Davey Todd leads supersport revolution

DT aiming to deliver first Ducati win in almost three decades.

There is much anticipation surrounding the two Monster Energy Supersport TTs at this year’s Isle of Man TT races.

Where Yamaha’s R6 was once considered the weapon of choice for 600cc racing, the ‘next generation’ supersport rules are leading to a much more diverse range of bikes lining up.

The change has been made because fewer and fewer manufacturers are making the 600cc sportsbikes which were once the only machines in the class (although if you’re being a pedant, we know 675cc triples and 750cc twins were also allowed). Production stopped because not enough road riders were buying them, so now racing rules have been opened up to represent the bikes we do actually buy and ride on the road.

So now, as well as the traditional 600cc bikes like the Honda CBR600RR, Kawasaki ZX-6R and Yamaha R6, a host of new models are being raced in supersport competitions around the world. Triples like MV Agusta’s 800cc F3, Triumph’s 765cc Street Triple (fitted with a race kit including the fairing from a Daytona 675 to turn it from a naked to supersport bike) as well as the new QJMOTOR SRK800RR from China are all able to race in the class.

And although it may be called ‘next’ generation, the aging four-cylinder Suzuki GSX-R750 (which was last sold new in the UK over five years ago, and which has a design dating back to 2011) is also now eligible.

Adding to the diversity, Ducati’s Panigale V2 can also compete in the class, despite having an engine capacity of nearly 1000cc. It won both the world and British national supersport titles in 2023, so it is no wonder there’s much excitement as it makes its TT debut this year in the hands of front runner Davey Todd.

The Yamaha R6 was long considered the performance benchmark in supersport racing, making around 145bhp and being almost unbeatable in world supersport competition for many years. Clever boffins have created rules which (in theory) create a level playing field between bikes of differing engine capacities and configurations – through weight limits, regulations regarding the mechanicals and electronic settings through the bike’s ECU. The bikes used at the TT follow the same rules as used in the British supersport championship, which in turn are similar to those found in the world series.

So how can a 959cc two-cylinder bike be allowed to compete fairly alongside machines with only 62% of the engine capacity? We spoke to some members of Todd’s Powertoolmate Ducati team to find out.

They explained that where the 600cc engines can be highly tuned, the Ducati retains its standard engine internals. The bike must run a standardised electronics package, controlled by the organisers, which restricts the throttle opening to 85%. The result is that the Panigale V2 makes ‘140+bhp’ or around the same as a well prepared R6. For now the rules see all machines run to the same weight capacity, which is 161kg, although the regulations allow for that to be changed mid-season if deemed necessary.

This artificial ‘balancing’ of performance is normal in GT car racing and is becoming more common in bike racing too, with series like the Supersport 300 class allowing small capacity bikes of different sizes and configurations to compete against each other. Called ‘Balance of Performance’ the organisers can tweak the rules, changing weight limits and/or adjusting the ECU settings to regulate throttle openings and change rev limits. As a result, if one bike proves too strong it’s power can be capped, while less competitive machines can be given concessions to make them faster, in theory ‘balancing’ them up.

Of course, there are some benefits and drawbacks to running the Ducati at the island. The extra capacity of the Ducati’s engine means that it will be torquier than a screaming 600, giving it better drive out of slow corners, but the higher revving fours should theoretically give the smaller capacity bikes a higher top speed, which is crucial on the insanely fast TT course.

Currently the Ducati can rev to 11,750rpm, where the 600s can scream to 16,000rpm, but the TAS Racing prepared Panigale has so far fared well on top speed, clocking almost 175mph down Sulby straight. We expect the Ducati’s single sided swingarm to also be a benefit, allowing for quick tyre changes in the four lap races.

Ducati’s last win on the island came in 1995, when Kiwi Rob Holden won the Singles TT on the company’s Supermono racer. The last time the Bologna company had a bike on an Isle of Man podium was in 2003, when John McGuinness took a second and third place finish in the two big bike races on a Ducati 998.

Todd is not the only rider running a next generation machine at this year’s TT. Peter Hickman debuted the Street Triple 765 RS at last year’s event, setting a 130mph lap on the final lap of last year’s second Monster Energy Supersport TT. He is joined by a handful of other top names on the British bike this time around, including Jamie Coward,

Michael Evans and Craig Neve. There will also be a pair of Suzukis heading down Bray Hill this year, with experienced Northern Irish rider Shaun Anderson and up-and-comer James Hind running the GSX-R750.Michael Dunlop, winner of last year’s two Monster Energy Supersport TTs and the current lap record holder was due to bolster the Triumph numbers but, after trying the Street Triple out in first practice, he has since reverted to his trusty Yamaha and looks set to race that again this year.

Practice has shown all the different bikes to be equally matched, creating some additional excitement ahead of the TT opening first Supersport TT on Saturday.