Motorcycle racing: Richie Dibben using Australian Superbike Championships as practice for home series

Richie Dibben, team manager Brian Bernard, left, and brother Michael Dibben wait patiently on the grid at Round 5 of the Australian Superbike Championships in Winton, Victoria earlier this month.

Whanganui motorcycle ace Richie Dibben will find the measure of his bravery when he lights up his Suzuki GSXR600 at the penultimate round of the ASBK Australian Superbike Championships on Phillip Island near Melbourne this weekend.

The 30-year-old is using the Australian series as practice for the upcoming New Zealand Suzuki Series and national championships in what is his second season racing in the Supersport (600cc).

The transition to 600cc machines has been a huge learning curve for the former multiple Suzuki Series Super Motard champion, but he is confident he is now beginning to find comfort on the more powerful Barracks Bar/Total Span-sponsored bike.

Dibben and his team manager Brian Bernard three days at Phillip Island earlier this year riding the track and taking notes, especially around suspension in preparation for Round 6 of the Australian Superbike Series. Dibben is competing in the Motorsports TV Supersport class.

"Phillip Island is a big track with wide open spaces and very quick, so this will be a real test of his skills - we'll see how big his balls are," Bernard said.

Earlier this month Dibben impressed his mentor and other astute judges with his performance at Round 5 of the Australian championships at Winton in Victoria.

On a drying, slightly slippery track similar to those he meets in New Zealand, Dibben was caught up in meelee when one of the leading bunch high-sided. He came away with a severely bruised hip, but otherwise relatively unscathed while his bike only suffered minor damage.

"In his second race he really impressed finishing fourth," Bernard said.

"It was a top ride and for much of the race Richie was leading and setting a hot pace, but the lead was changing with a few riders in the front bunch. It was only in the dying laps that one rider managed to make a break - it could have been anybody's race including his. That day he beat our current New Zealand champion Avalon Biddle by a fairly wide margin.

"He did all that with a massive bruise on his hip and a back injury he had been carrying for sometime," Bernard said.

Dibben was his usual laid back self when questioned about his form leading on to this weekend.

"It's my second season in Supersport, so it is beginning to feel a bit more comfortable on the bike," Dibben said.

"I was going okay when I crashed at Winton and did pretty well in the final race of the day. It's all about time on the bike and I'm getting the experience I need now. The bikes have stayed over there so I haven't had time on them lately, while the Aussies have pretty much been racing throughout, so it's going to be hard.

"This is all practice for the Suzuki Series that starts in December and the nationals in January. Big ups to my main sponsors Mick (Paul) and Denise (Vincent) at Barracks Bar and Total Span and of course to Big Brian (Bernard) - it wouldn't happen without them," Dibben said.