SPORTBIKE

Having been on the race schedule since 2012, the Supertwin class was revised in 2026 to allow Sportbike specification machines to compete for the first time and from 2027, the race will be the sole domain of Sportbike machinery.

Like the Supersport class, this move reflects the wider development of the Sportbike class internationally and its adoption in the World and British Superbike Championship. Sportbike machines are derived from middleweight road-going motorcycles, turned into racing machines by tuners and engineers working within the strict regulations to ensure parity across the manufacturers. Output is now around the 100-110bhp mark, with aerodynamics and high cornering speed key.

The Sportbike class sees the Yamaha R7 and Aprilia RS660 joined by the Triumph Daytona 660 and Chinese CFMoto 675SR-R, with the Suzuki GSX8R also expected to feature in 2027. The previously dominant Paton S1-R Supertwin is now no longer eligible.

The class also offers a younger generation of riders the chance to learn and compete on the Mountain Course on machinery with reduced power, as opposed to a Superbike, Superstock or Supersport machine.