BSB: Organisers reveal new National Sportbike and Kawasaki British Superteen Championships for 2024

Bennetts British Superbike Championship organiser MSVR have revealed two new support classes for 2024 – the Pirelli National Sportbike Championship and Kawasaki British Superteen Championship.

Both series have been “designed to showcase and promote junior riders, offering a career path that allows development and progression through the championship’s classes.”

Eligible bikes for the Sportbike class include:

• Yamaha R7
• Aprilia RS660
• Kawasaki Ninja 650
• Honda Hornet 750

Bikes will run the Mektronic ECU platform with BoP formula to manage model parity and slick tyres. Rider eligibility is a minimum age of 16 years old on 1st March 2024.

Meanwhile, the British Superteen Championship is being run in association with Kawasaki UK. The manufacturer will provide support for the class, which has contained budget and technical controls in place.

Riders will compete onboard the 4-cylinder, 400cc Ninja ZX-4RR, with each bike on the grid having been built by Team Green Technical Partner, MSS Performance. There will be two packages on offer to suit varying budgets – packages begin at £12,000 plus VAT.

The Kawasaki series will run across eight double-header rounds, whilst there’s a planned World Superbike support race as well. The 2024 champion will receive a brand-new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R road bike.

The inaugural championship has an eligible minimum age limit of 15 on April 1 2024. The maximum age for competitors wanting to enter the championship is 20 on April 1 2024. All riders must have a minimum of a Clubman licence.

“It is 32 years since the British circuit promoters launched the first “Superteen” Championship, and within the entry list was James Haydon, David Jefferies, John McGuinness, and Michael Rutter,” BSB Series Director, Stuart Higgs said. “We are tremendously excited to bring the “Superteen” name back to British Championship status.

“Together with our partner Kawasaki UK we are re-calibrating this most important entry level class with a new motorcycle that will benefit team and rider development, and importantly be contained to tight budget and regulations parameters. 

“Any major change to the championship structure is carefully considered and current Junior Supersport machines will be eligible for many different regional and national club championships.”

The Superteen series was launched at Brands Hatch on July 20 ahead of the sixth round of the BSB season. The ZX-4RR will be on show in pit lane all weekend, whilst Kawasaki UK and MSS Performances staff will be on-hand should riders and teams be interested in joining the championship next year.

Other updates given for the 2024 season and beyond include:

Superbike

• MSVR and BSB teams will consider technical (firmware) changes and identify areas of performance and cost control.
• A consideration for a BSB “Pathway” technical level for teams transitioning from Superstock, for their maiden BSB campaign. This includes being on the MoTeC ECU platform, but with some lower regulation requirements on certain cycle and mechanical parts.

Superstock

• MSVR are continuing to review the technical regulations to balance machine models where required.
• There’s also a review of tyre material standard.

Supersport

• In 2025 the class will fully adopt the “Next Generation” technical regulations, with the expected launch for further eligible bikes.
• The use of “kit” electronics will cease at the end of 2024.
• The 2023 Pirelli Junior Superstock Championship will become a pathway to the BSS Cup in 2024.

GP2

• There will be a further review for the remainder of the 2023 season to ascertain viability for 2024 and beyond.
• Whilst MSVR recognises the benefits of the middleweight prototype class, further teams’ commitment to the class is a priority to confirm.

Junior Superstock

• The championship will not continue into 2024 as the class is confined to two manufacturers without any realistic options of more joining.
• Current teams and bikes can transition into the BSS Cup, or main Supersport championship.
• All national and regional clubs will maintain a 600cc class.

Junior Supersport

• The Junior Supersport class will not continue into 2024 following the introduction of the Superteen championship.
• All national and regional clubs will maintain a class that will cater for current Junior Supersport machines.

Elsewhere, the R&G British Talent Cup will remain with Dunlop tyres despite other Dorna promoted Talent Championships switching to Pirelli.

In the ABK Beer 0% BMW Motorrad F 900 R Cup, a combined rider and machine weight will be implemented with immediate effect this weekend at Brands Hatch.