Ryuichi Kiyonari retires: a motorcycle daredevil who became a legend

In an interview given to Mr. Bike on December 15, Ryuichi Kiyonari officially announced his retirement from motorcycle racing. At the height of a career spanning a quarter of a century, “King Kiyo” decided to hang up his helmet after taking a sabbatical year due to an injury suffered in 2024, remaining in fans’ memories as a true tightrope walker on two wheels.

The palmarès of Ryuichi Kiyonari, who turned 43 last September 23, makes him one of the most successful All Japan riders of the Third Millennium. Four victories at the Suzuka 8 Hours (2005, 2008, 2010, and 2011), three British Superbike titles (2006, 2007, 2010) and 50 BSB race wins, plus an All Japan ST600 title, one in ARRC SuperSports 600cc, and wins in both World Superbike and JSB1000. The Saitama Prefecture native experienced a stop-start career marked by excesses on and off the track.

Away from his hometown, from a very young age he lived like a “local” to nurture the dream of becoming a professional motorcycle racer. However, a few wild nights at seventeen put him on the ropes, and after an ultimatum from Team Tatatake he decided to straighten up and race like a true rider in All Japan ST600. He went on to win the title shortly thereafter, and after an exceptional wild card at SUGO in the World Supersport Championship, he was catapulted straight into MotoGP, replacing the irreplaceable Daijiro Kato with the Gresini team. A step understandably too big for a just-over-twenty Kiyonari, who then rebuilt a phenomenal career in production-derived racing.

His off-track excesses did not exactly help his career, where he alternated seasons in which he seemed unbeatable with campaigns as a supporting act. Fired and rehired by Honda on three separate occasions, Ryuichi became “King Kiyo” across the Channel, even winning Suzuka 8 Hours races almost “on his own.” Others he threw away through his own mistakes, yet he remains in the collective imagination as one of the most spectacular riders seen in recent years. With a delightful touch in the wet, showcased even before the unforgettable Superpole at Donington Park in 2008.

Kiyonari has raced for virtually every prestigious Honda team (HRC, TSR, HARC-PRO, Moriwaki, TOHO, SI Racing, etc.), not to mention exploits with BMW (his memorable 2014 BSB season) and Suzuki. He has won a lot and could have won even more, once again touching his MotoGP dream, which was shattered after he demolished Nicky Hayden's RC211V in a prize test at Valencia in 2006. Without these excesses, Ryuichi Kiyonari would never have become "King Kiyo" and so beloved by fans around the world.