Troy Bayliss (Ducati, in the front) and Colin Edwards (Honda) – two of the most formative figures of the first decade in the Superbike World Championship (© WorldSBK).

2000 – the year of Colin Edwards and Honda

The American competed for Honda with Simon Crafar in the 2000 season to beat Ducati at their own guns. Due to the rule that two-cylinder engines were allowed to have a displacement of up to 1000 cm³, while the four-cylinder four-stroke engines were limited to 750 cm³, it had become more and more difficult for the Japanese manufacturers. So Honda built a Spor-Twin called VTR 1000 SP with a V2 engine on the spur of the moment to put the Italian make in its place.

1st half of the year in detail: http://www.motoracers.eu/wsbk-story-25-2000-1/ (translation coming soon..)

Oschersleben – first corner with Edwards, Chilli, Bayliss and behind that Haga with No. 41 (© WorldSBK).

2nd half of the year in detail: http://www.motoracers.eu/wsbk-story-26-2000-2/ (translation coming soon..)

2001 – the year of Troy Bayliss

For Troy Bayliss 2001 was the first Superbike World Championship season in which he competed in all races. The Australian had already competed on a Ducati last year.

1st half of the year in detail: http://www.motoracers.eu/wsbk-story-27-2001-1/ (translation coming soon..)

2nd half of the year in detail: http://www.motoracers.eu/wsbk-story-28-2001-2/ (translation coming soon..)

2002 – the second triumph of Colin Edwards

After the first title in 2000 and its loss the following year, the Texans and Honda wanted to know again. With the japanese manufacturers VTR 1000 SP2, the Texan’s weapon had been sharpened to regain the title.

1st half of the year in detail: http://www.motoracers.eu/wsbk-story-29-2002-1/ (translation coming soon..)

Colin Edwards (Castrol Honda VTR 1000 SP2) ahead of Troy Bayliss (Infostrada Ducati 998 F02) – the duel between the two shaped the fight for the Superbike World Championship in 2002, as in the previous year. It was a great shame for the championship and of course for the driver too Honda withdrew from the near-series World Cup after the second title (© WorldSBK).

2nd half of the year in detail: http://www.motoracers.eu/wsbk-story-30-2002-2/ (translation coming soon..)

2003 – Neil Hodgson’s season

The Englishman competed for Ducati Fila in his seventh World Superbike season of his career. His international career began in the 125 cc season in 1993 after a wildcard game the year before. Then he went to the WSBK via the 500 cm³ World Championship from 1996, with a two-year break from 1999 and 2000 when he competed in the BSB (British Superbike Championship).

The first half of the year in detail: In progress..

Neil Hodgson and the Ducati 999 F03 – the dream combination of 2003 (© WorldSBK).

2nd half of the year in detail: In progress.,

In the 2003 season, the Superbike World Championship was a guest at the Motopark in Oschersleben, here a photo from the start to the race, with Neil Hodgson (No. 100) second from the left. In the 2020 season, a return was planned after a long abstinence, but the corona pandemic destroyed these plans (© WorldSBK).

2004 – again the driver title went to England

The first half of the year in detail: In progress..

2nd half of the year in detail: In progress.,

James Toseland (Fila Ducati 999 F04) – the Englishman was only able to secure his first title as Superbike World Champion in the last race of the season (© WorldSBK).

2005: The Suzuki year

Troy Corser had experienced a real disaster the year before on Foggy-Petronas. A second place in Misano in 2004 was the best result of the season and often enough the Australian had not even seen the checkered flag. The 1996 world champion on Ducati wanted to know again and hired Corona Suzuki Alstare.

The first half of the year in detail: In progress..

2nd half of the year in detail: In progress.,

Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki) – Troy Corser’s team-mate in Suzuki’s best season in WorldSBK, finished fifth in 2005 just 2 points behind James Toseland. The Japanese was one of the few Japanese winners in the Superbike World Championship (© WorldSBK).

2006 – the incredible year of Troy Bayliss

After three years in MotoGP, the Australian returned to WorldSBK. A successful first season in 2003 with a 6th place in the World Championship on Ducati was followed by two less fortunate years. The move to Honda in 2005 did not bring the desired results either. Bayliss therefore attacked a second title in the Superbike World Championship after his triumph in 2001.

The first half of the year in detail: In progress..

Troy Corser (Suzuki) was one of Bayliss’s strongest challengers in 2006, but too many failures cost the veteran the chance to seriously fight for the title (© WorldSBK).

2nd half of the year in detail: Work in progress.,

2007 Toseland or Haga?

After the title was a clear prey for Troy Bayliss on Ducati last year, there should be a much closer decision in 2007. At the beginning of the season, former MotoGP rider Max Biaggi secured a victory in a Suzuki. The Italian had won the first race in Losail (Qatar) and was second behind James Toseland in race 2.

The first half of the year in detail: In progress..

2nd half of the year in detail: In progress.,

James Toseland also competed in MotoGP, like here on the Tech 3 Yamaha. In the years 2008 and 2009, however, it was not enough for the top ten in the World Cup, which is why he returned to the WSBK afterwards (© MotoGP).

2008 – the year of Troy Bayliss

With a strong start to the season, the Australian on the Ducati 1098R announced his ambitions early on to regain the title for the Italian brand.

The first half of the year in detail: In progress..

Troy Bayliss (left in the picture) and Paddock Show presenter Michael Hill, photographed by us at the Motul WorldSBK 2020 season opener in Phillip Island (Australia).

2nd half of the year in detail:In progress.,

2009 season – the surprise from the USA

The first half of the year in detail: In progress..

Ben Spies – the WSBK champion of 2009 came to Europe from the USA and won the world title straight away for Yamaha on many tracks that were new to him (© WorldSBK).

2nd half of the year in detail: In progress.,

Carl Fogarty (Ducati Infostrada) – the 4-time world champion was the best superbike rider of all time for almost two decades before Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) surpassed him from 2019. With a total of 6 titles in a row by 2020, the record of the Northern Irish should last longer than that of Foggy (© WorldSBK).