Wayne Rainey Rides Again at Laguna Seca
Three-time 500cc World Champion, Wayne Rainey rode again at Laguna Seca after 32 years.
Rainey was paralysed from the chest down since his life-changing accident at the Misano Circuit in 1993. The legend had won several races at the Laguna Circuit when he campaigned in the AMA championships, prior to moving up to the 500cc World Championship.
This time, Rainey rode on the parade lap ahead of the 2025 AMA Superbike GP, and led several other legends including Kenny Roberts Sr., Kenny Roberts Jr., Freddie Spencer, and Ben Spies.
Rainey’s appearance on the circuit was an emotional affair, as many long-time MotoGP fans missed the Californian’s fiery determination to be the best of the best, and his precise skills on the track.
Yamaha Motor Europe and Yamaha Motor US had presented Rainey with a specially-built Yamaha XSR900 GP. It featured the maker’s Y-AMT (Yamaha Automated Transmission) system, making it the only XSR900 GP to be equipped with it. For your reference, the Yamaha MT-09, on which the XSR900 was based, has the Y-AMT option. Apart from the transmission, the bike which Rainey rode also has a cushion on the back of the fuel tank to prop up his torso.
This was Rainey’s third ride on a motorcycle. He had previously rode at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2022, on a specially-modified 1992 Yamaha YZR500 which he won his third and last 500cc championship.
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