2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion Sean Dylan Kelly was enthusiastic after his first three days of testing the Team Hammer Suzuki GSX-R1000R Superbike at The Podium Club in Arizona. On the final day, Kelly was 0.935-seconds off the best time set by five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier, and Kelly did his time on a harder-compound rear tire.
Kelly spent 2024 on a BMW M 1000 RR Superbike in MotoAmerica, and will work in 2025 with his crew chief from last year, Jeremy Toye. Nick Ciling will handle electronics for Kelly. Ciling was the electronics technician last year for Bobby Fong, who won two Superbike races, led the Championship and ultimately finished third on a satellite Yamaha YZF-R1.
“It’s definitely a change. First impressions are definitely positive. The bike has power. The bike is fast. There’s definitely a lot of grip. I need to suit the bike to my riding style, and I need to adapt to the bike. We’ve definitely got work to do, and that’s why we’re out here,” Kelly said at the track.
Moving to the MotoAmerica Superbike class was good for Kelly as a racer. He won his first Superbike race toward the end of the year, adding it to several podiums throughout the season. He really enjoys the step up in power from the Moto2 class where he raced the two years prior, although the step comes with the complication of adding electronic riding aids into the mix.
“Superbike right now as a class is the most fun I’ve ever had. Jumping from the Moto2 to the BMW for me last year was amazing. It was obviously a lot to learn, too, being the first time I’ve ever run with electronics. So there was a lot to learn. But every weekend, more came, and at the end of the day it showed with the results as well.”
Familiar surroundings and a fast, fun motorcycle mean that Kelly is looking forward to the upcoming season.
“I’m happy that I have a really good crew, and everyone is motivated to put this bike back on the top,” Kelly says.
