We return to the home of three-time premier class World Champion Wayne Rainey. He takes time to discuss electronic rider aids, the nasty nature of the dreaded highside and how he responded when old friend Kevin Schwantz came for dinner
@@gregorytimmons4777 Yes, getting paralyzed by doing the most ordinary of things, like falling out of bed, or slipping on the ice, must be worse than getting crippled while doing something you love.
@@Saxoncloset Yes, but at least racing is much safer than it used to be. Modern tracks, with lots of run-off room, and the new airbag-equipped racing suits, mean that fatalities are very rare now, and riders like Marquez can walk away from crashes that used to result in months of hospital time.
What a great video from a legend. I met Wayne and Shea at a restaurant I was managing here in Santa Barbara. He was also with Mert Lawwill and Bruce Brown. Had a really neat conversation with him and when he asked me for my address I gave it to him. Next day Fed Ex delivers a poster tube, inside is a oil painting silkscreen of Wayne and Kevin dicing at Suzuka. Hell of a racer, and an extremely nice guy.
i guess im asking the wrong place but does anyone know a way to log back into an instagram account?? I was stupid forgot the login password. I love any tips you can offer me.
Anyone who has followed the bikes for a while would recognize you with or without the chair mate. Rest assured. You were part of what I at least think was the greatest era to date.
I see Wayne at the Superbike races in Millville NJ. Without him, I'm not sure if these Moto america races would have continued with so much enthusiasm. Despite the dangers of this sport, it truly is one of the most demanding and graceful sports to watch and participate in. It really deserves more attention. Next to baseball and football it is so unjustly underrated. God bless Wayne for his inspiration.
@@salazam Give me a break. Wayne completely smashed Schwantz throughout his career. The only reason Schwantz won his 93 title is because Wayne had his accident in Italy. These are just the facts. Wayne was the objectively superior rider throughout their entire rivalry.
here in Finland we got to see only a glimpses of MotoGP races back in the day on tv and Wayne Rainey was my absolute hero... and then, the accident that paralyzed him. He just basically fell.. I mean, I had seen racers driven over by others, highsided on asphalt and still walked away. Still f.....g sucks. He did not give up tho, so he still deserves the hero status. In my honest opinion.
Back in the 80s when I was a kid my uncle and aunty knew some people in the racing world, Wayne had had a bad crash and was off from racing at the time, i felt bad for him missing races in pain and made him a small bike out of cookable play doh and my uncle and aunty (through they're connections ) gave it to him as a get well present. at least thats what they told me. i miss watching these legends from a time when racing was real. thanks Wayne for the years of racing entertainment you will have a place in my memories forever.
I agree. Those days were for hardcore racers. Before someone says anything I think todays riders are hardcore also. Just not in the same way as having traction control in your wrist the technique for riding a 500cc bike. I'm in the same situation as Wayne and today it seems like everyone talks about rider aids when we talked of spinning the rear tire and hoping it wouldn't flick you over the highside
To call motorcycle racing of any type easy is a bit silly, these bikes were very primitive and dangerous, but that doesn't take away from the fact that modern MotoGP bikes have nearly double the power and torque of what these had... To not have TCS would be suicide
I was a Schwantz fan, but had nothing but the up most respect for Wayne. A brilliant rider and a top guy. I loved both, especially as a British fan when we had no decent riders and you just got behind great riders for the talent they were.
I now consider myself very, very lucky to have watched the great battles of Schwantz & Rainey when they first happened, not to mention seeing Eddie and Gardener and Doohan, great era !
@@salazam *To be Old & Lucky is a double blessing ! I attended all the GP's at Donington and several at Assen on my trusty RG500 CH (1989) Pepsi-Suzuki "Kevin Schwantz" GP Race Replica, and met Kevin and Wayne several times. Got the Tshirt, Autographs and best of all the Bike, just awesome.*
@@GrrMeister That's not luck dude, you just bought tickets. If I was old and had money I would have been there too. It is cool experience though! Tell me stories gramps, who's more chill Kevin or Wayne? Who do you think would win in arm wrestling?
Every time I see Rainey in that chair I can’t help but feel remorse for the guy , him Gardner and Eddy gave me so much thrill as a kid watching them push each other to there limits as I was growing up as a kid , now as an enthusiast I’m glad to see them talking about there ups and downs and the honest reality behind such a dangerous sport as every time I go for a ride now with my son on the weekends it’s all ways in the back of my head as much fun it gives always be mindful not to push the limits and respect your machine and surrounds
Rainey, if anything, understates the violence of the late 80's-90's 500cc bikes. I was at Laguna Seca in 1989 and 1990, during qualifying hotlaps between Turn 4 and Turn 5... If you watched the 500's from the rear, you saw how badly they would squat and distort the rear tire just like a drag bike coming out of the turn, and you could actually see the frames flex and wag laterally (side to side) during acceleration out of Turn 4... the frame wagging didn't subside until they braked for Turn 5. The riders were holding onto the clip-ons for dear life just keeping the bike going in a more or less straight line. Lawson said of the early-season '89 NSR500 "It was like riding Death" it was so overpowered (or so he thought)... only to find out that Erv Kanemoto actually had the "Training" (heavy) flywheel on Eddie's NSR until Hockenheim... when Eddie rode the "full race" NSR500 engine, he was stunned at the increase in power and acceleration (Erv casually mentioned to him afterward that there was an even scarier "sprint" engine available for qualifying!) after which Eddie flat out demanded a stronger frame (which Kanemoto delivered a couple of races later). Schwantz's '89 and '90 RGV500 were the quickest bikes out of the corners those two years, but the price was a twitchy-handling bike in the straights: Kevin looked like he was riding a bronco every lap in that part of the track: that bike beat the hell out of him every time he rode it. Rainey had the right bike, the right riding style and the consistent finishing record to make it all come together 1990-92. 1993 was tragic.
Thank you Wayne! You rode like a pro from day one. Never saw anyone lay down perfect strips of exit rubber every lap, at Laguna Seca like you did in '91.
Sometime in 2001,Wayne very graciously gave me a ride in his custom built FJR sidecar rig. I had no idea who he was.He didn't know me. Was pulling a little trailer for his wheelchair. What an honor! Thank you Wayne! Hot Springs N.C.
Yeah I was gonna say, “MotoGP” was the rebranding they did at the end of the 90’s. Back in the day it was the 500cc World Championship, or you could just call it grand prix motorcycle racing.
I remember you Wayne!! Never missed a race on tv when i was younger that you were in..always remember eddie lawson as well..when GP was on the edge fun to watch. Now i ride bike myself..still think back to those days in front of telly ..i wouldent budge for anything..all you guys are legends ..god bless
Wow. I'm s motocross rider and this guy is a hero to me. King Kenny set the standard, King Wayne picked it up and ran with it. God BLESS YOU Wayne Rainey, I hope you see this one day. You're an inspiration to generations of riders. Even as a dirt bike I remember seeing clips of guys like Yvon DuHamel limping with a cane to get to the bike. Shocked me, made me cry with PRIDE that one day I too was going to be a motorcycle racer. And I did, winning Amateur was as far as I got, I was better with the pen than the throttle. You likely have read something I wore in Cycle News back in the 90s. 👍😎🙏🏻🙏🏿🖖🏻☝🏿🥰🔥💞
All of the racers from that era were absolute monsters. I understand how Wayne feels and not that he needs any advice from me, but it is hard to imagine someone else who has accomplished so much and gotten so much out of 1 body in 1 lifetime. Mad respect braddah!
Wow ..... what a great piece of insight to racing and the relationships with others while performing.. I could never of thought Kevin Schwantz spending the time as a house guest at Wayne Raineys... the ending was very Honourable, and a testament of class defined through actions. Wonderfull Thank You.
A great video! Wayne is so wise and pleasure to listen to. I'm a Doohan fan, but Wayne is an awesome rider and full respect to him! I wasn't aware of how he ended up his career, but I have a failed parachute landing (I'm mobile though, with some hip and back pain occasionally) and it's horrible to be limited by pain. Stay cool Wayne! You are a real inspiration!
The biggest posters of Wayne Rainey on my bedroom wall my hero what he could do with them 2 strokes was something special to watch a career cut short for a very talented amazing balls to the wall no fear rider,look at that silverware,I no it must be a nightmare but you made me a happy young man whatching you in bad times 15 years old..thanks my hero.👋👍from🇬🇧
If you want to know how hard motogp is on a racer’s body just pay attention to Wayne’s and Kevin’s hands when they are being interviewed. Their hands are knackered. Digits partially missing etc. True greats.
When I think Motocycle racing Wayne Rainey comes to mind along with Spencer and Schwantz. You look at these old videos and just Wow so much talent and guts
Wayne, you are my firt true hero and role model When i was a kid a race with my friends pretending i was you, and i have never forgot your races and The way you Ride. Stay strong!
I had the GREAT pleasure of a few minutes of personal conversation with Wayne at the 2016 MotoAmerica races at Road Atlanta... I was a Volunteer worker with Tech Inspection, which was located next to the Admin Station... and I was welcomed to watch the closed-circuit coverage on a big-screen TV in the "hospitality" area. I am also dealing with a combination of "physical limitations" due to a near-fatal crash ... when a 'cage-driver' ran a stop sign and hit me head-on at over 50 mph... Fortunately for me, I am not in a wheelchair. But a fractured lumbar, artificial rt hip and left knee, broken rt femur, both collarbones, 27 fractures in my rt wrist, broken left thumb (and I am left-handed, which makes writing harder.) and a small brain concussion [because I have a small brain.. :P ]all add up to a day of almost constant pain, and MANY limits to what I can do. And because my injuries are not "obvious" -- except when they see me limping because my rt leg is now shorter than my left leg -- I often get 'hassled' for having an H/C Tag on my vehicles...and people don't understand when I ask for parking close to the entrance of buildings and events... The thing that was most impressive from Wayne, during our conversation, was that Wayne was so 'focused' on encouraging ME to keep "fighting the challenges" rather than 'accepting' my words of respect and admiration for what HE is doing as he "Fights the Challenges" and continues to be a Vibrant Part of the Sport he so Loves!
I recognise Wayne as a rider I’m Australian him Gardner Schwantz Lawson true racers my heroes. The machines they rode was like giving a five year old a CR 500 and saying take that around the block but don’t stack.
Love you, Wayne. I met your Dad, Sandy, at Shannonville Motorsport Park, Ont. Canada in the mid-eighties while I was competing in the Production Class. He was there with Yamaha showcasing the 500 cc two stroke G.P. bikes of the time. It rained on Sun. and the Yamaha 500's struggled for traction with their short power bands. He spoke of you with great pride and love and I felt it a great privaledge to talk with him as he described to me your exploits. I will never forget it. Best regards, Alex G 🤓
Both these guys are my Hero's...a little more Kevin because he came a long in racing the same time as me by Wayne because I was the only person racing the Yamaha FZ 7501986 in 87 when most had switch to the GSXR...so I carried the flag all by my self....for a little while THANKS two great RACERS.....nice job on the video
Wayne is a legend and one of the greatest riders of all time, he was very fast but very smart above all. It's a pleasure to hear about some kind of "peace" between him and Kevin, and beautiful to hear that Kevin slept in his house like... an old friend. They immediately remind me of Senna/Prost: blood on track but think about the last podium with them, and the car radio of him telling that he missed Alain. There's no legend without some other legend that push you to your limits.
May Wayne be as ok and happy as possible, always. He was a fantastic rider. It's a dangerous but lovely sport, even if you cruise just on weekends and a car driver forgets to react to a red light.
My father, I and my brother would pick a racer for each 500cc race, and my brother was fond of schwantz, my father was relegated to choosing doohan because i liked rainey, i was watching live when he crashed and it hit me at a place where i can feel it even today, i was eight at the time and I couldn't comprehend how badly he had got hurt, and as a child you want everything to be ok, and a part of me thought, there's going to be a miracle and he's gonna walk. Its an ode and a salute to these guys how they put themselves in harms way to achieve something at the edge of danger, knowing that the reality of danger is lurking close by. It takes something big to change something and they changes the pattern of the gravel dunes after this incident(which was originally designed to slow down f1 cars), the humility of his personality still shines through him, a true and worthy champion, more power to you sir
Keven once committed that once Wayne was gone that he lost a lot of his motivation. He said that Wayne had always pushed him to be better, once Wayne had the wreck kevin lost his rival to push him but he also confronted his own mortality and didn't have the same speed anymore. That time was an absolute golden era for American riders and both these two came on the scene right as Edddie Lawson was winding down, continuing a stretch of American relevance. The last decent American motogp rider was Hayden and it looks like Spanish dominance for the near and medium future.
Same with mike hunt and nikki lauda- they pushed each other. Lauda should have stayed with Ferrari- let Ferrari worry about the car and upgrades and he just race.
Just wait for the italians return, just matter of time . We are always there except the 80-90 USA era. They were so strong, Kevin my idol,Rainey a god .
Hero's are people who run into burning buildings or fight to protect our freedom and safety. I'm sorry to say that Wayne Rainey is only a dead set legend.
Very cool video these MottoGP drivers are the bravest motorsports racers hands down. TT racers as well. Im going 🙏 for this man to have ✌ in his life. Very moving thank you
I remember watching the race when he got hurt. Wayne was a gentleman, and a disciplined racer. Kevin was more wild abandon. He looked like he was gonna crash most of the time lol. That transaltantic challenge they were in in the 80's is required watching for anyone who likes motorcycles road racing.
I saw you race at Pocono on a green Kawasaki inline 4. Wow, that had a special sound that was distinct from the other bikes. I never forgot it. You were a pleasure to watch
a truly great rider and multiple champion, motor sport can be dangerous all the riders and drivers know this and that's part of the attraction. some people die doing what they love others are seriously injured, I have the upmost respect for all who take part from amateurs to professionals, nobody can takeaway Wayne's great achievements on some seriously insane bikes, I congratulate him and his rivals for making bike racing the best sport in history.
I've met both of these guys, got riding tips from Schwantz. I laughed when he said "Kevin didn't like me first" because I've heard Kevin say time and time again "I'm not sure why Wayne didn't like me. I didn't have a problem with him.". No real issue with either of them. I miss Sport Bike Night at In Cahoots in Sacramento California. I've met both of these guys there and at the track (Laguna) too. I'm surprised Wayne wasn't asked to comment on the losses of Kato, Simoncelli, Tomizowa and Luis Salom (sp) and the issues and changes with regards to safety and risk of fatality as the years went by.
wao i'm 40 years old and i just realized that i been watching the wrong sports all this years recently started following motorgp and i'm just in love with it
