Fresh from clinching the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Kyle Ryde is heading to Australia for a special guest appearance in the final round of the 2025 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK), taking place at The Bend Motorsport Park from November 7–9.
In an unexpected twist that’s already generating plenty of buzz in the paddock, the 28-year-old British rider won’t be racing a Superbike. Instead, he’ll suit up for the Robbie Bolger-run Stop and Seal Yamaha team in the Kawasaki Supersport class — a category in which he could play a decisive role in determining the 2025 title outcome. His new teammates, Jack Mahaffy and Archie McDonald, currently sit first and second in the championship standings, meaning Ryde’s presence could have major championship implications.
Although Ryde is best known for his Superbike heroics, he’s no stranger to Supersport machinery. Before his rise to the top tier of British racing, the Nottinghamshire native competed in both the World Supersport Championship and British Supersport Championship, where he finished runner-up before moving up to Superbikes. His return to a middleweight machine marks a nostalgic step back into familiar territory — one that fans are eager to see play out on Australian soil.
The Bend will be Ryde’s third racing appearance in Australia, following his previous outings in the 2015 and 2017 World Supersport rounds at Phillip Island. His best result came in 2017, when he battled hard to a fourth-place finish, just behind local favourite Anthony West. Though The Bend represents uncharted ground for him, Ryde is well accustomed to adapting quickly and performing under pressure — qualities honed while racing head-to-head with elite names such as Scott Redding, Bradley Ray, Leon Haslam, and Josh Brookes in the British Superbike Championship (BSB).
Just last weekend at Brands Hatch, Ryde cemented his place in BSB history by becoming the first rider since Shane “Shakey” Byrne in 2017 to successfully defend the championship crown. That victory capped off a remarkable season in which he demonstrated both speed and consistency aboard his Yamaha, securing multiple podiums and finishing every race.
With the BSB season now on hiatus, Ryde is taking the opportunity to combine business with pleasure — trading the chilly British autumn for the sun-drenched circuits of South Australia. He’ll line up for the two Kawasaki Supersport races at The Bend, where the championship fight remains finely poised: Mahaffy leads on 265 points, followed by teammate McDonald on 241, with Oli Simpson (BCperformance Kawasaki) close behind on 234 points.
Ryde’s participation adds an extra layer of excitement to an already tense finale. His proven racecraft, international experience, and adaptability promise to make him a major wildcard threat — and potentially the deciding factor in who takes home the 2025 ASBK Supersport title.
