The decision means a parting of ways from ER Motorsport, which has competed for the past six seasons as ‘Penrite Honda Racing’.

That partnership yielded two ASBK titles, delivered by Troy Herfoss in 2018 and 2023, the latter clinched in the days after his impending departure from the team was announced.

Despite the move, Honda Australia “will be actively supporting select privateer efforts during the 2024 ASBK season, affirming its dedication to nurturing talent and maintaining a positive presence in the racing community.”

Tony Hinton, General Manager of Powersports and Products at Honda Australia, explained, “While the decision to step back from the Australian Superbike Championship in a factory capacity this year is a challenging one, it is essential for us to redirect our resources and energy towards initiatives that align more closely with the evolving needs of our customers.

“We are very grateful for the success we have shared with ER Motorsport over the last six years, they have represented the Honda brand with passion, seamlessly run the team with professionalism and have secured results we are very proud of.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better way to finish the partnership than as the reigning champions.”

Deon Coote, owner of ER Motorsport, said via the same press release, “It has been a privilege to run the factory Honda team, the success we have shared has been a highlight of my racing career.

“Our team raised the bar, and we were able to deliver top results right from the get-go, winning our first championship in our first year as a team.

“Winning multiple championships on the Honda is something I’m proud of and even better to part ways while we are at the top of our game, you couldn’t script that better in my opinion.

“Thank you to Honda for the opportunity and we look forward to what is next.”

Herfoss had been exploring overseas opportunities and his immediate future is set to be revealed soon.

The 2024 ASBK season starts at Phillip Island on February 23-25.