From a press release:

TORONTO, ON – The Parts Canada Superbike Championship, Canada’s national motorcycle road racing series will sport a new look when the 2003 season gets underway at Shannonville Motorsport Park May 15-18.

Professional Motorsports Productions, organizer of the national tour has released its final rules package for the coming season. Central to the new regulations are performance restrictions for the feature class, designed to control costs and encourage stronger participation.

Motorcycles racing in the new headline division, still called Superbike, will be faced with a 155 horsepower limit. Minimum weight has been set at 360 pounds while engine displacement is unlimited. There will be an ‘open’ tire rule, meaning slick, or non-treaded tires are permitted. However, they must be mounted on stock 17-inch wheels. Brake and suspension modifications are substantially restricted.

Horsepower will be verified post-race on the series’ official Dynojet Dyno.

“Thanks to the co-operation of Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha we have been able to develop a set of rules that should provide continued excellent racing in the Superbike class,” said Colin Fraser of PMP. “In today’s environment money seems to dictate who can excel in motorsport. We’re doing our best to open the doors for talented riders to compete at the top level, whatever their financial means.”

As part of the implementation of the new rules package, Honda’s RC51 and the Kawasaki ZX-7RR ‘works’ Superbikes have been grandfathered for the 2003 season. They will be allowed to compete next year with additional restrictions agreed between the four major motorcycle manufacturers and PMP.

Those two models were the most exotic equipment involved in the Parts Canada Superbike Championship over the past few years. Steve Crevier won the 2000 and 2001 national title on a Honda Canada RC51 while Owen Weichel placed second in points last year aboard the Canadian Kawasaki Motors prepared ZX-7RR.

In a further move designed to bring new blood into the feature class each of the four participating manufacturers will be required to provide direct factory support to at least three riders in the Superbike division.

Rules have also been finalized for the pro Yoshimura 600 Sport Bike and amateur International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW 600 Sport Bike national support classes in 2003. Power will be restricted to 110 hp and minimum weight is 360 pounds. Both standards are identical to last season’s Yoshimura 600 Sport Bike rules.

Manufacturers will also be required to field three riders in the pro 600 Sport Bike national class.

The Amateur 600 Sport Bike series makes its national debut in 2003. Full details on the new program will be released shortly.

After opening at Shannonville Motorsport Park near Belleville, ON May 15-18 the 2003 Parts Canada Superbike Championship will visit Calgary, St-Eustache, QC; Bowmanville, ON; Shubenacadie, NS; and Mont-Tremblant, QC; before concluding back at Shannonville Aug. 29-31.

The schedule is the busiest for the national tour in almost two decades.