- Defending champion Mitch Rees steps away, leaving the NZSBK title wide open
- New SportBike class debuts, expanding the field and manufacturer competition
- Rising young talent to the fore across Supersport, 300 and 150 classes
With reigning champion Mitch Rees stepping away to focus on international racing, the 2026 Star Insure New Zealand Superbike Championship is wide open. From Superbike and Supersport 600 to the new SportBike class and youth-focused 300 and 150 categories, the season promises depth, unpredictability and close racing across every class.
Never has it been harder to pick a clear favourite for the Star Insure New Zealand Superbike Championship crown.
The decision by defending Superbike champion Mitch Rees to step away from the domestic series and focus on his Isle of Man TT and British racing programme has thrown the premier class wide open, leaving the door ajar for a new champion — and potentially a new manufacturer — in 2026.
Leading the Yamaha R1 charge will be KMD Racing rider and former champion Al Hoogenboezem, joined by teammate Dale Finch. Both are proven race winners and expected to be regular frontrunners.
Rogan Chandler returns aboard the M1 Motorsport BMW, benefiting from a full season’s experience on the now-mandatory Bridgestone control tyres. He’ll be joined in the BMW camp by Luca Durning, stepping up from Supersport 600 on a second BMW entered by The Dentists.
Late-season form suggests Morgan McLaren Wood could also feature strongly on the Bernard Racing Suzuki GSX-R, while the absence of Mitch Rees — and father Tony Rees, sidelined by injury — leaves Dave Sharpe to fly the Honda flag aboard the Team Rees CBR1000RR-R.
Supersport 600: Targets on Jake Lewis
The Supersport 600 class once again shapes as fiercely competitive. Reigning champion Jake Lewis returns to defend his #1 plate on the KMD Racing Yamaha R6, but he’ll face pressure from multiple directions.
Early-season pace suggests Ashton Hughes, aboard the Scott Structural Triumph Daytona 675, is ready to challenge from the outset. Interest will also centre on how Cameron Leslie and Logan Rowell (D6M Racing), along with Keiran Mair (TSS Motorcycles), adapt to the new-for-2026 KTM RC8C.
Also firmly in the mix are Karl Hooper (CH Automotive Ducati V2) and Haydn Fordyce (Elevate Racing Yamaha R6), ensuring no shortage of depth in the field.
SportBike: A New Era Begins
The former SuperTwins class has evolved into the more showroom-friendly SportBike category, and the last class champion, Luke Ryder returns aboard the TR20 Racing Aprilia RS660.
Ryder will face a stern challenge from a new wave of young talent, including Tyler King (AVANZ Aprilia RS660), Nixon Frost (TSS Motorcycles Suzuki GSX-8R) and Zak Fuller on the Blue Wing Honda CBR650R.
ProTwins: Yamaha R7 Emerges
There’s a noticeable shift towards the Yamaha R7 in the ProTwins class, though last year’s champion Avalon Lewis and runner-up Billee Fuller will both be absent from the Ruapuna opener.
Lewis is expected to return from Australia for the final three rounds, while Fuller has opted to take a year out following a demanding European campaign in 2025.
Even so, the class remains wide open, with Dennis Charlett (Moto Mechanix), Cameron Leslie (D6M) and Marcus Thompson all tipped as frontrunners.
300 & 150: Youth in the Spotlight
The 300 Supersport Championship once again boasts a healthy grid, with attention firmly on the next generation of Kiwi talent.
Front-running contenders include Hunter Charlett (Optima Chartered Accountants Yamaha R3), Nixon Frost (TSS Motorcycles Yamaha R3), Seb Mitchell (Bike Link), Harriet Grace (Helicraft Racing), Diego Petrucci (Evolve Moto Training), Lucas Hyslop (AVANZ Kawasaki) and Jethro Bowman aboard the KTM.
In the 150 Supersport Championship, Hunter Charlett starts the season as the clear favourite, already a class title holder. However, Ryder Chamberlain, now benefiting from mentorship by Kiwi legend Stu Avant, has the talent to spring a surprise.
Sidecars: Nothing Settled
The ever-popular sidecars promise another season of close, crowd-pleasing racing. Defending champions Burt Wolland and Vaughan Maine will face pressure from Spike and Bubba Taylor (Aotea Electric Wairarapa), Phil Law and Angus Ravenwood (Phil Law Panelbeating), and Barry and David Smith (Carl Cox Motorsport).
Round one of the 2026 NZSBK Series takes place at Ruapuna Park in Christchurch on January 31 – February 1. With a packed legends garage along with some of NZ’s hottest racing guaranteed for the track, it’s going to be an event you won’t want to miss.
Head to www.nzsuperbikeseries.co.nz for tickets and details.
