WorldSBK Retro Collection: the heritage and spirit of Superbike’s pioneers
The WorldSBK Store is proud to unveil the WorldSBK Retro Collection, a brand-new official WorldSBK apparel line available exclusively in our Store.
The WorldSBK Retro Collection is a homage to the first years of the World Superbike Championship, from the late '80s through the early 2000s. The WorldSBK heritage inspiration of this collection takes the roots of an era when bold graphics, raw machines, and fearless riders ruled the tarmac, from the early champions, like Fred Merkel, Raymond Roche or Doug Polen to all-time classic names like Carl Fogarty, Noriyuki Haga or Pierfrancesco Chilli.
The designs of the WorldSBK Retro Collection are a fine balance of street fashionable gear with Superbike racing looks. A perfect option to use in and out of the tracks, the collection is perfect for hardcore WorldSBK fans but also new fans and casual watchers. Let’s see, one by one, the items of this Superbike heritage collection.
Racing Heritage T-shirt
Featuring the official colors of WorldSBK current logo, black, red and white, the Racing Legend T-shirt is inspired by a mix of the looks of the pit-crews t-shirts of the 90’s and a nod to the black leathers of the pioneer motorcycling riders. The look and feel of pit-crew is reinforced by the patches in the chest, like sponsors, with classic typography. A very classic garage look overall.
The Racing Legend T-shirt is a statement in simplicity. Brings a clean, confident design that nods to the bold chest branding seen back in the day. Soft to the touch, with a straight-cut silhouette, this tee delivers everyday comfort with all the motorsport edge you could ask for.
Racing Legend Hoodie
The Racing Legend Hoodie presents a similar design from the T-shirt of the same name. In this hoodie, a light grey color is present in most of the design, while the black is reserved for the sleeves and upper chest. We have the same patches and SUPERBIKE lettering logo that in the Racing Legend T-shirt.
Built for cooler evenings and trackside chills, the Racing Legend Hoodie combines laid-back streetwear energy with racing DNA. The contrasting graphic on the chest punches hard, while the soft fleece lining and adjustable hood make it your go-to for off-duty days.
Racing Heritage T-shirt
The Racing Heritage T-shirt is heavily inspired by the looks of the official teams of Honda and other brands in the 80’s, where the clean and simple lines were part of the style of bike and leather graphism… this one’s for the purists!
The design of the Racing Heritage T-shirt dives deep into the roots of WorldSBK, reimagining old-school style with a fresh feel. Vintage script meets sharp design — it’s the kind of shirt that sparks conversation with real fans and turns heads everywhere else.
Champion Hoodie
Long-life WorldSBK fans or appreciators of vintage racing will see a reminiscence of 80’s racing leathers in the design of this hoodie. This hoodie is paired with the Racing Heritage T-shirt, making a great combo for any occasion.
Bold, unique, and ready to ride. The Champion Hoodie is another high-quality garment of this WorldSBK Retro Collection, perfect for cool days, no matter if it is on the racing track or in any other place; this hoodie is an icon of heritage looks and retro racing style.
WorldSBK Retro Collection: timeless style for a golden era
This collection isn’t just a look: it’s a legacy. Inspired by the stripped-back visuals of vintage paddocks and the unmistakable charm of classic racing liveries, the WorldSBK Retro Collection captures the soul of a time when leathers were classy, bikes were rude, and attitude was everything. Think throwback vibes with a modern twist — perfect for trackside weekends or city streets.
The FIM World Superbike Championship was founded in 1988. The very first race was disputed at Donington Park, on April 3rd, and was won by two iconic names: Race 1 was for Davide Tardozzi onboard the Bimota YB4ie and Race 2 had Virginio Ferrari as winner on a Ducati 851. At the end of the season, it was another name who was crowned champion: Fred Merkel with the also iconic Honda VFR750R RC30, clinching the title in the last Round after a duel with the Bimota official team.
WorldSBK was an instant hit since its very first season. Honda, Ducati, Yamaha and Bimota homologated bikes for the new series, while Suzuki had already with the GSX-R750. And the next year Kawasaki joined the party with the ZXR750R. Thus, via factory teams or official and private squads, WorldSBK had a roster of different manufacturers on the grid since its first years.
Ducati quickly rose to prominence in the 90s, achieving its first WorldSBK Championship with Raymond Roche with a Ducati 888 in 1991. The Italian brand quickly capitalized the championship’s rules, which allowed a larger displacement up to 1000cc for twin-cylinder engines compared to the 750cc limit for four-cylinder bikes that used the other manufacturers.
The factory in Borgo Panigale started a series of saga of models, especially with the design-breaking 916, made by the Italian genius Massimo Tamburini, and continued with the 996 and 998, culminating with the 999 in 2003.
The era was marked by intense rivalries between Ducati and Japanese manufacturers. Ducati Corse achieved domination, clinching titles with different riders: Roche, Polen, Fogarty, Corser and Bayliss.
In fact, Ducati won all titles between 1991 to 2003 except on four occasions: in 1993 Scott Russell gave Kawasaki its first crown, while Team HRC’s John Kocinsky in 1997 and Colin Edwards in 2000 and 2002 achieved the feat. After years racing with 750 V4 engines, Honda adapted Ducati’s approach and created the VTR1000 SP, a V2 engine with 999cc from 2000, for the fortune of Texan rider Edwards.
Ducati’s legend Carl Fogarty, who won four titles (1994, 1995, 1998, 1999) became one of the series' heroes – his record has only been surpassed by Jonathan Rea with six titles. His fierce battles with a generation of riders boosted the series' popularity, especially in Europe, Great Britain, USA and Australia.
Names like Aaron Slight, Colin Edwards, Noriyuki Haga, Troy Corser, Pierfrancesco Chili, Troy Bayliss, Scott Russell, John Kocinsly… are synonyms of the classic era of WorldSBK that cemented today’s popularity and raise of the Superbike name into popular culture.
This collection isn’t just merchandise; it’s an homage to those times and part of the WorldSBK DNA.
Think of throwback vibes with a modern twist — perfect for trackside weekends or city streets! Available now only at the WorldSBK Store.