Kevin Schwantz (Houston, Texas, 19 June 1964) is a retired American rider and the 1993 500cc world champion with Suzuki. He won 25 grands prix, built his career on duels with Wayne Rainey, and his number, 34, was the first retired by the FIM. He left racing in 1995, after three races.

Updated October 2026.

On 26 May 1991, at Hockenheim, on the last lap, Schwantz passed Wayne Rainey with his rear tyre fishtailing on the edge of control and won the German Grand Prix. That image sums up Schwantz: one world title, 25 wins and a style always on the limit. Here is his story, from a Texas motorcycle shop to Misano 1993 and beyond.

Kevin Schwantz at a glance

• Born in Houston, Texas, on 19 June 1964.
• 500cc world champion in 1993, with Suzuki.
• 25 grand prix wins, from his debut in 1986 (at Assen) to his retirement in 1995.
• Number 34: retired by the FIM, the first number retired by the federation.
• Honours: AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame 1999, FIM “Legend” 2000, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America 2019.

From Texas to American Superbike

Schwantz was born in Houston, into a family of motorcyclists: his father had a motorcycle shop. He learned to ride at four, and raced first in trials and motocross. After injuries at the 1983 Houston Supercross he left motocross and moved to road racing: he won his first road race on a flat-track bike lent by his uncle, Darryl Hurst.

In 1985 he won both heats of the Superbike round at Willow Springs. In 1986 he was second in the Daytona 200, beaten by Eddie Lawson. In 1987 his duel with Wayne Rainey in the American Superbike championship went to Rainey, but Schwantz closed the season by winning five of the last six races.

The 500cc class with Suzuki (1986-1992)

Schwantz made his World Championship debut in 1986 at Assen, as a wild card. From 1988 he raced full time with Suzuki and won straight away: the opening grand prix, at Suzuka, in Japan. That year he won two races and finished eighth. In 1989 he won six, including the British Grand Prix at Donington Park, with the Pepsi Suzuki, and finished fourth. In 1990 he was second in the championship.

The duel with Rainey

The rivalry with Rainey is the thread of those years. At Hockenheim, on 26 May 1991, Schwantz passed him on the last lap to win, and Rainey finished second. Two years later the same rivalry had its hardest moment. On 5 September 1993, at the Italian Grand Prix at Misano, Rainey crashed while leading and was left paralysed from the chest down, with a spinal cord injury. His career ended that day.

The 1993 title

1993 had started well for Schwantz: four wins in the first half of the season, on a calendar of 14 grands prix. Late in the season Rainey had retaken the championship lead, while Schwantz was slowed by a wrist injury. After Rainey’s accident, Schwantz won the title at 29, with 248 points.

The number 34

34 was the number of his uncle Darryl Hurst, whose flat-track bikes Schwantz rode as a boy. There is also a second version, which ties it to number plates left over at Yoshimura. Whatever the truth, when Schwantz left racing the FIM retired the number: it was the first number retired by the federation.

Retirement in 1995

In 1994 Schwantz was fourth, with two wins, amid injuries and wrist problems. In 1995 he raced three times and then retired, early in the season, after a conversation with Rainey: he realised he no longer enjoyed it the way he used to. Over the years the rivalry with Rainey has turned into friendship.

After racing

After retiring Schwantz founded a riding school in his name, the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School, and worked on the project for the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, in collaboration with the designer Hermann Tilke and with Tavo Hellmund. The circuit has hosted the Grand Prix of the Americas since 2013, and Schwantz was presented as COTA’s motorcycle ambassador in 2014. On 10 May 2025 he was guest of honour at the Suzuki Motor Fest, at the Misano circuit.

Schwantz by the numbers

• 25 grand prix wins, in ten seasons in the World Championship (1986-1995).
• 500cc world title: 1993, with 248 points and four wins.
• Wins in 1988 and 1989: eight (two plus six).
• Number 34: retired by the FIM.

For a comparison with another great name of the premier class, read the ranking of the 10 best MotoGP riders of all time and the profile of Casey Stoner.

Remembering Schwantz only for that 1993 title misses the point. Twenty-five wins, a rival who became a friend, a last lap at Hockenheim that remains among the finest finishes in the World Championship. And a number that stopped being a number. The 34.

Images, from top: Kevin Schwantz, 1993 Japanese Grand Prix (Rikita, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported); Kevin Schwantz celebrating on his Pepsi Suzuki after winning the 1989 British Grand Prix (Stu Newby, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic); Kevin Schwantz at a demonstration event in 2010 (Craig Morey, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic).

Sources: Wikipedia, Kevin Schwantz; Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, Kevin Schwantz; MotoGP.com, Kevin Schwantz profile; Crash.net, Kevin Schwantz profile; Wikipedia, 1993 season; Wikipedia, 1991 German Grand Prix; Wikipedia, 1989 British Grand Prix; Superbike Planet, how Schwantz got 34; Cycle World, End of an Era; Motorcycle News, Bitter enemies to great friends; Goodwood, Hockenheim 1991; Kevin Schwantz, official website; Cycle World, Schwantz as COTA ambassador; Quotidiano.net, Schwantz at the Suzuki Motor Fest 2025.