Triple BSB champion announces: “I have decided to retire”

Triple British Superbike champion Ryuichi Kiyonari has announced his retirement from racing.

The 43-year-old Japanese rider issued a brief statement on social media, one year after revealing he was stepping back from competition to undergo back surgery.

“I have decided to retire.
“Thank you so much for all the warm support so far.
“Your support has been a great encouragement to me.”

Kiyonari was thrust into the international spotlight in 2003 when Honda promoted him from the Japanese championship to complete the MotoGP season at Gresini following the death of Daijiro Kato.

After recording a best MotoGP finish of eleventh, the youngster moved to the British Superbike Championship the following year.

He went on to become one of the most successful riders in BSB history, winning the title for Honda in 2006 and 2007, before switching to WorldSBK for two seasons, during which he claimed three race victories.

Kiyonari then returned to Britain to secure a third BSB crown in 2010, cementing his status as a series great.

The last of his 50 British Superbike race wins came with BMW in 2014, as he finished runner-up in the championship behind Shane Byrne.

Kiyonari later reappeared in WorldSBK with Althea Honda in 2019, before returning to race in Japan.

Ever popular with UK fans, Kiyonari issued the following message via the official British Superbike website following his retirement decision:

“I want to say thank you so, so much to all the BSB fans, BSB teams and sponsors, riders, staff, marshals, medics - to everybody. 

"I had wins and podiums because I met good people and always had good people around me. I really enjoyed racing in BSB, working with the teams.

"I also enjoyed drinking John Smiths! I miss the UK so much, but it is still hard to eat black pudding and marmite!

"BSB is my everything. I will now enjoy what is next and the future.”