Rea, who currently sits second in the BSB standings - 41 points behind HM Plant Honda team-mate and reigning champion Ryuichi Kiyonari - will switch back to Supersport for his world championship debut next season, but then ride for Ten Kate in the premier World Superbike class during 2009 and 2010.
"It's a three year agreement and I'll begin next year by riding in the World Supersport Championship. Then the following year and the year after it will be Superbikes," Rea told the
Belfast Telegraph. "[Ten Kate] have scooped up the world championship for the sixth time this season, but now that Kenan Sofuoglu is moving up to Superbikes, there is a slot for me."
Rea recently revealed to
Crash.net that he had the chance to go straight into the World Superbike class with the Ducati Xerox team next season, but he ultimately decided to stick with Honda.
"I have had a long and hard think about this move," he said. "Obviously I want to do World Superbikes as soon as possible and I've had other offers. The main one was from Ducati, but there was also Rizla Suzuki and my present team HM Plant Honda. But all my racing life I've been guided by a
Red Bull plan. I only moved [from Red Bull] to HM Plant this year, but I'm still riding a Honda and that's one of the reasons why I have stayed with this make of machinery for the next three years.
"Now that I am staying with Honda, I can assure everybody that I'm riding the best bike in the Supersport championship and I intend to win it," he declared.
Rea confirmed that Kiyonari could also join Ten Kate Honda next season, although the Japanese looks set to go straight into the Dutch family's WSBK team.
