Honda pulls out of ASBK

Less than two months after winning the 2023 mi-bike Australian Superbike Championship with ER Motorsport and Troy Herfoss – as Penrite Honda Racing - Honda Australia is withdrawing from the series in a factory capacity. This follows Herfoss’s departure to race the King of the Baggers series in the US this year with Indian Motorcycle.

The split between Honda and ER Motorsport, announced on 24 January, was described as amicable and a reflection of the need for both parties to “recalibrate their objectives”.

"While the decision to step back from the Australian Superbike Championship in a factory capacity this year is a challenging one, it is essential for us to redirect our resources and energy towards initiatives that align more closely with the evolving needs of our customers,” said Tony Hinton, General Manager of Powersports and Products at Honda Australia.

“We are very grateful for the success we have shared with ER Motorsport over the last six years, they have represented the Honda brand with passion, seamlessly run the team with professionalism and have secured results we are very proud of.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better way to finish the partnership than as the reigning champions."

Penrite Honda Racing made its ASBK debut in 2018, although Honda’s involvement in the category goes back to the 1980s. Success for the new team was immediate, with Herfoss winning the ASBK crown on a CBR1000SP that year, following up from the 2016 title he also won on a Honda.

ER Motorsport’s Deon Coote said it had been a privilege to run the Honda factory team and the success they’ve shared has been a highlight of his career in racing.

“Our team raised the bar, and we were able to deliver top results right from the get-go, winning our first championship in our first year. Winning multiple championships on the Honda is something I’m proud of and even better to part ways while we’re at the top of our game - you couldn’t script that better in my opinion.

“Thank you to Honda for the opportunity and we look forward to what is next,” Coote concluded.

With Honda’s departure, ER Motorsport switches from the CBR1000RR-R to a Yamaha YZF-R1M this season, with the team rebranded as ‘Penrite Racing’. Riders this year are Max Stauffer and Cam Dunker. Stauffer has been in ASBK since 2022, but this will be his first year with Penrite Racing. Dunker is a newcomer to ASBK and joins the premier class after success in the FIM MiniGP Australia series, as well as Australian Supersport 300, Yamaha R3 Cup and Australian Supersport. In the latter, Dunker made history last year as the category’s youngest ever champion.