September 1988 was a watershed moment in Australian motorcycle racing. While Phillip Island was in its final redevelopment phase to host a round of the 500cc Grand Prix World Championship in April 1989, the penultimate round of the inaugural Superbike World Championship was being fought out at Sydney’s Oran Park. It was the first time a round of any world road racing motorcycle championship had been held in Australia.
After a noisy weekday lunchtime demonstration run in Sydney’s CBD – the first time racing motorcycles had been allowed on the road in NSW – the Superbike circus rolled into Sydney’s twisting, concrete-lined, 2.6km Oran Park circuit.
TARDOZZI’S BIMOTA WAS THE FUTURISTICLOOKING YAMAHAPOWERED YB4EI
Bimota’s Davide Tardozzi was leading the points table. The 29-year-old, who now is Ducati’s MotoGP team manager, had won five races
