John Reynolds 2004 BSB title celebrated at Motorcycle Live
Words and images courtesy Suzuki
Suzuki will celebrate the 20th anniversary of John Reynolds’ 2004 British Superbike title at this year’s Motorcycle Live. The event takes place from 16-24 November at Birmingham’s NEC.
Onboard the now-iconic Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000, ran by the Crescent Suzuki team, Reynolds won his third British Superbike title. He took seven wins along the way. It was also the first British Superbike Championship title won by an inline four-cylinder machine. This marked a shift after years of 750cc fours and 1000 twin-cylinder machines. John Reynold’s exceptional performance that year was unforgettable.
Reynolds’ GSX-R will be displayed proudly on the Suzuki stand, along with his leathers, gloves, and helmet. John Reynolds will also be attending the show on both the opening weekend – November 16-17 – and the final weekend – November 23-24.
Alongside commentator, former racer, and fan-favourite James Whitham, Reynolds will be on the main stage at 12:00 on Saturday, November 16. He will also be on stage at 13:30 on Saturday, November 23*. They will discuss his history-making, title-winning season. This season took his BSB championship win tally to three. When not on stage, he will be present on the Suzuki stand to meet and greet fans.
John Reynolds said,
“I’m really honoured that Suzuki wants to celebrate my 2004 championship, 20 years on. Earlier this year, at Suzuki Live at Cadwell Park, I actually rode the bike for the first time since that season. It brought back a lot of happy memories, so I’m looking forward to getting the chance to talk about it all over again. It was a great season, and I think it was a great year for BSB. It’ll be fantastic to tell some of the stories and talk through the highs and lows with James [Whitham] on the stage and with the fans that can remember it.”
Suzuki GB marketing manager, Jak Tyrrell, added,
“There are few pairings and race bike liveries more recognisable than John Reynolds and Rizla Suzuki. That 2004 season will always be considered one of the classics. This is thanks to the racing and competition between John, the Crescent Suzuki team, and their rivals. Add to the mix the history that was made, and it really had everything to make it a season and championship to savour. John Reynolds has since been a hugely important brand ambassador for Suzuki. He also played a key role as a test and development rider for models such as the GSX-R1000. He contributed to models like the B-King and SV650. We’re really excited to celebrate that season and John’s success.”
Alongside its 2025 model range, Suzuki will also be celebrating 25 years of the legendary Hayabusa at Motorcycle Live. They will have a special display of old and new, road and race bikes.