World Superbike News

Fred Merkel was the World Superbike Champion in 1988 and 1989 and now, at the age of 46, is living with his family on a ranch in New Zealand.

Merkel started his career as a young boy, taught by his father, and by the age of 19, was racing a 250cc Grand Prix bike.  After going professional in 1982, he finished second AMA 250cc series, riding a Yamaha TZ250.

In 1983, he was snapped-up by the Honda team to ride in the AMA Superbikes, he repaid them by claiming his first win at the Portland International Raceway, finishing the season in third place overall.

The following year he returned to take the championship, also winning a record ten wins in one season and earning him the title ‘Flying Fred’.

The World Superbike Championship was founded in 1988, and after a year of riding in the European championship, Merkel took his second title for the Honda team.

Merkel battled on through the late 80’s and early 90’s with some of the worlds greatest riders before returning to the U.S. in 1994 to ride the Kawasaki.  The following year, Merkel signed for the Suzuki team but never one another superbike race in that class.

Moving on the 750 Supersport, he won his first race with the Kawasaki team in 1994, and in 1995, won five races throughout the season.

Everything changed in 1995, when Merkel was injured in a race at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Arizona, seeing one of the greatest ever riders retire from the sport.

Merkel now owns a successful construction material manufacturing business in New Zealand and in his spare time he teaches at a riding school, if he’s not fishing.

Here is one of the most memorable races ever, the 1986 Transatlantic Challenge Race;

How good looking was he!  Here is the famous interview from Fred Merkel and Kevin Schwantz after the race;