Ryuichi Kiyonari, a three-time British Superbike champion, has announced his retirement from motorcycle racing. The 43-year-old Japanese rider shared a brief message on social media, a year after he revealed plans to step back from racing to undergo back surgery.
Kiyonari first gained global recognition in 2003 when Honda promoted him from the Japanese Championship to compete in MotoGP, following the tragic death of Daijiro Kato. He completed the entire MotoGP season with the Gresini team and recorded his best finish of 11th before moving to the British Superbike Championship (BSB) the next year.
In BSB, Kiyonari established himself as one of the most successful riders, winning titles in 2006 and 2007 with Honda. He then spent two seasons in World Superbike (WorldSBK), securing three race wins before returning to BSB, where he won his third title in 2010. His 50th and final BSB win came in 2014 riding a BMW, finishing that season as runner-up behind Shane Byrne. After some time back in WorldSBK with Altea Honda in 2019, he returned to compete in Japan.
Known and beloved by British fans, Kiyonari expressed his gratitude on the official British Superbike website, thanking fans, teams, sponsors, riders, staff, marshals, and medics for their support. He fondly recalled his time in BSB and joked about missing England while still struggling with traditional local foods like black pudding and Marmite. He described BSB as very important to him and said he eagerly anticipates what the future holds.
Fan Take: Ryuichi Kiyonari’s retirement marks the end of an era for British Superbike, as he was a key figure who brought international flair and fierce competition to the series. His departure leaves a gap that new talents will aspire to fill, potentially shifting the dynamics and excitement of the championship in the coming years.
