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Edited Date/Time
5/21/2026 8:04pm
We’ve spent 4 or more years listing off guys who are going to retire “next year”.
Barcia
Tomac
Roczen
Malcolm
Craig?
AP?
Webb
Anderson (quid quo pro)
None of them seem any more likely to retire this year than they were in 2021 when all the questioning started. I love seeing them all stick around but it’s pretty funny how prolonged folks predictions have been
Craig & Anderson are the only two that wouldn’t surprise me if they hung it up.
Why retire at 30 plus. Everyone listed is capable of top tens. Look at guys like Forkner, Smith and McErath that can't beat those guys listed above.
I like how appalled Tomac gets when asked. It’s funny that he’s sticking it out and about as competitive as ever and still the journalists ask him if this might be the last year…for the 5th year in a row
The last 5 years:
Tomac: I don’t know why everyone keeps asking me about retirement
Also Tomac: (the year prior) we are just gonna do this year and see how we feel at the end
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Anderson has been retired....because, well, you know...
I don't know man, your ego is not your amigo. If you have a few championships, a few million dollars working for you, a family, and some nice mortgage-free property....get out while you can. We need not look far to see examples of how this sport can bust you up. It's like musical chairs and every year somebody's chick has to become a caregiver.
I get some of these guys trying to pad their bank accounts but if I'm set financially and have a Championship or two, I'm going into the hills to hunt and trail ride for the next few decades instead of putting it all on the line for ego.
It's not all ego. Tomac said he genuinely loves racing, and as long as he's still competing for wins, he wants to keep going. He's still here because he's having fun. Padding the bank account is probably a nice bonus for him.
RC retiring relatively young may have skewed the thinking around this.
No matter how much they may have banked, none of these guys are likely to equal the earnings they can get by still racing given their "brands" and competitiveness, unless, of course someone goes on to create some kind of lucrative business. As long as they can carve out a way to keep going that they enjoy or are happy with, why not?
How funny would it be if 3 retired except for Daytona and STILL WON?!
The only one thinking of retirement out of that list is Roczen.
“I’m gonna retire just so I don’t have to answer that &#% question one more time”
The difference is...Tomac, Roczen and Webb are past 450 champions and still very competitive. The rest should get over it and let it go. They'll never win a championship or probably ever win another race. Let the younger, lesser known guys have a shot on the 450. They've had theirs. Time to go.
AP is a million dollar guy, Barcia and Mookie are in that range all in, and you want them to just quit because they can’t win titles? Interesting take.
I understand what what you’re saying, but we don’t understand their lives. It’s not always about ego, it’s about not knowing what to do without it. One of the guys on that list dad told me his son would retire if he knew what to do. A lot of ex pros have gone through serious depression, divorce because without this, they are lost. Dungey had to come back to except it was over. I am great friends with a former factory rider who retired long ago, he was legitimately lost. He would call me almost everyday just to talk because a lot of people wouldn’t take the time to talk to him anymore.
If you guys think Wolf Man is an annoying "white knight " type, you're off. Wolf Man is a woman, if you pay close attention.
RC and the two Ryan's had nothing left at the time though. Rc had chronic fatigue syndrome, RD had broken his neck the year before, and 17' was the only title he ever won where he wasn't "the guy". RV, spent as well.
Time to give the factory bikes to the younger riders. Dont think the 30+ crowd will make many podiums on modified stockers.
Pit Row
Fte, what you said and let's be honest, who here would t like to have been in elite athlete condition in their mid thirties? Most of us have a gut and lower physical conditioning by this age. These guys remain competitive, make money and be in great shape. Sounds like a win to me!!
Of course they are one bad crash away from losing it all.
Craig did technically retire. Then put the boots back on. I’m remembering once..at least.
I don’t see any of these racers retiring as long as they keep getting offers.
RC was the outlier and he dipped early due to drug testing. Cool to see these current guys racing longer and longer.
I like that these guys are still there and able to get wins, but the only reason they are still there is cause many of the young up and comers , never got there to knock them off.
Is Chad Reed the oldest Champ to race? He retired at 39
someone should make a chart with all the generations of top lorettas grads and where theyre at now. it feels like we skipped about 8 years because all the top guys are so old.
Yeah that’s real. I know this is an unpopular opinion but sometimes I wish some 450 guys would move on so the younger dudes had a spot..like Enzo T or some of these younger dudes floating in no mans land
Offers need to go to young riders, or they going to stop nd find real work. Expect to see Big gap in age groups for factory rides. Need more young guys receiving the factory iron. Anyone 30+ who isn’t winning, should be demoted to modified stockerz. The window to championship is small.
Exactly. 100%.
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