Karl Muggeridge wins German Superbike title
Karl Muggeridge has won the IDM German Superbike championship on his ABS, linked brake Honda CBR1000RR.
Muggeridge and Honda win German Championship
After eight race weekends and a total of 16 races, Karl Muggeridge and the Holzhauer Racing Promotion Honda squad secured the IDM Superbike Championship and in doing so made history.
This championship victory marks the first for the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade with Combined ABS.
At the final round of the Internationale Deutsche Motorradmeisterschaft (IDM) Superbike Championship at Hockenheim Motodrom, Karl Muggeridge and his Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, with electronically controlled combined ABS, held a healthy 31 point lead over their nearest rival.
The Australian’s main aim in Hockeheim was to ride consistently, keep it shiny side up and wrap up the title without any major dramas. Under these terms the ABS system was in its element, as specifically designed to avoid any major dramas or incidents.
In the first race Muggeridge finished a solid 7th and in the second race, 9th position was more than enough to take the title in comfortable style with a point total of 244, 19 points ahead of BMW’s Werner Daemen and 23 points ahead of KTM’s Martin Bauer.
Muggeridge had one hand on the championship after the first half of the season, posting 5 wins out of the first 7 races. In the second half of the season, the Australian rode well within himself to wrap up the championship in consistent and assured style.
The title is the third success in four years for the Holzhauer Racing Promotion Team Manager, Jens Holzhauer. As a Honda dealer in Wittenberg, Jens has been involved in racing activity in Germany for many years, with the support of Honda Germany. Following the last round of the championship in Hockenheim, a two-year contract extension between Karl Muggeridge and the Holzhauer Racing Promotion team was confirmed.
“I’m happy,” said the newly crowned IDM Superbike Champion Karl Muggeridge. “I came here to secure the title and succeeded. My bike has worked great. In both races I rode without unnecessary risk to secure points. It worked very well. I thank Honda, my team and all the sponsors for the great work throughout the whole season and I am already looking forward to next year. “
Honda also supplied this Q&A with Karl in which he talks up the ABS braking system, and we present it below for your enjoyment:
Q. What does this Championship title mean to you on a personal level?
A. Personally I feel very satisfied. I worked very hard on my condition to be at the top of my game week in week out. And after a very busy season we came out on top.
Q. How important do you think this Championship is for the Holzhauer Racing Promotion Honda team?
A. I see in the team great pride and satisfaction. They wear the Honda Logo on their chest with pride. It also secures them another championship and in concretes their position in the world of racing.
Q. What was your motivation for contesting the IDM Superbike series on the C-ABS CBR1000RR?
A. It gave us a chance to put the combined ABS system into use under extreme racing conditions. It’s unbelievable, especially in the wet!!
Q. What are the main differences between riding a C-ABS CBR1000RR and the conventional CBR1000RR at race pace?
A. When the ABS is working controlling the grip there isn’t any feed back in the lever like you might feel when you’re in a car with the brake pedal. The regulation of the brakes is completely subtle and doesn’t give any kind of negative feelings; you feel completely secure.
Q. What are the advantages of racing a machine fitted with the ABS system?
A. For me the biggest advantages come when I’m riding in the wet. You have to give your entire faith in the system and you can just grab the brake as hard as you like. It’s incredible!
Q. Do you believe that ABS technology has a place in the future of motorcycle racing?
A. I believe there is a future for Combined ABS on racing bikes. We have all kind of development and money invested in traction control to assist the rider in the getting the power to the ground and go faster and there is no assistance in helping the bike to stop. ABS is here to stay!
Q. What’s next for Karl Muggeridge, IDM Superbike Champion?
A. At the last race of the season I signed a two year contract with the Holzhauer Racing Promotion team, in conjunction with Honda. So why not become next year’s champion and also the following year too.
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