The traditional Goodwood Festival of Speed, which takes place this weekend in England, will remain etched in memories. The event is a true celebration of motorsport, both for two and four wheels, and as far as motorcycling is concerned, it will feature a truly emotional moment: Wayne Rainey will once again ride his incomparable Yamaha YZR500, 29 years after the terrible accident which left him paraplegic.
The three-time 500cc world champion will ride the bike with which he competed in a legendary era, since in addition to winning the titles in 1990, 1991 and 1992, the Californian rider achieved 24 victories and a total of 65 podiums with the brand of Iwata, between 1988 and 1993, until his accident.
𝙍𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙮 𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣!
This week, three-time 500cc World Champion Wayne Rainey will make his return to two wheels as he takes his iconic 1992 title-winning Yamaha YZR500 on the @fosgoodwood hill climb!
You do not want to miss this… 🔊#YamahaRacing #RevsYourHeart pic.twitter.com/vNd2CWzoM7
— Yamaha Racing UK (@YamahaRacingUK) June 22, 2022
Before officially entering the event, Wayne Rainey tested the Yamaha YZR500, adapted for his paraplegia. To do this, a system was created to adapt the gear change to the level of the left half handlebar, some connections were placed at the level of the tank so that it is held without having to force with its legs, and also some straps to be able to hold the legs. The Californian took a test before the event to acclimatize and feel the roar of this two-stroke icon again.
Because it's been twenty-six years since we last saw this bike racing on the world circuit. However, it is one of those gems in the world of two wheels, both for its sound and its aesthetics.
2 vehicles, 4 wheels. Wayne Rainey and Kenny Roberts take their 1990's Yamaha YZR's out onto the Hill to put them through their paces. #FOS pic.twitter.com/4xlv4V775u
- Goodwood FOS (@fosgoodwood) June 24, 2022
The images, both in photos and videos, are totally emotional. Next to him, we see Kenny Roberts, also on a YZR500 from the Marlboro team, which has just been put up for sale at RMD Motors.
The bike in question is part of the history of the motorcycling world championship as it was the first bike that Kenny Roberts Jr. debuted in the 500, the son of the legendary rider Kenny Roberts, who would eventually triumph with the Suzuki brand. Its state of conservation is perfect, so much so that it has already been presented this year at the MotoGP Grand Prix of Le Mans.
The motorcycle's record in the hands of the young American rider was not very good, as he could not do better than fourth in the race on his handlebars, finishing the season in thirteenth position. As indicated on the RMD Motors website, the bike was given by Yamaha to Kenny Roberts Sr. at the end of the 1996 season for inclusion in his collection as a memento of his son's debut. However, after a few years, this vehicle changed hands until it reached the hands of a collector. In fact, the last time we saw it for sale was in 2013, for a cool €156. However, this time the current owner has put it up for sale at RMD Motors with no starting price.
