With Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin winning the 2024 Steel Commander Superbike Championship, there was still cause for Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. to celebrate. Based on the strength of Yamaha’s ubiquitous YZF-R1, the tuning-fork company won the 2024 MotoAmerica Superbike Manufacturer’s Championship.
Riders aboard R1s won a total of six races and reached the podium a total of 21 times over the past season. Attack Performance/Progressive/Yamaha Racing’s Cam Petersen led the way among R1 Superbike riders with three Superbike race wins, followed by Wrench Motorcycles’ Bobby Fong, who notched two Superbike wins, and Petersen’s teammate Jake Gagne had one win on the season.
In terms of total podiums, Petersen and Fong each took eight trips to the podium in 2024, while Gagne, whose season was unfortunately cut short by a chronic arm issue that forced him to end his season two rounds and five races early, still managed to reach the podium five times in 2024.
Fong led all Yamaha riders in total points with his season tally of 249 placing him third in the final standings for the 2024 Steel Commander Superbike season. Also, eight Yamaha R1 riders together accumulated a grand total of 868 Championship points on the season.
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. has already announced new Yamaha YZF-R1 and YZF-R1M motorcycles for 2025, with both bikes getting a number of upgrades including an all-new aero package. Those wings will undoubtedly be seen on Yamaha’s R1s in MotoAmerica Superbike trim, as well.
Currently, Yamaha is tied with Suzuki in total number of AMA Superbike rider championships with 14 titles each. Will that tie be broken by either Yamaha or Suzuki in 2025, or will Ducati continue its Superbike reign? Or will BMW notch its first Superbike Championship since 1976? Perhaps Honda? Kawasaki?
We can hardly wait for the 2025 MotoAmerica Championship to begin.
