Image: Russell Colvin.

Yamaha-mounted Sean Condon is set to compete in his first complete national championship campaign in over seven years, confirming that he will contest the 2023 Mi-Bike Australian Superbike (ASBK) Supersport class with his own privateer effort.

Condon took a step back from full-time competition after 2015 and returned at Wakefield last year, delivering an impressive Supersport weekend to notch pole position and second overall at the Goulburn venue.

The cameo return with Bikebiz admittedly sparked the flame for the number 26, who will challenge for the Supersport crown this year on his own R6 and showed promise once again during the pre-season test at Sydney Motorsport Park to finish P2 overall.

“Super excited, you know, to have another go and this time do a full season in the Supersport class,” Condon said to CycleOnline.com. “Coming back at Wakefield last year ignited the spark again, but I will be doing it on my own this year, not with Bikebiz. It’s all on me, I just want to do another season before I get too old really [laughs].

“I bought the bike, and it is completely my gig. The support I have got is my business [DigBiz] and my wife, also being a YRD-supported rider definitely does help with parts etc., and initially setting up the bike.”

Condon will notably use Dunlop tyres this year and is confident there is much more in himself and the platform that he is on after notching a solid 1m33.184s at the recent SMSP test.

“Dunlop has come on board to help me out, from the Wakefield round I never tried any other tyre manufacturer,” Condon added. “At Wakefield, I felt comfortable on them straight away, and I feel that they have the tyre this year to go out and win the championship.

“Doing that test that we did, for me, there is a lot more in it than what I showed at the test. I’m still only 70 percent of the way there, really. I feel like there is so much more potential in myself, the tyres and the bike are good it is just up to me. I’ve just got to sort of learn to ride the thing again.”

Condon is a race winner at national level on both 600 and Superbike machinery, with the opening round of the 2023 Mi-Bike Australian Superbike Championship to take place at Phillip Island on 24-26 February.