Buell confirms World Superbike campaign

As reported on the Bikesales Network on December 4, Buell will join the Superbike World Championship in 2014, and makes its debut at Phillip Island from February 21-23.  

The Buell addition brings to eight the number of manufacturers which will be lining up on the grid in 2014, with Italian brand MV Agusta the another newcomer.

Eric Buell Racing, under the Indian-backed Team Hero, will be a two-rider squad running the new 1190RX, with riders Geoff May and Aaron Yates at the helm.

May (pictured) has ridden the EBR machine in the US for the past two seasons, while Yates joined the squad for the 2013 AMA campaign finishing a respectable eighth overall in the final standings, one point ahead of May.

“More than three decades of racing, engineering, and manufacturing experience goes into every EBR motorcycle” said Erik Buell, the founder of EBR Motorcycles.

Erik said: “The EBR 1190RX has some very unique engineering technology, and how to optimize this for each race series is something that takes time to learn. With the winter testing ban, we will have to wait and see where we are in terms of current pace and performance.

“Nobody is expecting podiums, but we will be hard at work, learning and improving. We are confident EBR will bring a fun and exciting story to the series, and know the results will come.”

It’s not yet clear whether EBR will compete in the new EVO class, or campaign fully fledged Superbikes.

Tickets for Phillip Island are on sale now at www.worldsbk.com.au or call the hotline on 1300 728 007.  Kids under 15 are free; while an adult can pick up a three-day general admission ticket today for $99, purchased in advance and save $51 on gate prices.