The final round of the 2025 Mi-Bike Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) heads to The Bend this weekend in South Australia, as both the Superbike and Supersport titles remain in play and are set to be decided after a gruelling season. Records are on the line, alongside other positions in each title chase, with CycleOnline identifying six important storylines to follow in this Countdown feature.

Image: Foremost Media.

6. Mahaffy eyes Supersport crown:
The battle for title supremacy in the Supersport category has lasted all six rounds, with Stop and Seal Racing teammates Jack Mahaffy and Archie McDonald being the class of the field up until this point. McDonald’s absence from round three at Queensland Raceway put a dent in his title aspirations, although upon returning, Mahaffy has returned serve on multiple occasions. The pair split wins last time out at One Raceway, and at the round prior, were separated by a single point, which has kept Mahaffy at the head of the field as he enters the finale with a 24-point advantage. He could even potentially wrap up the title in race one if things go his way, and current form suggests that he’ll be able to deliver.

5. P4 remains for the taking in Superbike:
Three points is the difference between Cameron Dunker, Glenn Allerton, and Broc Pearson, who hold positions four, five, and six, respectively. Fourth place in the Superbike standings is up for the taking between the trio, which represents an interesting spread as Dunker and Pearson form the younger contingent. At the same time, a resurgent Allerton looks to finish out what has been an impressive season for the 44-year-old. Who has made the biggest gain this year? Pearson finished third in last year’s standings, Dunker was seventh, and Allerton landed P10, which adds further intrigue to their current grouping after seven rounds.

Image: Foremost Media.

4. Jones firing after One Raceway sweep:
After a dominant season, many expected the reigning Superbike champion, Josh Waters continue his hot form at One Raceway, although all of these plans were thwarted by a determined Mike Jones, who added his touch of domination to the round as he earned a clean sweep of the weekend. It was an impressive round for Jones, who inched away from P3’s Ant West in the standings as the veteran rider had begun to close in. A total of 51 points is on offer at The Bend this weekend, with Waters holding a 50-point advantage over Jones. This makes the title all but inconceivable, however, another convincing outing could be all that is needed to enter the off-season with momentum and come out firing in 2026.

3. Nahlous and Favelle top rookies:
Both JJ Nahlous and Jack Favelle have been solid in their full-time Superbike debuts for 2025, delivering consistently fast results that see them listed seventh and eighth in the premier division. You’ve got to be pretty content with that, right? Nahlous’s best outing came at round two with P4 overall, while Favelle also earned fourth place at Morgan Park. The speed and consistency are there for each prospect, highlighting that the future is bright in the ASBK series as the next generation of talent emerges. Nahlous switched from Yamaha to Honda last time out, while Favelle was unfortunately injured, but both had already made their mark on the series this year.

Image: Foremost Media.

2. The Bend hosts final 2025 showdown:
The 2025 season comes down to The Bend Motorsport Park, which is roughly an hour’s drive southeast of the state’s capital of Adelaide. It’s a circuit that comprises a bit of everything – from high-speed straights to tighter configurations, as well as a touch of elevation change across the layout. It provides a unique test for every rider, demanding focus and concentration over the entirety of the lap. Last year belonged to Waters in the Superbike class, while McDonald delivered top honours over Mahaffy in Supersport, which shows that the sport’s fastest riders are speedy around the venue, and should contribute to a thrilling season finale this weekend with plenty of on-track action.

1. Waters targets five:
McMartin Racing’s Josh Waters has been nothing short of exceptional this season, with he and his Ducati Panigale V4 R having achieved success throughout the early stages of the ASBK series, which has him atop the Superbike standings by 50 points. The 38-year-old is chasing a record-setting fifth title in the class, with his first one arriving 16 years ago in 2009! Both he and the team have been the benchmark this year, winning six of the seven rounds contested, with not much required from Waters at The Bend to secure championship number five.