Image: Keith Muir.

Kawasaki Connection’s Matt Walters has confirmed he will transfer to the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) in 2017, becoming the latest high-calibre racer to move from the Australasian series.

Multiple national champion Walters has been a mainstay aboard his Repsol-backed ZX-10R in domestic competition and will continue this season within Motorcycling Australia’s ASBK.

“We’ll be in the ASBK on the Kawasaki with Repsol backing, RST, LS2 and the same supporters,” Walters told CycleOnline.com.au. “The team will be pretty much the same, just directing our funds to the ASBK.

“This year, apart from 2014 and 2015 when we were all in the one series as well, will be bigger and better again. It will be more exciting for the fans and also as a racer as well, striving to be better. Whoever wins this championship truly deserves it – I don’t think there’s been a championship like this in Australia for probably 15 years.

“We’ve spent a bit of time on the ZX-10R, learnt a lot racing the guys who we were up against. I kind of matured a bit, knowing that I have to stay on rather than throwing away a race, so I think with development on our side it should be a competitive package from round one.”

Walters is coming off a strong season in the Australasian Superbike Championship, in which he finished third overall behind Robbie Bugden (SA Kawasaki BCperformance) and Michael Blair (IPONE Yamaha) – all three heading to ASBK for the new year.