On July 11, 2025, Yamaha Motor Europe, in close cooperation with Yamaha Motor US, presented a special XSR900 GP to Wayne Rainey, who was three consecutive World Champions in the WGP500cc class from 1990 to 1992.
Rainey races at Laguna Seca on a Y-AMT-equipped XSR900 GP
This will be Rainey's third time riding a Yamaha machine since his racing career ended in an accident at the 1993 Italian GP. This is the first time he has received the machine since the XSR900 GP's European debut, which was introduced in a launch video featuring Rainey. Rainey and the Yamaha Motor Europe team continued to dream about how to realize a design reminiscent of the machines he once rode.

Rainey at Laguna Seca. Rainey's last public appearance on a motorcycle was at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed, and the return of the American rider legend has been eagerly anticipated.

Rainey's special XSR900 GP on the pit road at Laguna Seca. The color scheme is also reminiscent of the YZR of that time.
And with heartfelt support for him to ride again, and to honor the deep and historic bond between Yamaha and the former Grand Prix rider and current president of MotoAmerica, a custom-made tribute machine was created.
This special machine is based on the XSR900 GP and is equipped with Yamaha's all-new, innovative Y-AMT (Yamaha Automated Manual Transmission) technology. To achieve a comfortable and confident ride, Yamaha Motor Europe's team of engineers and designers have created it with attention to detail. In addition to the adoption of the Y-AMT, the XSR900 GP has been improved in various ways to help Rainey take a stable seating position.
Inspired by Rainey's championship machine, the blacked-out Deltabox frame is used, and the black wheels emphasize the sophisticated and powerful impression. It faithfully reproduces the beauty of the YZR500 that Rainey used.

By adopting the Y-AMT automatic transmission, there is no clutch lever or shift lever. The tank is equipped with a special pad to support the body. The Y-AMT version of the XSR900 GP will also be desirable as a commercial motorcycle.
This weekend (July 11-13), a parade lap was led by Rainey on the XSR900 GP, and several riders, legend riders, and California Highway Patrol officers participated, impressively showcasing Yamaha's machines and technology.
This parade lap marked Rainey's return to the historic Laguna Seca Raceway since the 1991 United States Grand Prix, where he won the pole position and won by an overwhelming margin of 6.9 seconds over the second place in front of an enthusiastic home crowd. And in 2025, the racing world and the Laguna Seca crowd waited with anticipation for Rainey's return to the memorable world of motorcycles. They were eager to see the former WGP 500cc champion back on his motorcycle, returning to the place where he built his reputation, and there was a deep sense of nostalgia surrounding the track as the legendary racer returned to the asphalt at one of the most famous circuits not just in America but in the world.
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