Having fractured my back in 6 places, shattered my left femur and right ankle at Donny in August, this clip hits home. What an inspiration Wayne is. I am so very fortunate to not be paralysed, & though recovery is a long way off, I will get there
Saw him race at Laguna a few times. One weekend he was clocked 3 consecutive laps w the exact same lap time down the thousandths of a second. Dude was a machine.
This is my kind of video I saw him race at donnington in 1990-92. It was emotional for me to see him back on his Yamaha 500 in 2022 at GoodWood. To me he is true legend and even have picture of him racing against Lawson and schwantz. I was always a Kevin fan but held huge respect for Wayne. I recall Max Biaggia saying his inspiration to ride the Yamaha in MotoGP was Wayne and I am sure he is not the only one. Keep em coming 👍👍👍
I was a Biaggi fan and a Schwantz fan, Biaggi was more of a Rainey fan he always said that and even his riding style was the same. Rossi was a Schwantz fan, he said he liked the Schwantz style.
I was always a Schwantz fan, but Rainy was a complete champion. He is one of the best ever, and would have won many more races. Full respect for that man
There's no question about it - he would have won more. I loved Schwantz's riding style...always late on the brakes...his own quote, "see God - then brake" 😆 The man was entertaining - thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
Yea Wayne was very talented. Each of those riders had different techniques they brought on their bikes to win them their world championships. What happened to all the American riders coming forward in MotoGP...I'd love to see more come over and fight for the title. Thanks for your comment 🏍🏍👍
My brother-in-law was stationed at Fort Ord in 1993 so my girlfriend and I were more than happy to fly out there from the midwest to HOPEFULLY see Wayne capture his 4th championship with points between Wayne and Kevin so close. Because the World Motorcycle Grand Prix championship (now MotoGP) had zero news coverage other than magazines, we had no idea that Wayne was hurt until we got to Monterey and read about his injury in the local newspaper. I was devastated but still enjoyed the racing. John Kocinski won the race on that GORGEOUS Cagiva (arguably the best looking race bike EVER), Mick Doohan crashed himself silly coming out of the Corkscrew, and Kevin won the title. It was a pretty emotional weekend for sure.
It was some shock for Wayne and his fans. He was great on a 500cc, not an easy bike to handle! Yea, the Cagiva was a fantastic looking bike...it really looked the part. Thanks for stopping by and commenting 🏍️👍
got to meet my favorite racer (Wayne Rainey) Laguna Seca '05.! told him I wasn't worthy to be in his presence.! lol.! I thanked him for bringing back the greatest show on earth to the holy grail of tracks... also told him my mom blames him for me trying to be like Wayne.! what a humble hero he is.!
Brilliant Steve Coto, it's nice to hear how other people appreciated and supported the likes of Wayne...and other great riders - thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
Definitely Kevin Schwantz was an all in racer, and I agree Wayne was very wise in his calculations on the track and in the garage with his team. His feedback is what give him the edge! Thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
Kevin was supernatural on the brakes and a driver with the absolute will to win. He was wild and spectacular. A great talent. Rainey is in the same league though, with the cleanest, smoothest riding style I've seen since. Both share the same podium.
The day reading the article In Readers Digest - when he said something like " I was out in front, on the gas, what a way to go" I wept - not knowing that a similar fate awaited me in 2000. Always my hero WR.
Yea that was the day the music died. Wayne didn't know how to maybe slow down a little when things were not right, he would just ride through an ill handling bike just like Schwantz did, but managed to stay on top of the bike more often than Kevin.He was definitely the last of the Great American GP riders. He inspired so many riders world wide. Just a very sad ending, but to see him at Suzuka and Goodwood was awesome. You do really good video's sir and keep up the good work.
Yea he did push way beyond the limit on many an occasion, but that day just wasn't meant to go his way. Fantastic racer he was...thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
And is currently the President of MotoAmerica,, & bringing new & exciting classes with quality rider's,,& I'm sure there's a whole bunch of fans that appreciate all the hard work that goes into making that happen,,thanks Wayne !!
When the 500cc two stroke era ended moto GPS sucked. These were real men. All legends. Beautiful machinery. The good old days never to return 😪 smokey and they banned it 😓
I grew up watching these guys race and the rivalry between Schwantz and Raney was second in history only to the Prost/Senna one. Now at 48, F1 has become unwatchable and Moto GP uninteresting but I have no complaints, I've seen the best at work back when racing was actually spectacular. One thing of note is that both Kevin and Wayne were gentlemen racers and, despite their intense rivalry, had huge respect for each other.
Small margin for error in those days! Plenty of contact for sure back in the day, sure separated the men from the boys those 500cc bikes! Thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
🔴 Wayne Rainey - a deservable 500cc Champion and loved not only by his American fans, but he had the support of so many fans worldwide. Were you a fan of the great Wayne Rainey - let us know your thoughts in the COMMENTS BELOW...
I loved Kevin's racing style and attitude...all or nothing, but Wayne was just as fast and their rivalry was fantastic to watch - thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
Was in a race just a few times with both Rainey and Schwantz. If either was gonna end up in a wheelchair, everyone I knew thought it would be the wild-man Schwantz. Fate had other ideas.
Wayne had to fight beyond human limits to make his bike from bad handler and performer to winner then his luck ran out. Great man great racer I well remember seeing him many times and he should have/would have been champion many more years Including the year he crashed, handing it to Schwantz [ who I admire massively }
My all time hero, mr perfect on the yamaha yzr 500, I.last saw him race at the british gp at donninton pk, he had a big highside in practice and he beat himself up pretty bad, and i often wonder if he damaged his spine in this crash as it was only a couple of weeks between donnington and missano,.He still finished 2nd at donnington to team mate luca cadalora,.
I saw that race on tv but i dont remember the crash in practice..maybe as you say he was injured in that moment and reached to misano conditionated by that fact...anyway it was a big shame for him and for the world of motorbikes...for me one of the greatest riders of all time...
He said he didn't feel good that day. And was not excited about racing anymore. As once you win the Championship. They expect you to do it again...Then it becomes a job...
Toward the end of the video (when you were listing what Wayne Rainey is doing nowadays) you did not mention that Wayne has been the driving force behind reviving superbike racing in the US for the last 8 years. By 2013 or so, the AMA had totally bungled their management of US national Superbike racing. Poor leadership resulted in poor promotion of events as well as dwindling assets and personnel. The AMA decided to focus what little they had left on Flat Track racing (or else that was going to go away too). Many thousands of Americans were upset about the impending loss of US national championship motorcycle road racing, so Wayne Rainey decided to do something about it. He rallyed his contacts from the industry; he found investors, sponsors, advertisers, as well as radio and TV broadcasters and put together the MotoAmerica organization in less than a year's time. He patterned the bike specs and racing rules, etc. to be very close to the FIM rules for World Superbike, so that upcoming young American racers could have a better pathway to get to World Superbike or Moto2, so that one day we could again have Americans competing in MotoGP. Thanks in large part to Wayne's careful management and constant daily efforts, MotoAmerica has become a large success and has even attracted some former World Superbike and MotoGP racers who want to race in the US for a year or two and revitalize their skills while racing with our upcoming talent. Most of the MotoAmerica Superbike races have been broadcast on the FS1 (Fox Sports 1) network in the US for the last couple of years. Thankyou Wayne!!
That is 1 in a million crash. In any other sunday he cud have fall off the same turn at same speed and he wud just walk up and brush it off and ready for next round.
Kevin Schwantz is overrated as hell. Good rider, but nothing to write home about..... with what, his 1 accidental championship? Give me a break, people just like to talk him up but really he wasn't that spectacular of a rider.
Having fractured my back in 6 places, shattered my left femur and right ankle at Donny in August, this clip hits home. What an inspiration Wayne is. I am so very fortunate to not be paralysed, & though recovery is a long way off, I will get there
Wow - that's rough my man! Speedy recovery...thanks for stopping by and commenting 🏍️👍
Saw him race at Laguna a few times. One weekend he was clocked 3 consecutive laps w the exact same lap time down the thousandths of a second. Dude was a machine.
That's Wayne for you alright! He'd a great knowledge of reading the track times also and knowing where to be persistent. Thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
I saw the dude also as e nederlandse schizofrene conspirator. 🇷🇺😊🤗🙂
Wayne Rainey and Kenny Roberts have always been my two favorites. God bless them both.
Wayne and king Kenny are up there amongst the best that's for sure. Eddie Lawson (Steady Eddie) was also a great rider - thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
@@motoplusgp Absolutely! Top 3.
Been watching GP racing since Sheene n Roberts, far as I'm concerned Wayne Rainey was the greatest ever. An utter wizard on two wheels.
A wizard he was! Brilliant on the 2 stroke 500cc machine. Thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
This is my kind of video I saw him race at donnington in 1990-92. It was emotional for me to see him back on his Yamaha 500 in 2022 at GoodWood.
To me he is true legend and even have picture of him racing against Lawson and schwantz. I was always a Kevin fan but held huge respect for Wayne. I recall Max Biaggia saying his inspiration to ride the Yamaha in MotoGP was Wayne and I am sure he is not the only one.
Keep em coming 👍👍👍
Yea he was a true legend to many. Himself and Kevin Schwantz going head to head was great. Thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
I was a Biaggi fan and a Schwantz fan, Biaggi was more of a Rainey fan he always said that and even his riding style was the same. Rossi was a Schwantz fan, he said he liked the Schwantz style.
I was always a Schwantz fan, but Rainy was a complete champion. He is one of the best ever, and would have won many more races. Full respect for that man
There's no question about it - he would have won more. I loved Schwantz's riding style...always late on the brakes...his own quote, "see God - then brake" 😆 The man was entertaining - thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
With all due respect to Roberts, Lawson & Schwantz, I think Wayne Rainey is the best GP rider the U.S. ever produced.
Yea Wayne was very talented. Each of those riders had different techniques they brought on their bikes to win them their world championships. What happened to all the American riders coming forward in MotoGP...I'd love to see more come over and fight for the title. Thanks for your comment 🏍🏍👍
As great as Wayne was, he wasn’t a patch on steady Eddie Lawson, I think King Kenny was better than Wayne too
@@StephenLMW Eddie Lawson was a class act, I'm in the process of doing his career atm! 👍
Eddie Lawson. 👍
@@StephenLMW I have the same opinion.
My brother-in-law was stationed at Fort Ord in 1993 so my girlfriend and I were more than happy to fly out there from the midwest to HOPEFULLY see Wayne capture his 4th championship with points between Wayne and Kevin so close. Because the World Motorcycle Grand Prix championship (now MotoGP) had zero news coverage other than magazines, we had no idea that Wayne was hurt until we got to Monterey and read about his injury in the local newspaper. I was devastated but still enjoyed the racing. John Kocinski won the race on that GORGEOUS Cagiva (arguably the best looking race bike EVER), Mick Doohan crashed himself silly coming out of the Corkscrew, and Kevin won the title. It was a pretty emotional weekend for sure.
It was some shock for Wayne and his fans. He was great on a 500cc, not an easy bike to handle! Yea, the Cagiva was a fantastic looking bike...it really looked the part. Thanks for stopping by and commenting 🏍️👍
The Cagiva was beautiful!
got to meet my favorite racer (Wayne Rainey) Laguna Seca '05.!
told him I wasn't worthy to be in his presence.! lol.! I thanked him for bringing back the greatest show on earth to the holy grail of tracks...
also told him my mom blames him for me trying to be like Wayne.!
what a humble hero he is.!
Brilliant Steve Coto, it's nice to hear how other people appreciated and supported the likes of Wayne...and other great riders - thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
I loved Kevin Swantz with his Win it or Bin it style but Wayne Rainey was pure PRECISION!.
Definitely Kevin Schwantz was an all in racer, and I agree Wayne was very wise in his calculations on the track and in the garage with his team. His feedback is what give him the edge! Thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
I have photographed both Wayne and Kevin and believe it or not it was Wayne that connected me to Kevin. What a great guy and inspiration.
Kevin was supernatural on the brakes and a driver with the absolute will to win. He was wild and spectacular. A great talent. Rainey is in the same league though, with the cleanest, smoothest riding style I've seen since. Both share the same podium.
The day reading the article In Readers Digest - when he said something like " I was out in front, on the gas, what a way to go" I wept - not knowing that a similar fate awaited me in 2000. Always my hero WR.
He was always at the pointy end of the field, seemingly without effort. With his broken his back, went my heart.
Wayne was my idol! I watched his last race from South Korea on army television!
He was a G.O.A.T in that era for sure - thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
Yea that was the day the music died. Wayne didn't know how to maybe slow down a little when things were not right, he would just ride through an ill handling bike just like Schwantz did, but managed to stay on top of the bike more often than Kevin.He was definitely the last of the Great American GP riders. He inspired so many riders world wide. Just a very sad ending, but to see him at Suzuka and Goodwood was awesome. You do really good video's sir and keep up the good work.
Yea he did push way beyond the limit on many an occasion, but that day just wasn't meant to go his way. Fantastic racer he was...thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
I'm lucky to met him personally at the Malaysian track in 1992 winter test til today I treasure so much the photo which I took with him
Great memories for your to treasure Yip LekHong - thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
And is currently the President of MotoAmerica,, & bringing new & exciting classes with quality rider's,,& I'm sure there's a whole bunch of fans that appreciate all the hard work that goes into making that happen,,thanks Wayne !!
All preparation for the making of a Masterpiece....
When the 500cc two stroke era ended moto GPS sucked. These were real men. All legends. Beautiful machinery. The good old days never to return 😪 smokey and they banned it 😓
Coming from a Schwantz fan.....
Rainey was the best. "Mr Perfect".
I grew up watching these guys race and the rivalry between Schwantz and Raney was second in history only to the Prost/Senna one.
Now at 48, F1 has become unwatchable and Moto GP uninteresting but I have no complaints, I've seen the best at work back when racing was actually spectacular.
One thing of note is that both Kevin and Wayne were gentlemen racers and, despite their intense rivalry, had huge respect for each other.
The guys a legend what a joy it was to watch you all those years ago ty for the years of smiles and scares Wayne
He sure is - thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
Back in the day when 500GP was a contact sport...
Small margin for error in those days! Plenty of contact for sure back in the day, sure separated the men from the boys those 500cc bikes! Thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
MERRY CHRISTMAS Mat/Tony & the Rest of your mechanics & a HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024.
Grande campione 👍👍
The best!
My dad's favourite racer...
So Devastated to see this.😢
Great rider, he would have had more titles I'm sure if he'd still have been racing on his 500cc machine. Thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
Proper legend 🏍💨
That's for sure - thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
I broke my back shattered my knees racing bikes and if I had a chance to do it all again I wouldn't hesitate
There's commitment for you! Thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
🔴 Wayne Rainey - a deservable 500cc Champion and loved not only by his American fans, but he had the support of so many fans worldwide. Were you a fan of the great Wayne Rainey - let us know your thoughts in the COMMENTS BELOW...
I was a Kevin Schwantz fan, but damn that Rainey was Fast as H*ll
I loved Kevin's racing style and attitude...all or nothing, but Wayne was just as fast and their rivalry was fantastic to watch - thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
@@motoplusgp 👍💪🏍
Was in a race just a few times with both Rainey and Schwantz. If either was gonna end up in a wheelchair, everyone I knew thought it would be the wild-man Schwantz. Fate had other ideas.
Wayne had to fight beyond human limits to make his bike from bad handler and performer to winner then his luck ran out. Great man great racer I well remember seeing him many times and he should have/would have been champion many more years Including the year he crashed, handing it to Schwantz [ who I admire massively }
He was a brilliant racer - yes he would have won many more |I've no doubt - thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
The BEST ✔️🗿🙌
Rainey and Schwantz inherited the rivalry between Roberts and Sheene, but without the transatlantic issue.
My all time hero, mr perfect on the yamaha yzr 500, I.last saw him race at the british gp at donninton pk, he had a big highside in practice and he beat himself up pretty bad, and i often wonder if he damaged his spine in this crash as it was only a couple of weeks between donnington and missano,.He still finished 2nd at donnington to team mate luca cadalora,.
I saw that race on tv but i dont remember the crash in practice..maybe as you say he was injured in that moment and reached to misano conditionated by that fact...anyway it was a big shame for him and for the world of motorbikes...for me one of the greatest riders of all time...
He said he didn't feel good that day. And was not excited about racing anymore. As once you win the Championship. They expect you to do it again...Then it becomes a job...
Toward the end of the video (when you were listing what Wayne Rainey is doing nowadays) you did not mention that Wayne has been the driving force behind reviving superbike racing in the US for the last 8 years. By 2013 or so, the AMA had totally bungled their management of US national Superbike racing. Poor leadership resulted in poor promotion of events as well as dwindling assets and personnel. The AMA decided to focus what little they had left on Flat Track racing (or else that was going to go away too). Many thousands of Americans were upset about the impending loss of US national championship motorcycle road racing, so Wayne Rainey decided to do something about it. He rallyed his contacts from the industry; he found investors, sponsors, advertisers, as well as radio and TV broadcasters and put together the MotoAmerica organization in less than a year's time. He patterned the bike specs and racing rules, etc. to be very close to the FIM rules for World Superbike, so that upcoming young American racers could have a better pathway to get to World Superbike or Moto2, so that one day we could again have Americans competing in MotoGP. Thanks in large part to Wayne's careful management and constant daily efforts, MotoAmerica has become a large success and has even attracted some former World Superbike and MotoGP racers who want to race in the US for a year or two and revitalize their skills while racing with our upcoming talent. Most of the MotoAmerica Superbike races have been broadcast on the FS1 (Fox Sports 1) network in the US for the last couple of years. Thankyou Wayne!!
I wept that day.
Wayne was the G.O.A.T till Rossi.
Valentino Rossi was wise to Retire from MotoGp before something like this happened.
He sure was! Sad to see Rossi go, he was such an ambassador for the sport, but yep, he was getting on in age! Thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
@@motoplusgp No way. He is not even the best American.
He was the greatest
He was brilliant - thanks for stopping by and commenting 🏍️👍
👍❤️
That is 1 in a million crash. In any other sunday he cud have fall off the same turn at same speed and he wud just walk up and brush it off and ready for next round.
👌🏻👌🏻100%🇦🇹
No you’ve got it wrong and left one major part of the story out try doing some research.
Wayne was the same as Ayrton Senna but on 2 wheels. Best ever.
Yea he was a class act on two wheels - thanks for stopping by and commenting 🏍️👍
Greatly exaggerated. He was good, but the greatest, no way. He is not even the best American.
In my opinion the G.O.A.T.,he raced the best and beat the best on a bike that was always down on power but still very difficult to ride fast.
Yes he was great to watch, really skilled. He did fight amongst the best and won! Thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
Kevin Schwantz is overrated as hell. Good rider, but nothing to write home about..... with what, his 1 accidental championship? Give me a break, people just like to talk him up but really he wasn't that spectacular of a rider.
Don't think that's Wayne Rooney mate
In the golden era... HE WAS THE BEST ONE.
He was great to watch! Thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
For me this man was the best MotoGP rider, and he would still be today if not for the accident he suffered
You got that right - the man could race, smooth, calculated and wouldn't back off! Thanks for your comment 🏍️👍
Always the gp's will be funnier with Italians, americans and Aussies Than with Spaniards.