Yamaha Thanks Bobby Fong as 2027 Silly Season Heats Up

Yamaha has released a video thanking Bobby Fong for this chapter with the brand, prompting questions about the reigning MotoAmerica Superbike Champion's future as the 2027 silly season begins to take shape.

The video, which describes Yamaha as "proud to have had him on the Blu Cru," has raised the possibility that Fong's time with the manufacturer could be coming to an end. However, neither Yamaha nor Fong has confirmed a departure or announced plans for next season.

Fong capped off a remarkable 2026 campaign by securing his first MotoAmerica Superbike Championship aboard the Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1. After narrowly missing out on the title in 2025, the Californian delivered when it mattered most at New Jersey Motorsports Park, winning twice on Saturday before securing the championship on Sunday.

The title marked a significant achievement for both Fong and Yamaha, making any potential change particularly noteworthy as teams begin assembling their 2027 lineups.

Silly season begins to take shape

Fong's situation is just one of several developing storylines in the motorcycle road racing paddock.

Strack Racing posted a video today with photos from the 2026 season set to 2Pac's song "Changes" with opening lyrics used stating "That's just the way it is, things will never be the same..." leaving us all scratching our heads as to what this means.

Our assumption is that Scholtz will remain with Strack, as he's seen on their instagram story hopping on a Yamaha R9 for endurance race qualifying at ASRA's Daytona round. What we also see in that video, is that the bike is void of all Yamaha logos. Will Strack switch brands next season? Time will tell...

In the WorldSBK Championship, Danilo Petrucci has reportedly indicated in an interview that 2026 will be his final season with BMW, adding another layer of intrigue to the manufacturer's future plans here in the states after the italian tested and was speculated to be headed for OrangeCat Racing's second superbike seat, recently vacated by Jason Uribe.

A source has told Road Race Report that BMW is expected to announce its decision soon regarding who will join Sean Dylan Kelly for the 2027 season. Kelly finished runner-up to Fong in the 2026 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, just 11 points behind the champion.

Whether Fong's Yamaha video signals a genuine change of direction or simply serves as a retrospective tribute to 2026 remains to be seen. With rider contracts and team lineups beginning to come into focus, the coming weeks could provide some significant answers.

For now, the biggest question remains: Will Bobby Fong defend his MotoAmerica Superbike crown on a Yamaha in 2027, or is the champion preparing for a new challenge?