Superbike, the story of an Austrian dream: the rise and farewell of Team Klaffi Honda

In Superbike, numbers matter. Tenths, positions, points. But behind every chart there’s a story, and the Klaffi team’s story is one of growth, of results built over time, and of riders who found something more than just a team inside that garage.

The Klaffi Honda Team was led by Klaus Klaffenböck, a former sidecar world champion. A true enthusiast who managed to turn a dream into reality. The team raced in the Superbike World Championship between 2005 and 2006, proving that with passion and determination even a small team can stand out among the giants.

The ambitions were considerable; the results a bit less so. The Austrian team entered World Superbike immediately betting on a star: Pierfrancesco Chili, a fan favorite coming off a positive season on PSG-1’s Ducati 998. The San Marino squad had decided to switch from Ducati to Kawasaki, and “Frankie” Chili then opted for Klaffi’s Honda. Alongside him, Klaffi fielded German rookie Max Neukirchner.

Chili brought his experience to the Austrian squad, managing to achieve encouraging results during testing and in races, leaving his mark with consistency and his unmistakable style. The results, however, fell a bit short of expectations. In the second round at Phillip Island, Chili fractured the shoulder he had injured years earlier, which clearly didn’t help. Chili gave his all but never managed to get on the podium. He ended the season tenth in the world standings with several top-five finishes.

The following year, in 2006, Team Klaffi signed Alex Barros, a Brazilian rider with a long MotoGP career behind him. Barros gave the team its first and only Superbike victory, at Imola, and finished the season with six total podiums, placing sixth in the overall standings.

Despite the encouraging results, at the end of 2006 the team was forced to take a break that would turn out to be permanent. The problem was the same as for all private teams: there wasn’t enough budget to field two competitive riders.

Klaus Klaffenböck continued his career in sidecars, winning three editions of the Isle of Man TT between 2010 and 2011, and founded Cofain Racing by Klaffi, a project dedicated to supporting other crews and young talents in the world of motorsport.

The Klaffi Honda Team, although present for only two seasons, remains an example of how passion, expertise, and courage can leave a mark on Superbike history.

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