What is Superbike? If you have been following Foremost this last year, you may have learned a lot about it. But, if you aren’t one of our loyal fans, you may want to become one. When I started working at Foremost, I’ll admit, I had never heard of Superbike or Sportbike racing. But, after following our Superbike racer Larry Pegram this season, I know more about the sport than I ever thought I would-and am in love with it.
The Superbike class is a part of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) road racing circuit. Within the “Superbike” races, there are different classes of bikes and races. Each race weekend includes:
- SuperSport
- SportBike (600cc)
- Superbike (1200cc)
- XR1200
These bikes have differences in their power and motors. The way that racer Larry Pegram explained the difference is SportBike is like playing college baseball and Superbike is like playing in the MLB. Usually the racers in this sport start out in Flat Track racing (like a farm league for baseball), which is where motorcycle racing really took off a very long time ago. Foremost actually sponsors an awesome flat track racer, Henry Wiles, who is having a winning season this year!
Superbike racing is mentally and physically grueling, but also requires a lot of talent, backing from sponsors and a pretty big crew to keep the equipment running successfully. Most teams have between 10-30 crew members, an electronic representative, and many other workers that help with food, fan interaction, specialty equipment and anything else the team and racers need. Watching the Foremost/Pegram race team lately, they run like a well-oiled machine. Everyone has their own spot/responsibilities and when the action starts, they’re ready to go.
Superbike racing isn’t the most inexpensive sport around and the most expensive part of having a Superbike team is the electronics. These bikes actually have computers in them, which the crews calls the “brains” of the bike! The chip in the bike tells the engine what to do at a certain time/turn/etc. It’s responsible for the amount of traction control on the course, the amount of spin for the rear tire and assists in the acceleration timing. Of course, in the end it’s the human being driving this machine that is truly responsible, speeding as fast as 206 miles per hour!
Stay tuned if you want to know more about details about this exciting sport and our Foremost/Pegram race team. Pegram racing also happens to have a reality show about their family based team that is being taped for a second season right now!
