.  Twin Sports class entries will be production-based, sports-oriented twin-cylinder machines.

Two basic categories of twin cylinder, four-stroke powered street-based bikes will be allowed:

1.  Liquid-cooled, maximum 800cc displacement, with a maximum power output of 80 as measured on the official series Dynojet Dyno.  Minimum wet weight post race is 360 pounds.

2.  Air-cooled, open displacement, with a maximum power output of 95 as measured on the official series Dynojet Dyno.  Minimum weight post race is 385 pounds.

Suzuki SV650

The liquid-cooled machinery expected to compete includes Suzuki’s SV650, several Kawasaki models including the 650cc Ninja, BMW’s F800 vertical twin, Korean manufacturer Hyosung’s GT650 model line and the new Hyosung powered Fischer MRX650. Anticipated air-cooled entries include Ducati’s Sports 1000 and Monster models, Harley-Davidson’s new XR1200, BMW R models and a variety of Buell XB model push-rod equipped twins.

Kawasaki Ninja 650

Liquid-cooled, open class twin cylinder racers from the 2008 Canadian Thunder Feature class will not be allowed to compete.  This rules out the 749/848 and large Ducati models, BMW’s HP2 Sport and the Buell 1125R.

BMW F800

PMP’s Technical Director, Peter Hoogeveen, confirmed that the SV Cup’s level of performance is the target for the new division.  “We will keep a close eye on the results both on track and in Tech.,” explains Hoogeveen. “At mid-season we will review the data, to see if any tweaks need to be made to the class standards in our 2010 Rule Book, and make those adjustments.  We want to be sure that costs are well controlled in the new twins division.”

Hyosung GT650

As with all Canadian National classes, the Twin Sports category will race with Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa DOT race tires.  2010 Twin Sports competitors will be allowed six tires per race, and eight for double header weekends.  These totals do not include rain tires.

Harley-Davidson XR1200

Both Pro and Amateur licensed competitors are allowed to compete in Twin Sports.  Pro licensed Twin Sports riders are not allowed compete in the Superbike Feature during a National weekend.

The Competition Systems Kawasaki Race Team has announced that Alex Welsh of Uxbridge, Ontario will pilot its Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R in the 2010 Parts Canada Superbike Championship.

Primary sponsors of the team will be Canadian Kawasaki Motors and Parts Canada.

“Kawasaki has a long and successful history of racing in Canada and the team is thrilled that they have entrusted us to carry on that tradition,” said team owner Mike Crompton. “We are also very pleased to have Parts Canada on board. They have put so much into this series and sport that we all enjoy. Their support will be a great asset to our team.”

The 21-year-old Welsh is one of the hottest new talents in Canadian motorcycle road racing. He was the 2008 HJC Pro Rookie of the Year in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship and last summer joined the Canadian Kawasaki Motors factory team.

Despite missing one race due to injury, he finished seventh in the Superbike class on a Ninja ZX-10R with a top finish of third at Mosport International Raceway. He placed fourth in the Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike standings with four podium results to his credit, including a runner-up finish at Mosport, riding Kawasaki’s ZX-6R Ninja.

“Alex showed great promise and team spirit in 2009,” Crompton added. “All the crew is looking forward to concentrating its efforts with him and look forward to a successful 2010 season.”

The crew will consist of Harald Surian, a multi-time championship-winning tuner, who will look after trackside set-up and suspension. Richard Winter, whose immaculate Ninja ZX-6R Sport Bikes have won the past four Canadian national titles, will be the in-house builder and tuner. Crompton will handle engines and logistics. He has some 40 years of experience in the Canadian motorcycle industry, supplying engines and race equipment to some of the country’s leading competitors.

For the past several years, Canadian Kawasaki Motors has run its national road race program in-house. Last summer the squad claimed its fourth straight titles in the Parts Canada Superbike and Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike divisions. Crompton had been the crew chief for the Kawasaki program through its run of success.

“Work has begun in preparation for the new season and we will be ready for testing soon,” he added.

The 2010 Parts Canada Superbike Championship opens May 28-30 at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Quebec

Canadian Kawasaki Motors has secured the services of Toronto-based Competition Systems to handle Kawasaki’s assault in the 2010 Parts Canada Superbike Championship. The team will consist of one rider and focus exclusively on the Superbike feature class with Kawasaki’s potent Ninja ZX-10R.

The new entity will be called Competition Systems Kawasaki Race Team.

For the past several years, Canadian Kawasaki Motors has run its national road race program in-house. Last summer the squad claimed its fourth straight titles in the Parts Canada Superbike and Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike divisions.

Mike Crompton of Competition Systems has been the crew chief for the Kawasaki program through its run of success and will now take over as team owner of the new race program. Some of the existing crew will continue with the team and a rider and sponsors will be announced within a few days.

“Due to a number of circumstances we have decided to suspend activities with our factory program for 2010,” said Jeff Comello of Canadian Kawasaki Motors. “But despite this state of change we have tried to keep as much continuity as possible and Mike Crompton and Competition Systems are the perfect fit. We have been together now for four-plus years and have enjoyed a great deal of success.”

Crompton has some 40 years of experience in the Canadian motorcycle industry, supplying engines and race equipment to some of the country’s leading competitors.

“Canadian Kawasaki Motors is a great company and I’m looking forward to this,” Crompton said. “We already have a good team structure and equipment. We’ve spent a number of years building this program and all we have to do is just continue what we’ve started.”

The agreement between Canadian Kawasaki Motors and Competition Systems is for one year and will be re-evaluated at the end of the 2010 racing season.

“Kawasaki is committed to showcasing the Ninja brand in competition and we feel strongly that we need to be behind the Parts Canada Superbike Championship,” Comello said. “This is the perfect venue for us to display our products.”

“We all have to dig deep and support the series,” Crompton added. “It is important to do what we can to have a successful 2010 and build on that for 2011 and beyond.”

In addition to claiming the past four Parts Canada Superbike titles Canadian Kawasaki Motors enjoyed a string of nine straight national championships from 1991 to 1999, and also claimed the first two Canadian crowns in 1980 and ’81 with riders George Morin and Lang Hindle, respectively.

The 2010 Parts Canada Superbike Championship opens May 28-30 at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Que. For more information, visit www.cdnsuperbike.com.

RMR Racing’s Ryan Appenrodt from Quesnel, British Columbia is looking to continue last year’s success in the upcoming season of the Honda CBR 125R Challenge.

Last season, Ryan competed in three Honda CBR Challenge national rounds with strong finishes at each race that helped him earn a spot for this upcoming year.

Being one of a few riders from the west, Ryan is looking forward to traveling as a team as part of the AMRA for the entire national series with fellow riders Cody Conrad, and Bodhi Edie, as well as others that are planning on competing this year.

Ryan’s hope for this season is to win the National title, and he believes that he has a strong chance after last year’s performances, which included multiple podium finishes.

Ryan would like to thank his sponsors starting with the AMRA, Honda Canada, and long time local sponsor Brian Curry of Curry Repairs.

Roz-GarRacing’s newest rider Rheanna Christie of Keene, Ontario ended the silly season on a high note by signing to ride a CBR125R for Durham Honda Powerhouse.

On Saturday, Rheanna attended the open house at Durham Honda to relax and speak with staff and customers. Upon entering the shop Robert Bates introduced Rheanna to her new CBR125R that she will be riding in 2010. The keys were handed over to Rheanna by her brother, Jodi, who was also attending the open house. All of the staff were quite excited and very supportive.

Rheanna will take part in the RACE CBR125 School at Shannonville Motorsports Park in Shannonville, ON in April as well as a school put on by the Parts Canada Superbike Series with Ed Sorbo as the head instructor. She plans to compete in RACE Regional events and the Parts Canada National Series traveling with her team throughout Canada.

As punishment to Yamaha for withdrawing factory and rider support from the Parts Canada Superbike Championship, series management made an announcement yesterday that, as of 2010, no Yamaha R1 bikes would be eligible to compete in the Pro Superbike series.  Due to the number of Yamaha R6 riders in the Amateur and Pro Sport Bike classes, the Canadian series has elected to allow R6s to compete in those classes in 2010.
However, only 2009 and earlier-model R6s are eligible to compete. No 2010 Yamahas of any displacement will be allowed on the grid. The Parts Canada Superbike Championship has not made any announcement affecting the participation of R6s from the 2011 season forward should Yamaha continue its absence from the series.

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The big sound of the 2010 R1's crossplane crankshaft engine will be absent from Canadian Superbikes in 2010