Kevin Schwantz

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Schwantz's career was defined by an intense rivalry with Wayne Rainey that began in the 1987 Superbike National Championship, where they battled throughout the season and continued into the 1987 Transatlantic Trophy match races. Although Schwantz often rode at a disadvantage on Suzukis that were not as fast as Yamaha or Honda rivals, his determination to win at all costs made him a popular favorite worldwide. His riding style was characterized by crashes as often as wins, typified by his last-lap pass of Rainey to win the 1991 German Grand Prix at Hockenheimring with his rear tire fish-tailing on the verge of control. This era featured a field rich in talent including Wayne Gardner, Mick Doohan, Eddie Lawson, and Randy Mamola. Schwantz's career culminated in 1993 when he won his only 500cc World Championship. Following a crash-infested 1994 season and the career-ending paralysis of Rainey at the 1993 Italian Grand Prix, Schwantz retired early in the 1995 season after a conversation with his rival.

In Their Own Story

In 1988, Schwantz made an immediate impact in Europe as a rookie for the Suzuki 500cc team. Despite having only seven Grand Prix rides total—including wild card appearances on the old square four RG500 in 1986 and the first V4 RGV500 in 1987—he won the opening round at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka. His journey began years earlier learning to ride at age four, progressing from trials with his father and Uncle Darryl Hurst to motocross until a serious crash in qualifying for the Houston Supercross in 1983 ended that chapter. After joining the Yoshimura Suzuki Superbike team in late 1984, he won both legs of the 1985 Willow Springs AMA Superbike National and finished second to Eddie Lawson in the 1986 Daytona 200 on the new Suzuki GSX-R750 before breaking his collarbone in qualifying. The rivalry with Rainey intensified as they battled across Europe for six years, often coming into contact on the track, until Schwantz's determination secured him the title and 25 career wins.

Reader's Guide

Kevin Schwantz operated a riding school in Birmingham, Alabama since circa 2001. After retiring from motorcycle competition in 1995, he briefly competed in motorsports elsewhere, running two seasons of the Australian NASCAR Championship before returning to the US for the NASCAR Busch Series (18 races, two top tens), an ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series event, and touring car races. In 2005, he drove a superkart at Laguna Seca, noting it was 'a lot more fun than riding a bike around here.' His post-racing contributions include co-designing the Circuit of the Americas racetrack with Tavo Hellmund and Hermann Tilke. Schwantz was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999, named a Grand Prix 'Legend' by the FIM in 2000, and entered the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2019. The FIM retired his racing number (34) as a testament to his popularity. He was featured in the 2003 documentary Faster, rode Marco Simoncelli's bike in Valencia in 2011 in honor of the late rider, and made a guest appearance on Jay Leno's Garage in 2017.

Did You Know?

• Schwantz broke his collarbone in a qualifying crash multiple times, missing several races each time.
• He won the season-opening Daytona 200 in 1988, which was his only win in that prestigious event.
• His uncle, Darryl Hurst, was the original rider of number 34 before Schwantz adopted it.
• Schwantz accumulated 25 Grand Prix wins, exactly one more than his great rival Wayne Rainey.
• He won five out of six races to close out the 1987 Superbike National Championship season.